iso installation error: Pathname can't be converted from UTF-8 to current locale

[white-gecko]

When I generate an iso from my image, and try to install it, the installation breaks after a while with the message:

The command 'ostree container image deploy --sysroot=/mnt/sysimage --image=/run/install/repo/bluejay-latest --transport=oci --no-signature-verification' exited with the code 1.

When I open the shell with ctrl-alt-f2 and look into /tmp/packaging.log I find the actual error to be:

error: Pathname can't be converted from UTF-8 to current locale

This is probably the same issue as reported here: JasonN3/build-container-installer#150

Since I experience this issue specifically with bluebuild generate-iso but I don't understand the details about the maybe missing env var and if this issue is specific to bluebuild, as pointed out in this comment: JasonN3/build-container-installer#150 (comment) I just feel free to report the issue here ;-)

[blueniri]

Just ran into this as well. I was stepping through the tutorial (https://blue-build.org/how-to/generate-iso/), generated the ISO, and am running into this. This was with the default out-of-the-box generated recipe; zero customization.

When running in a VM to test, the installation eventually fails with:

Pathname can't be converted from UTF-8 to current locale.

I changed the base image to see if it made a difference, but it didn't. Same error.

Recipe.yml:

---
# yaml-language-server: $schema=https://schema.blue-build.org/recipe-v1.json
# image will be published to ghcr.io/<user>/<name>
name: blue-niri-os
# description will be included in the image's metadata
description: This is my personal OS image.

# the base image to build on top of (FROM) and the version tag to use
base-image: ghcr.io/ublue-os/base-main
image-version: 41 # latest is also supported if you want new updates ASAP

# module configuration, executed in order
# you can include multiple instances of the same module
modules:
  - type: files
    files:
      - source: system
        destination: / # copies files/system/* (* means everything inside it) into your image's root folder /

  - type: rpm-ostree
    repos:
      - https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/atim/starship/repo/fedora-%OS_VERSION%/atim-starship-fedora-%OS_VERSION%.repo
    install:
      - micro
      - starship
    remove:
      # example: removing firefox (in favor of the flatpak)
      # "firefox" is the main package, "firefox-langpacks" is a dependency
      - firefox
      - firefox-langpacks # also remove firefox dependency (not required for all packages, this is a special case)

  - type: default-flatpaks
    notify: true # Send notification after install/uninstall is finished (true/false)
    system:
      # If no repo information is specified, Flathub will be used by default
      install:
        - org.mozilla.firefox
        - org.gnome.Loupe
      remove:
        - org.gnome.eog
    user: {} # Also add Flathub user repo, but no user packages

  - type: signing # this sets up the proper policy & signing files for signed images to work fully

[blueniri]

To workaround and get things going, I've abandoned the ISO utility/creation in favor of kickstart.

I host a lightweight http server to offer a ks.cfg file containing the following:

base-image: ghcr.io/ublue-os/base-main

Then I boot off a Fedora server netinst and edit (append) the following to the boot line, then F10 to boot, ex:

... inst.ks=http://10.11.12.13:8080/ks.cfg

Anaconda takes over, allowing me to use the installation GUI for disk partitions/etc. and then applies the base image.

[white-gecko]

Hey @blueniri how did you get this working?

(edit: I got it with the inst.ks option but now the installer will not start.)

Those are my steps:

I have a file ks.cfg:

base-image: ghcr.io/white-gecko/bluejay

That I server with python -m http.server --directory . 8080

I got the "Fedora Server 41Network Install iso" from https://fedoraproject.org/server/download (link). I write it to a a pen drive with the media writer. Boot it, in its GRUB on the "Install Fedora 41" entry I press [e] and add [edit] to the linuxefi line the following[/edit]:

inst.ks=http://192.168.XXX.XXX:8080/ks.cfg

so it looks like:

setparams 'Install Fedora 41'

        linuxefi /images/pxeboot/vmlinuz inst.stage2=hd:LABEL=Fedora-S-dvd-x86_64-41 inst.ks=http://192.168.XXX.XXX:8080/ks.cfg quiet
        initrdefi /images/pxeboot/initrd.img
        

and press F10.
[edit]
I see, how it retrieves the ks.cfg file from my http server but I get the error:

An error occurred during reading the kickstart file:
The following problem occurred on line 1 of the kickstart file:

Unknown command: base-image:

The installer will now terminate.

[/edit]

[white-gecko]

@blueniri would it be possible for you to paste your complte ks.cfg file?

[anh0516]

I'm experiencing the same issue when trying to build a base image.

@blueniri What exactly did you put in your ks.cfg? There isn't a base-image option listed, even in the latest version of the docs https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/9/html/automatically_installing_rhel/kickstart-commands-and-options-reference_rhel-installer.