To resolve slow mounts in Proxmox or similar Linux systems, you can modify the /etc/fstab file to increase the timeout for mounting filesystems. This is particularly useful when dealing with network-attached storage (NFS), slow disks, or devices that take longer than the default 30 seconds to become available.

Step-by-step: Modify /etc/fstab to Extend Mount Time

1. Identify the Mount Entry

     sudo nano /etc/fstab

• Open the /etc/fstab file in a text editor:
• Locate the line corresponding to the slow-mounting volume (e.g., an NFS share, LVM volume, or external drive).

1. Add or Modify Mount Options

• The key options to adjust are:
• timeout= – sets the time (in seconds) to wait before giving up on a mount.
• retry= – specifies how many times to retry mounting.
• x-systemd.requires= – ensures the mount is only attempted after dependencies are ready.
• x-systemd.mount-timeout= – sets a timeout for systemd to complete the mount.

Example entry with extended timeout:

   /dev/sdb1 /mnt/data ext4 defaults,timeout=60,retry=5 0 0

Or for NFS:

   192.168.1.10:/share /mnt/nfs nfs defaults,timeout=60,retry=5 0 0

1. Use systemd-specific Options (Recommended for Proxmox)

     /dev/sdb1 /mnt/data ext4 defaults,x-systemd.mount-timeout=60,x-systemd.requires=network.target 0 0

• Proxmox uses systemd for mount management. To ensure proper handling, use x-systemd. options:
• This tells systemd to wait up to 60 seconds for the device to be ready and ensures network is up before attempting the mount.

1. Test the Changes

     sudo mount -a

• Run a dry test to check for syntax errors:
• If no errors appear, the configuration is valid.

1. Reboot or Remount

     sudo reboot

     sudo umount /mnt/data
     sudo mount /mnt/data

• Reboot the system to test the new mount behavior:
• Alternatively, remount the volume:

1. Verify Mount Behavior

     mount | grep data

     journalctl -u systemd-fsck-root.service | tail -20

• Check the status of the mount:
• Monitor logs for any mount delays:

Additional Tips

  /dev/sdb1 /mnt/data ext4 defaults,nofail,x-systemd.mount-timeout=60 0 0

  x-systemd.requires=network.target

  /dev/sdb1 /mnt/data ext4 defaults,x-systemd.automount,x-systemd.mount-timeout=60 0 0

• Use nofail if the device is optional and you don’t want boot to fail if it’s unavailable:
• Check for network delays if using NFS or iSCSI. Ensure the network interface is up before mounting:
• Use x-systemd.automount for on-demand mounting (only mounts when accessed):

Final Notes

  sudo cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.backup

• Always back up /etc/fstab before editing:
• If the system fails to boot due to a slow mount, use emergency mode or boot into a live environment to fix the file.

These changes ensure that your system waits longer for slow storage devices to become available, reducing the risk of boot failures or unresponsive services.