📖 ~1 min read
Table of contents
Symptom & Impact
Encrypted dataset remains unavailable, preventing dependent filesystems and services from mounting.
Environment & Reproduction
Appears after key relocation, provider rename, or rc sequencing changes at startup.
Root Cause Analysis
Boot-time attach process cannot access correct key material or target provider identifier.
Quick Triage
Validate key presence, provider path, and passphrase flow in boot configuration.
Step-by-Step Diagnosis
Inspect boot logs and geli metadata to identify key/provider mismatch conditions.
Solution – Primary Fix
Correct key mapping and rc order, then attach and mount encrypted volumes reliably.
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Solution – Alternative Approaches
Use manual attach in controlled boot stage while automation scripts are remediated.
Verification & Acceptance Criteria
Encrypted providers attach automatically and downstream filesystems mount without manual steps.
Rollback Plan
Restore previous key location and boot scripts from backup if new sequence fails.
Prevention & Hardening
Protect key path consistency and add startup checks for encrypted volume readiness.
Related Errors & Cross-Refs
Related to loader disk enumeration changes and passphrase prompt timeout settings.
Related tutorial: View the step-by-step tutorial for freebsd-15.
View all freebsd-15 tutorials on the Tutorials Hub →
Browse all common problems & solutions on the Tutorials Hub.
References & Further Reading
geli man page and FreeBSD encrypted storage deployment guidance.
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