console= parameters need to be added before -- on kernel cmdline

Sorry, I hadn't seen this bug so I went ahead and implemented part of the solution in d-i (well, cherry-picking changes really).

So what will happen is rather than using "--" as a separator, we can use "---" (three dashes).

So, on request from Scott; here's a quick breakdown on how the parameters passed on the command line are handled:

This already was understood by the debian-installer-utils source package, which contains a "user-params" script which takes some user parameters (but not debconf preseeds). console= is one of the user parameters taken by user-params.

All the parameters passed on the command-line make it to the installer environment; this is done, AIUI, by the kernel.

From there, the preseed source package has an env2debconf script which will take the environment variables it recognizes (containing a slash or know as aliases to some debconf variable), and ship them to debconf for the installer to use.

From that point, the installer runs. Towards the end of the installation, the grub-installer package will ask user-params for what to add to the kernel command-line when setting up the bootloader (this is also true of yaboot-installer). Other parameters relevant to the installed system go through debconf, and will get applied based on what postinst scripts do -- for instance, console-setup will carry the keymap/model settings on to the installed system's /etc/default/keyboard.

Given that d-i was already updated to use --- as a separator for vivid (mini.iso); and that there is a change for the same thing to be true for debian-cd (building the Ubuntu isos), I believe curtin will also need to be thought to be able to handle both -- and --- as separators for the parameters to be copied on the installed system.

I've just pushed a change to lp:~smoser/curtin/trunk.lp1402042 that will prefer the tok '---' over the tok '--'.
So this should work with new maas or old maas.

Maas will just then have to change its behavior to always add the '---'. the one issue with this is that maas will then have to either
a.) require curtin at a certain version so that the new curtin will copy over args after '---'
b.) interrogate curtin for the version to see what curtin will look for and use '--' if it has too.

clearly 'a' seems the easiest, but we'll have to SRU the curtin fix first.

The debian-installer-utils changes are already in Vivid; and I just uploaded them to precise, trusty, and utopic.

This bug was fixed in the package curtin - 0.1.0~bzr227-0ubuntu1

---------------
curtin (0.1.0~bzr227-0ubuntu1) wily; urgency=medium

  * New upstream snapshot.
    * support '---' or '--' as token to indicate the subsequent kernel command
      line parameters should be copied from install envionrment to installed
      environment. (LP: #1402042)
    * partition: when partitioning mbr and boot partition verify that
      both partitions exist.
    * partition: when creating mbr table, leave space for secondary gpt header
    * fix uefi install path on nvme devices (LP: #1471928)

 -- Scott Moser <email address hidden> Thu, 09 Jul 2015 16:17:20 -0400

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

Hello Scott, or anyone else affected,

Accepted debian-installer-utils into precise-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/debian-installer-utils/1.88ubuntu2.3 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, and change the tag from verification-needed to verification-done. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed. In either case, details of your testing will help us make a better decision.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance!

Hello Scott, or anyone else affected,

Accepted debian-installer-utils into trusty-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/debian-installer-utils/1.105ubuntu1.14.04.1 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, and change the tag from verification-needed to verification-done. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed. In either case, details of your testing will help us make a better decision.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance!

Hello Scott, or anyone else affected,

Accepted debian-installer-utils into utopic-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/debian-installer-utils/1.105ubuntu1.14.10.1 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, and change the tag from verification-needed to verification-done. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed. In either case, details of your testing will help us make a better decision.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance!

Hello Scott, or anyone else affected,

Accepted debian-installer into precise-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/debian-installer/20101020ubuntu136.21 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, and change the tag from verification-needed to verification-done. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed. In either case, details of your testing will help us make a better decision.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance!

Hello Scott, or anyone else affected,

Accepted debian-installer into utopic-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/debian-installer/20101020ubuntu352.3 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, and change the tag from verification-needed to verification-done. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed. In either case, details of your testing will help us make a better decision.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance!

