The test suite sometimes cannot connect to the remote shell

We’ve had failures lately in Jenkins. It made some steps fail, and it’s not surprising given the place it has in the test suite. We should watch out the rate of this bug as well it where condition it happens to get a better plan.

Here are some excerpts:

Step: the computer reboots Tails
  Defined at: features/step_definitions/common_steps.rb:244
  Used in:    Scenario: Anti-test: Changes to the hardware clock are kept when rebooting
              features/time_syncing.feature:2
  Error trace:
    Remote shell seems to be down
    Last ignored exception was: Timeout::Error: execution expired (Timeout::Error)
    ./features/support/helpers/misc_helpers.rb:83:in `rescue in try_for'
    ./features/support/helpers/misc_helpers.rb:33:in `try_for'
    ./features/support/helpers/exec_helper.rb:14:in `wait_until_remote_shell_is_up'
    ./features/support/helpers/vm_helper.rb:452:in `wait_until_remote_shell_is_up'
    ./features/step_definitions/common_steps.rb:267:in `/^the computer (re)?boots Tails$/'
    features/time_syncing.feature:101:in `And the computer reboots Tails'

Step: I start Tails from DVD with network unplugged and I login
  Defined at: features/step_definitions/common_steps.rb:178
  Used in:    Scenario: Upgrading an old Tails USB installation from an ISO image, running on the new version
              features/usb_upgrade.feature:2
  Error trace:
    Remote shell seems to be down
    Last ignored exception was: Timeout::Error: execution expired (Timeout::Error)
    ./features/support/helpers/misc_helpers.rb:83:in `rescue in try_for'
    ./features/support/helpers/misc_helpers.rb:33:in `try_for'
    ./features/support/helpers/exec_helper.rb:14:in `wait_until_remote_shell_is_up'
    ./features/support/helpers/vm_helper.rb:452:in `wait_until_remote_shell_is_up'
    ./features/step_definitions/common_steps.rb:267:in `/^the computer (re)?boots Tails$/'
    ./features/step_definitions/common_steps.rb:186:in `/^I start Tails( from DVD)?( with network unplugged)?( and I login)?$/'
    features/usb_upgrade.feature:111:in `And I start Tails from DVD with network unplugged and I login'

Step: I start Tails from DVD with network unplugged and I login
  Defined at: features/step_definitions/common_steps.rb:178
  Used in:    Scenario: Upgrading an old Tails USB installation from an ISO image, running on the new version
              features/usb_upgrade.feature:2
  Error trace:
    Remote shell seems to be down
    Last ignored exception was: Timeout::Error: execution expired (Timeout::Error)
    ./features/support/helpers/misc_helpers.rb:83:in `rescue in try_for'
    ./features/support/helpers/misc_helpers.rb:33:in `try_for'
    ./features/support/helpers/exec_helper.rb:14:in `wait_until_remote_shell_is_up'
    ./features/support/helpers/vm_helper.rb:452:in `wait_until_remote_shell_is_up'
    ./features/step_definitions/common_steps.rb:267:in `/^the computer (re)?boots Tails$/'
    ./features/step_definitions/common_steps.rb:186:in `/^I start Tails( from DVD)?( with network unplugged)?( and I login)?$/'
    features/usb_upgrade.feature:111:in `And I start Tails from DVD with network unplugged and I login'

Step: I start Tails from USB drive "old" with network unplugged and I login
  Defined at: features/step_definitions/common_steps.rb:200
  Used in:    Scenario: Upgrading an old Tails USB installation from an ISO image, running on the old version
              features/usb_upgrade.feature:2
  Error trace:
    Remote shell seems to be down
    Last ignored exception was: Timeout::Error: execution expired (Timeout::Error)
    ./features/support/helpers/misc_helpers.rb:83:in `rescue in try_for'
    ./features/support/helpers/misc_helpers.rb:33:in `try_for'
    ./features/support/helpers/exec_helper.rb:14:in `wait_until_remote_shell_is_up'
    ./features/support/helpers/vm_helper.rb:452:in `wait_until_remote_shell_is_up'
    ./features/step_definitions/common_steps.rb:267:in `/^the computer (re)?boots Tails$/'
    ./features/step_definitions/common_steps.rb:208:in `/^I start Tails from (.+?) drive "(.+?)"(| with network unplugged)( and I login(| with(| read-only) persistence enabled))?$/'
    features/usb_upgrade.feature:100:in `When I start Tails from USB drive "old" with network unplugged and I login'

Feature Branch: test/10777-robust-boot-menu

Parent Task: #10288

Related issues

• Related to #11846 (closed)
• Blocked by #11866 (closed)
• Blocked by #10777 (closed)

Original created by @bertagaz on 10502 (Redmine)