package grub-pc 1.99-21ubuntu3.14 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127

[Eugene Rodriguez]

Attempting to install vim using "sudo apt-get install gkvim". Program wseems to be installed, at least the opening screen appears, though I have not had a chance to use it yet. However, I received error message, and next time I logged on found I was in Launchpad.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: grub-pc 1.99-21ubuntu3.14
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-29.42~precise1-generic 3.8.13.5
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-29-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu17.6
Architecture: amd64
Date: Wed Jan 1 17:53:57 2014
DuplicateSignature: package:grub-pc:1.99-21ubuntu3.14:subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04.3 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20130820.2)
InvalidGrubScript: /etc/default/grub
MarkForUpload: True
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.8.0-29-generic root=UUID=d6173a15-8f84-43e1-9f4f-d6496458c6ea ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: grub2
Title: package grub-pc 1.99-21ubuntu3.14 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Karim Hosein (khosein)]

Problem lies in conflict with grub and kernel 3.8.0-35.

Here is a workaround:

# apt-get purge dose not succeed but synaptic "completely remove" option does
sudo apt-get install synaptic

from synaptic, completely remove grub, grub2, grub-pc, grub-bin, grub-common, etc.
# you can search for 'grub' then sort on 'status' to find what is installed then 'com[letely remove' them.

close synaptic and from the terminal type
sudo apt-get install grub2
sudo update-grub

# Before anything else, update the kernel
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

now you should be able to install anything you like, including gkvim, without getting an error message telling you that /etc/default/grub is not found or is invalid.

You can alsoun-install grub and re-install any other bootloader which you may have been using such as burg as was the case with me.

This is just a hack around the issue. The issue still exists.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

The problem is simply that you had edited your /etc/default/grub file and inserted some invalid text on this line:

GRUBboo# If you change this file, run 'update-grub' afterwards to update

Purging and reinstalling restored this file.

[Karim Hosein (khosein)]

Sure That is the problem but I just got this error again yesterday on a fresh install from a 12.04.3 64bit ISO install and I did not make any changes to grub.

The system was installed and rebooted.

sudo apt-get update was ran.

sudo apt-get upgade was ran.

errored out with exit status 127 because of corrupt /etc/default/grub file

That was my last EliteBook 8770w with the AMD GPU. Once I complete that one, I will be moving on to three more EliteBook 8770w but with nVidia GPUs. I will let you know how that goes but so far, 100% of the time on six of the former.

Also yesterday on an HP z220 Workstation and again with 12.04.3 and again when upgrading from the 3.8.0-29 kernel to the 3.8.0-35 kernel.

[Eugene Rodriguez (mesrod)]

Phillip Susi,
I never knowingly edited grub. This was a new install of a RAID1 system. Could setting that up have altered grub?
Gene Rodriguez