update to this pkg crashes fresh install of ubuntu preventing long-in screen from appearing or anything else

[Nadya Sarankhova]

update to this pkg crashed my system.
I ended up reinstalling ubuntu 21.10 from USB stick, which fixed it.
I immediately ran "sudo apt -y upgrade" and it updated all packages.
While updating "libffi8" i received a dpkg error message.
on reboot, it loads to a screen that "something went wrong, log out and try again" and it freezes at that screen.
i did not install anything beyond whatever the install medium puts on for a standard install.
I am using the laptop now. after a second reinstall I deselected the libffi8 package from the upgrade list, and its working just fine, leading me to the conclusion that it is the offending package.
because I can not get to a terminal window or gnome desktop, I cannot run apport on the system while crashed and frozen. sorry. but if there's anything i can provide to help with a fix, let me know, and I will gladly do so.
please note, the bug report was generated on a working system, not the crashed system. I still have access to the crashed system if you have a suggestion how to get any information out of it. recovery mode does not load to gnome either.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 21.10
Package: libffi8ubuntu1:amd64 3.4~20200819gead65ca871-0ubuntu5
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.13.0-14.14-generic 5.13.1
Uname: Linux 5.13.0-14-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu68
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Sun Sep 12 06:00:36 2021
InstallationDate: Installed on 2021-07-23 (50 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 21.10 "Impish Indri" - Alpha amd64 (20210501)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: libffi
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Nadya Sarankhova (nadiasarankhova)]

UPDATE:
after steve's fix to the related bug i installed the new -ubuntu4 version of libffi8 via recovery mode root shell & apt install.
It has made no difference. the system is still unbootable.

Fresh install from USB;
ran commands "sudo apt update && sudo apt -y upgrade && sudo apt autoremove && reboot"
that's all I've done.

System info:
Dual boot, running ubuntu 21.10 on partitions 4 & 5.
Part 4 affected.
Part 5 running normally, however part 5 DOES NOT update. Part 5 last update manually on 9/5.
dpkg finds no broken packages, nor does apt --fix-broken.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

libffi8 3.4.2-1ubuntu5 in impish-proposed is believed to fix the glib-related regressions in libffi. Can you please retest to confirm that it addresses your issue?

[Nadya Sarankhova (nadiasarankhova)]

Yes, that appears to have fixed it. I have been able to reboot the system 2x without it hanging now.
thanks, steve.

On Thu, Sep 16, 2021, at 10:40, Steve Langasek wrote:
> libffi8 3.4.2-1ubuntu5 in impish-proposed is believed to fix the glib-
> related regressions in libffi. Can you please retest to confirm that it
> addresses your issue?
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1943362
>
> Title:
> update to this pkg crashes fresh install of ubuntu preventing long-in
> screen from appearing or anything else
>
> Status in libffi package in Ubuntu:
> Confirmed
>
> Bug description:
> update to this pkg crashed my system.
> I ended up reinstalling ubuntu 21.10 from USB stick, which fixed it.
> I immediately ran "sudo apt -y upgrade" and it updated all packages.
> While updating "libffi8" i received a dpkg error message.
> on reboot, it loads to a screen that "something went wrong, log out and try again" and it freezes at that screen.
> i did not install anything beyond whatever the install medium puts on for a standard install.
> I am using the laptop now. after a second reinstall I deselected the libffi8 package from the upgrade list, and its working just fine, leading me to the conclusion that it is the offending package.
> because I can not get to a terminal window or gnome desktop, I cannot run apport on the system while crashed and frozen. sorry. but if there's anything i can provide to help with a fix, let me know, and I will gladly do so.
> please note, the bug report was generated on a working system, not the crashed system. I still have access to the crashed system if you have a suggestion how to get any information out of it. recovery mode does not load to gnome either.
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 21.10
> Package: libffi8ubuntu1:amd64 3.4~20200819gead65ca871-0ubuntu5
> ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.13.0-14.14-generic 5.13.1
> Uname: Linux 5.13.0-14-generic x86_64
> ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu68
> Architecture: amd64
> CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
> CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
> Date: Sun Sep 12 06:00:36 2021
> InstallationDate: Installed on 2021-07-23 (50 days ago)
> InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 21.10 "Impish Indri" - Alpha amd64 (20210501)
> ProcEnviron:
> TERM=xterm-256color
> PATH=(custom, no user)
> XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
> LANG=en_US.UTF-8
> SHELL=/bin/bash
> SourcePackage: libffi
> UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libffi/+bug/1943362/+subscriptions
>
>

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

Thanks for confirming. Marking this bug as resolved, and unblocking libffi for the release pocket.