Introduction
Users will sometimes run into errors performing updates on their system. Apport will usually detect these failures and file a bug in Launchpad. These bugs can be identified by the bug tag 'apport-package'. Unfortunately these bugs sometimes get assigned to the "linux" kernel package in Launchpad when the issue is really a result of a non-kernel related problem. It's best to examine the DpkgTerminalLog file that is usually attached to these bug reports as it contains descriptive error message output. Documented below are a few commonly reported issues, the DpkgTerminalLog messages that point to the real issue and the bug number it should be marked a duplicate of.
Bug:105113 - No space left on device
Bug 105113
- The system ran out of disk space. Bug 105113 was a request to detect this prior to performing any updates. These bugs should be marked Invalid against the kernel.
gzip: stdout: No space left on device
Bug:252900 - Wubi Kernel Upgrade Fails
Bug 252900
E: /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic_2.6.24-19.36_i386.deb: unable to make backup link of `./boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic' before installing new version: Operation not permitted
Bug:71979 - short read in buffer_copy
Bug 71979
short read in buffer_copy . . .
Bug:292159 - Error exit status 17
Bug 292159
- This was really a casper bug on USB devices which should be resolved as of casper 1.162
update-initramfs is disabled since running on a live CD Failed to symbolic-link /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic to initrd.img. dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.27-7-generic (--configure): subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 17
Bug:193439 - exit status 2; update-grub fails when default is "saved"
Bug 193439
specifically note the expr: non-numeric argument line. Also, it's best to ask the reporter for the contents of /boot/grub/default to verify before marking it as a duplicate.
Testing for an existing GRUB menu.lst file ... found: /boot/grub/menu.lst Searching for splash image ... none found, skipping ... expr: non-numeric argument User postinst hook script [/sbin/update-grub] exited with value 2 dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.27-8-generic (--configure): subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Bug:326881 - corrupt .deb
Bug 326881
Preparing to replace linux-image-2.6.27-7-generic 2.6.27-7.14 (using .../linux-image-2.6.27-7-generic_2.6.27-7.16_amd64.deb) ... Done. Unpacking replacement linux-image-2.6.27-7-generic ... dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe) dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.27-7-generic_2.6.27-7.16_amd64.deb (--unpack): subprocess dpkg-deb --fsys-tarfile returned error exit status 2
Bug:322064 - files list file for package ... is missing final newline
Bug 322064
Usually indicates a corrupted .deb - https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-users/2007-January/104520.html
Selecting previously deselected package linux-source-2.6.27. (Reading database ... dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-source-2.6.27_2.6.27-9.19_all.deb (--unpack): files list file for package `libpoppler-glib3' is missing final newline
Bug:311280 - dpkg: serious warning: files list file for package
Bug 311280
dpkg: serious warning: files list file for package `xserver-xorg-input-vmmouse' missing, assuming package has no files currently installed. dpkg: serious warning: files list file for package `libexempi3' missing, assuming package has no files currently installed. dpkg: serious warning: files list file for package `libgtkspell0' missing, assuming package has no files currently installed. dpkg: serious warning: files list file for package `python-pkg-resources' missing, assuming package has no files currently installed. etc... ... dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.27-9-generic (--configure): subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 10
Bug:269539 - exited with value 3; grub 3-way merge menu.lst
Bug 269539
Merging changes into the new version Conflicts found! Please edit `/var/run/grub/menu.lst' and sort them out manually. The file `/var/run/grub/menu.lst.ucf-new' has a record of the failed merge of the configuration file. User postinst hook script [/sbin/update-grub] exited with value 3
Bug:271246 - /var/cache/debconf/config.dat is locked by another process: Resource temporarily unavailable
Bug 271246
debconf: DbDriver "config": /var/cache/debconf/config.dat is locked by another process: Resource temporarily unavailable
Bug:261392 - exit status 2; grub removed or not installed
Bug 261392
cp: cannot stat `/etc/udev/rules.d/65-mdadm.vol_id.rules': No such file or directory The provided postinst hook script [/sbin/update-grub] could not be run. dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.24-23-386 (--configure): subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Bug:303825 or Bug:331675 - nvidia-common exited with return code 10
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/nvidia-common run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/nvidia-common exited with return code 10
Bug:13130 - debconf uninitialized variable
Bug 13130
Use of uninitialized value in substitution (s///) at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Format/822.pm line 57, <$__ANONIO__> line 1.
Bug:386042 - /usr/share/debconf/confmodule: line 42: printf: write error: Broken pipe
Bug 386042
/usr/share/debconf/confmodule: line 42: printf: write error: Broken pipe User postinst hook script [/sbin/update-grub] exited with value 1
Bug:78478 - Could not find postinst hook script [update-grub]
Bug 78478
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-13-generic Not updating initrd symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled (2.6.28-13.44 was configured last, according to dpkg) Not updating image symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled (2.6.28-13.44 was configured last, according to dpkg) Could not find postinst hook script [update-grub]. Looked in: '/bin', '/sbin', '/usr/bin', '/usr/sbin' dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.28-13-generic (--configure): subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
or
The provided postinst hook script [/sbin/update-grub] could not be run. dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.20-5-generic (--configure): subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Bug:99547 - Running depmod. Failed to run depmod.
It seems the root cause for this issue is Bug 99547
Running depmod. Failed to run depmod dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.28-13-generic (--configure): subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Bug:417222 - /boot/grub/menu.lst: Operation not supported
Bug 417222
Updating /boot/grub/menu.lst ... /usr/sbin/update-grub: line 1484: /boot/grub/menu.lst: Operation not supported User postinst hook script [/sbin/update-grub] exited with value 1
Bug:533728 - No path or device is specified
Bug 533728
The user wants to activate a grub background image by setting use_bg=true in /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme . That's not the way it works and /etc/default/grub must be modified instead. Bug 533728 is a request to document it and avoid such modification.
Note to triagers: Note that the error 'No path or device is specified' appears 2 times in the error.
Generating grub.cfg ... No path or device is specified. Try `/usr/sbin/grub-probe --help' for more information. No path or device is specified. Try `/usr/sbin/grub-probe --help' for more information. User postinst hook script [/usr/sbin/update-grub] exited with value 1 dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.32-15-generic (--configure): subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Other ressources
Common Installation Issues: More general installation issues that can affect a kernel upgrade/installation.