Hello Scott, or anyone else affected,

Accepted debian-installer into trusty-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/debian-installer/20101020ubuntu318.26 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, and change the tag from verification-needed to verification-done. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed. In either case, details of your testing will help us make a better decision.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance!

i put some code at
 https://code.launchpad.net/~smoser/+junk/di-boottest-lp1402042/

Ran that code, the output shows in output.log as attached.
Then, checked console logs of everything with:

$ for d in *; do [ -f "$d/serial-boot.log" ] || continue; echo === $d === ; echo == install == ; grep "Command line:" $d/serial-install.log; echo == boot ==; grep "cmdline:" "$d/serial-boot.log" | head -n 1; done
=== precise-p-proposed-amd64 ===
== install ==
[ 0.000000] Command line: url=http://192.168.1.131:9900//preseed foo_nocopy=1 priority=critical locale=en_US --- console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1
== boot ==
[stdout] Mon, 20 Jul 2015 13:54:53 -0400 cmdline: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-87-generic root=UUID=98ea5c2d-97e2-40e5-95c8-2269daed1c55 ro console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1 quiet
=== precise-q-proposed-amd64 ===
== install ==
[ 0.000000] Command line: url=http://192.168.1.131:9900//preseed foo_nocopy=1 priority=critical locale=en_US --- console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1
== boot ==
[stdout] Mon, 20 Jul 2015 14:04:24 -0400 cmdline: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-87-generic root=UUID=154fc34e-7b91-415e-beee-588b33a213e7 ro console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1 quiet
=== precise-r-proposed-amd64 ===
== install ==
[ 0.000000] Command line: url=http://192.168.1.131:9900//preseed foo_nocopy=1 priority=critical locale=en_US --- console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1
== boot ==
[stdout] Mon, 20 Jul 2015 14:13:38 -0400 cmdline: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-87-generic root=UUID=beb39c3a-0f06-4d65-bce0-a4ccd61fe00d ro console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1 quiet
=== precise-s-proposed-amd64 ===
== install ==
[ 0.000000] Command line: url=http://192.168.1.131:9900//preseed foo_nocopy=1 priority=critical locale=en_US --- console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1
== boot ==
[stdout] Mon, 20 Jul 2015 14:23:16 -0400 cmdline: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-87-generic root=UUID=af7b6809-4a6e-4526-b0f6-65fe4c37b2d3 ro console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1 quiet
=== precise-t-proposed-amd64 ===
== install ==
[ 0.000000] Command line: url=http://192.168.1.131:9900//preseed foo_nocopy=1 priority=critical locale=en_US --- console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1
== boot ==
[stdout] Mon, 20 Jul 2015 14:33:21 -0400 cmdline: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-87-generic root=UUID=9cfec217-a88f-4486-852c-7b31a27f47fa ro console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1 quiet
=== trusty-t-proposed-amd64 ===
== install ==
[ 0.000000] Command line: url=http://192.168.1.131:9900//preseed foo_nocopy=1 priority=critical locale=en_US --- console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1
== boot ==
[stdout] Mon, 20 Jul 2015 12:59:13 -0400 cmdline: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-57-generic root=UUID=0748e068-52a0-4621-935d-fca60ea120ff ro console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1 quiet
=== trusty-u-proposed-amd64 ===
== install ==
[ 0.000000] Command line: url=http://192.168.1.131:9900//preseed foo_nocopy=1 priority=critical locale=en_US --- console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1
== boot ==
[stdout] Mon, 20 Jul 2015 13:10:41 -0400 cmdline: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-57-generic root=UUID=bbbdb4cf-1e2d-4384-ae79-80012eea8124 ro console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1 quiet
=== trusty-v-proposed-amd64 ===
== install ==
[ 0.000000] Command line: url=http://192.168.1.131:9900//preseed foo_nocopy=1 priority=critical locale=en_US --- console=ttyS0 foo_copy=1
==...

The above shows that the kernel parameters after '---' are copied over, and things before it are not (foo_nocopy=1 and foo_copy specifically).

