Kubuntu: upgrade manager failed on dependency problems of hal and hwdb

[Krotow]

Binary package hint: update-manager

Architecture: i386
DistroRelease: Kubuntu 7.10 (gutsy)

Error on networked version upgrade to 8.04 LTS (hardy), launched from Adept. Upgrade manager reported errors on hal and hwdb package upgrade. Affected packages was:

hal
hal-cups-utils
hwdb-client-common
hwdb-client-kde
kde-guidance-powermanager
kubuntu-desktop
system-config-printer-kde

Error part from /var/log/dist-upgrade/main.log

ERROR got an error from dpkg for pkg: 'hal': 'subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1'
ERROR got an error from dpkg for pkg: 'hal-cups-utils': 'dependency problems - leaving unconfigured'
DEBUG running apport_pkgfailure() hal-cups-utils: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured'
ERROR got an error from dpkg for pkg: 'hal-cups-utils': 'dependency problems - leaving unconfigured'
ERROR got an error from dpkg for pkg: 'hwdb-client-common': 'dependency problems - leaving unconfigured'
DEBUG running apport_pkgfailure() hwdb-client-common: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured'
ERROR got an error from dpkg for pkg: 'hwdb-client-common': 'dependency problems - leaving unconfigured'
ERROR got an error from dpkg for pkg: 'hwdb-client-kde': 'dependency problems - leaving unconfigured'
DEBUG running apport_pkgfailure() hwdb-client-kde: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured'
ERROR got an error from dpkg for pkg: 'hwdb-client-kde': 'dependency problems - leaving unconfigured'
ERROR SystemError from cache.commit(): E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
WARNING cache.commit() raised a SystemError but pkg_failures count is 0
DEBUG running apport_pkgfailure() update-manager: SystemError in cache.commit(): E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Error part from /var/log/dist-upgrade/apt-term.log

Processing triggers for libc6 ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-17-generic
Errors were encountered while processing:
 hal
 hal-cups-utils
 hwdb-client-common
 hwdb-client-kde
 kde-guidance-powermanager
 kubuntu-desktop
 system-config-printer-kde

apt-cache policy report for packages mentioned above:

hal:
  Installed: 0.5.11~rc2-1ubuntu8
  Candidate: 0.5.11~rc2-1ubuntu8
  Version table:
 *** 0.5.11~rc2-1ubuntu8 0
        500 http://ftp.linux.edu.lv hardy-proposed/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     0.5.11~rc2-1ubuntu7 0
        500 http://ftp.linux.edu.lv hardy/main Packages
hal-cups-utils:
  Installed: 0.6.13+svn86-0ubuntu4
  Candidate: 0.6.13+svn86-0ubuntu4
  Version table:
 *** 0.6.13+svn86-0ubuntu4 0
        500 http://ftp.linux.edu.lv hardy/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
hwdb-client-common:
  Installed: 0.6.14
  Candidate: 0.6.14
  Version table:
 *** 0.6.14 0
        500 http://ftp.linux.edu.lv hardy/universe Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
hwdb-client-kde:
  Installed: 0.6.14
  Candidate: 0.6.14
  Version table:
 *** 0.6.14 0
        500 http://ftp.linux.edu.lv hardy/universe Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
kde-guidance-powermanager:
  Installed: 0.8.0svn20080103-0ubuntu16
  Candidate: 0.8.0svn20080103-0ubuntu16
  Version table:
 *** 0.8.0svn20080103-0ubuntu16 0
        500 http://ftp.linux.edu.lv hardy/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
kubuntu-desktop:
  Installed: 1.75
  Candidate: 1.75
  Version table:
 *** 1.75 0
        500 http://ftp.linux.edu.lv hardy/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
system-config-printer-kde:
  Installed: 0.09
  Candidate: 0.09
  Version table:
 *** 0.09 0
        500 http://ftp.linux.edu.lv hardy/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

I expected, that something was happened with HAL before. I already had problem with USB stick, that mounts only on system restart or manually by pmount, cause unknown. After upgrade to "hardy" system now is able to mount that USB stick automatically, but power off by menu (from software) feature is gone.

Upgrade log files from /var/log/dist-upgrade is attached below.

ProblemType: Package
Architecture: i386
Date: Sun May 4 15:23:48 2008
Dependencies:

DistroRelease: Ubuntu 8.04
ErrorMessage: ErrorMessage: SystemError in cache.commit(): E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: update-manager None [modified: /var/lib/dpkg/info/update-manager.list]
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: update-manager
Title: package update-manager None [modified: /var/lib/dpkg/info/update-manager.list] failed to install/upgrade: ErrorMessage: SystemError in cache.commit(): E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
Uname: Linux 2.6.22-14-generic i686

[Krotow (krotow)]

My sources.list before version upgrade.

[Michael Vogt (mvo)]

Here is what causes the error, I reassign:

Setting up hal (0.5.11~rc2-1ubuntu8) ...

Configuration file `/etc/init.d/hal'

 ==> Deleted (by you or by a script) since installation.

 ==> Package distributor has shipped an updated version.

   What would you like to do about it ? Your options are:

    Y or I : install the package maintainer's version

    N or O : keep your currently-installed version

      D : show the differences between the versions

      Z : background this process to examine the situation

 The default action is to keep your current version.

*** hal (Y/I/N/O/D/Z) [default=N] ? y

Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/hal ...

Installing new version of config file /etc/hal/fdi/policy/preferences.fdi ...

Installing new version of config file /etc/dbus-1/system.d/hal.conf ...

 * Reloading system message bus config...

Error org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.Failed: Element <standard_system_servicedirs> not allowed inside <busconfig> in configuration file

invoke-rc.d: initscript dbus, action "force-reload" failed.

 * Starting Hardware abstraction layer hald

invoke-rc.d: initscript hal, action "start" failed.

[Michael Vogt (mvo)]

I milestone it because it breaks upgrades.

[Krotow (krotow)]

I found solution for my HAL problem there (post from Subhuman on 2006-10-04)

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/acpid/+bug/63450

Seems, hald was stalled somewhere in upgrade process and must be killed manually:

# sudo killall hald

then resolve hal installation

# sudo dpkg --configure -a

When done (dbus and hald is restarted without errors), finish update in a standard Ubuntu way

# sudo apt-get update
# sudo apt-get upgrade

That' s all. Unfortunately after hald update USB stick error, mentioned above, is back. dmesg told me, that it may be be udev or cdemu related. I check this later.

[dino99 (9d9)]

http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/hal/