This bug was fixed in the package debian-installer-utils - 1.88ubuntu2.3

---------------
debian-installer-utils (1.88ubuntu2.3) precise; urgency=medium

  * Add support for --- as a user-params separator (for parameters on the
    kernel command-line) for parameters to pass on to the installed system.
    (LP: #1402042)

 -- Mathieu Trudel-Lapierre <email address hidden> Wed, 08 Jul 2015 13:50:44 -0400

The verification of the Stable Release Update for debian-installer-utils has completed successfully and the package has now been released to -updates. Subsequently, the Ubuntu Stable Release Updates Team is being unsubscribed and will not receive messages about this bug report. In the event that you encounter a regression using the package from -updates please report a new bug using ubuntu-bug and tag the bug report regression-update so we can easily find any regressions.

This bug was fixed in the package debian-installer-utils - 1.105ubuntu1.14.04.1

---------------
debian-installer-utils (1.105ubuntu1.14.04.1) trusty; urgency=medium

  * Add support for --- as a user-params separator (for parameters on the
    kernel command-line) for parameters to pass on to the installed system.
    (LP: #1402042)

 -- Mathieu Trudel-Lapierre <email address hidden> Wed, 08 Jul 2015 13:49:58 -0400

This bug was fixed in the package debian-installer-utils - 1.105ubuntu1.14.10.1

---------------
debian-installer-utils (1.105ubuntu1.14.10.1) utopic; urgency=medium

  * Add support for --- as a user-params separator (for parameters on the
    kernel command-line) for parameters to pass on to the installed system.
    (LP: #1402042)

 -- Mathieu Trudel-Lapierre <email address hidden> Wed, 08 Jul 2015 13:51:24 -0400

This bug was fixed in the package debian-installer - 20101020ubuntu318.26

---------------
debian-installer (20101020ubuntu318.26) trusty; urgency=medium

  * Rebuild to pull in the new debian-installer-utils (LP: #1402042)

 -- Mathieu Trudel-Lapierre <email address hidden> Fri, 17 Jul 2015 16:04:45 -0400

This bug was fixed in the package debian-installer - 20101020ubuntu352.3

---------------
debian-installer (20101020ubuntu352.3) utopic; urgency=medium

  * Force rebuild to pick up new debian-installer-utils (LP: #1402042)
  * Switch to '---' as option separator for all kernels (LP: #1427252)

 -- Adam Conrad <email address hidden> Fri, 17 Jul 2015 09:10:34 -0600

This bug was fixed in the package maas - 1.8.2+bzr4041-0ubuntu1

---------------
maas (1.8.2+bzr4041-0ubuntu1) wily; urgency=medium

  * New upstream bugfix release, 1.8.2 bzr 4041:
    - Regenerate the connection URL on websocket client reconnect, to fix
      CSRF after upgrade to 1.8.1. (LP: #1484696)
    - Validate the osystem and distro_series when using the deploy action,
      which fixes win2012r2 deployment issues. (LP: #1445942)
    - Fix failure in MAAS startup messages by not generating dhcpd config
      files when they are not in use. (LP: #1481940)
    - Fix enlistment to always use the correct kernel parameters. (LP: #1459865)
  * debian/control: Add missing dep on python-curtin.
  * debian/maas-cluster-controller.postinst: Drop mangling of apache2.

maas (1.8.1+bzr4036-0ubuntu1) trusty; urgency=medium

  * New upstream release, 1.8.1 bzr4036:
    - Add --username to maas-region-admin apikey command
      docs. (LP: ##1481118)
    - Add ListBootImagesV2 RPC command; fallback to using ListBootImages
      when the ListBootImagesV2 is not handled on the cluster.
    - Fix setting the default_distro_series over the API (LP: #1470591)
    - Fix upgrade issue where it would remove custom DNS config,
      potentially breaking DNS (LP: #1413388)
    - Commissioning x86_64 node never completes, sitting at grub
      prompt, pserv py tbs (LP: #1317705)
    - Power monitor service hits amp.TooLong errors with > ~600
      nodes to a cluster (LP: #1389007)
    - Websocket server accessed over port 5240 (LP: #1436279)
    - If hostname not set, sudo warning make maas throw 500 (LP: #1469305)
    - Can't set a list of forwarders (BIND config) (LP: #1470585)
    - UCS chassis enlist Failed to probe and enlist UCS nodes: list
      index out of range (LP: #1469846)
    - Add cisco snic to 3rd party driver (LP: #1470276)
    - console= parameters need to be added before -- on kernel
      cmdline (LP: #1402042)
    - [UI] Machine details styling (LP: #1465722)
    - [UI] Actions design styles (LP: #1465737)
    - [UI] Replace close "X" with correct versions (LP: #1465740)
    - [UI] Table design styles (LP: #1465742)
    - [UI] Make table heading hover consistant with nodes/devices
      tabs (LP: #1470389)
    - [UI] adding between node name and save button
      inconsistent (LP: #1470395)
    - [UI] "Set zone" label oddly placed on node listing
      page (LP: #1459710)

  [ Raphaël Badin ]
  * Enable proxy_wstunnel module.
  * Drop dependency on python-iscpy: the code has been integrated into
    MAAS. (LP: #1413388).

  [ Andres Rodriguez ]
  * Refactor maas-dns upgrade code so it doesn't break local DNS config
    and it gets migrated (LP: #1413388)
    - debian/maas-region-controller.postinst: Ensure DNS config migration
      is always run.
  * debian/control: Make maas-dns a Dependy of maas-region-controller.

  [ Scott Moser ]
  * maas-proxy: sync white space changes with trunk packaging branch
  * maas-proxy: sync apt specific squid config with squid-deb-proxy
    (LP: #1474417)

 -- Andres Rodriguez <email address hidden> Mon, 17 Aug 2015 11:31:20 +0100

Hello Scott, or anyone else affected,

Accepted curtin into trusty-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/curtin/0.1.0~bzr227-0ubuntu1~14.04.1 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, and change the tag from verification-needed to verification-done. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed. In either case, details of your testing will help us make a better decision.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance!

Hello Scott, or anyone else affected,

Accepted curtin into vivid-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/curtin/0.1.0~bzr227-0ubuntu1~14.10.1 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, and change the tag from verification-needed to verification-done. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed. In either case, details of your testing will help us make a better decision.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance!

The fix for this bug has been awaiting testing feedback in the -proposed repository for trusty for more than 90 days. Please test this fix and update the bug appropriately with the results. In the event that the fix for this bug is still not verified 15 days from now, the package will be removed from the -proposed repository.

This bug was fixed in the package curtin - 0.1.0~bzr227-0ubuntu1~14.04.1

---------------
curtin (0.1.0~bzr227-0ubuntu1~14.04.1) trusty-proposed; urgency=medium

  * New upstream snapshot.
    - fix uefi install path on nvme devices (LP: #1471928)
    - tools/maas2roottar: (development only tool) exit failure when missing
      dependency (LP: #1466099).
    - partition: leave space for secondary gpt header when creating mbr disks.
    - partition: when a second partition is created, assert its existance.
    - partition: when second partition is created, wipe fs info.
    - kernel command line: prefer the --- over -- to indicate that subsequent
      arguments should be copied to installed system. (LP: #1402042)

 -- Scott Moser <email address hidden> Tue, 22 Sep 2015 12:02:08 -0400

This bug was fixed in the package curtin - 0.1.0~bzr227-0ubuntu1~14.10.1

---------------
curtin (0.1.0~bzr227-0ubuntu1~14.10.1) vivid-proposed; urgency=medium

  * New upstream snapshot.
    - fix uefi install path on nvme devices (LP: #1471928)
    - tools/maas2roottar: (development only tool) exit failure when missing
      dependency (LP: #1466099).
    - partition: leave space for secondary gpt header when creating mbr disks.
    - partition: when a second partition is created, assert its existance.
    - partition: when second partition is created, wipe fs info.
    - kernel command line: prefer the --- over -- to indicate that subsequent
      arguments should be copied to installed system. (LP: #1402042)

 -- Scott Moser <email address hidden> Tue, 22 Sep 2015 12:21:28 -0400

This bug is believed to be fixed in curtin in 17.1. If this is still a problem for you, please make a comment and set the state back to New

Thank you.

The Precise Pangolin has reached end of life, so this bug will not be fixed for that release