package linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic 2.6.24-19.34 failed to install/upgrade: No GRUB directory found.

[Petr Štetiar]

This error happend durring the upgrade from 7.10 to 8.04

Processing triggers for libc6 ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
/sbin/ldconfig.real: /usr/lib/libnvidia-tls.so.1 is not a symbolic link

Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic
 linux-ubuntu-modules-2.6.24-19-generic
 linux-image-generic
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "logging/__init__.py", line 753, in emit
    self.flush()
  File "logging/__init__.py", line 731, in flush
    self.stream.flush()
IOError: [Errno 9] Bad file descriptor
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "logging/__init__.py", line 753, in emit
    self.flush()
  File "logging/__init__.py", line 731, in flush
    self.stream.flush()
IOError: [Errno 9] Bad file descriptor
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "logging/__init__.py", line 753, in emit
    self.flush()
  File "logging/__init__.py", line 731, in flush
    self.stream.flush()
IOError: [Errno 9] Bad file descriptor
Registered crash observer
New crash observer
App startup
[1215763070179] (4): Skipping no location: chrome://global/content/commonDialog.xul
[1215763072789] (4): Skipping no location: chrome://browser/content/browser.xul
[1215763072789] (4): Skipping no location: chrome://browser/content/browser.xul
** Message: GetValue variable 1 (1)
** Message: GetValue variable 2 (2)
** Message: GetValue variable 1 (1)
** Message: GetValue variable 2 (2)
** Message: GetValue variable 1 (1)
** Message: GetValue variable 2 (2)
** Message: GetValue variable 1 (1)
** Message: GetValue variable 2 (2)
** Message: GetValue variable 1 (1)
** Message: GetValue variable 2 (2)
** Message: GetValue variable 1 (1)
** Message: GetValue variable 2 (2)
** Message: GetValue variable 1 (1)
** Message: GetValue variable 2 (2)
** Message: GetValue variable 1 (1)
** Message: GetValue variable 2 (2)
** Message: GetValue variable 1 (1)
** Message: GetValue variable 2 (2)
** Message: GetValue variable 1 (1)
** Message: GetValue variable 2 (2)
** Message: GetValue variable 1 (1)
** Message: GetValue variable 2 (2)
** Message: GetValue variable 1 (1)
** Message: GetValue variable 2 (2)
new doRestore

The error is:

update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic
The link /vmlinuz is a dangling linkto /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-10-generic
Running postinst hook script /sbin/update-grub.
Searching for GRUB installation directory ...
No GRUB directory found. To create a template run 'mkdir /boot/grub' first. To install grub, install it manually or try the 'grub-install' command. ### Warning, grub-install is used to change your MBR. ###
User postinst hook script [/sbin/update-grub] exited with value 1
dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

The Ubuntu Kernel Team is planning to move to the 2.6.27 kernel for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. As a result, the kernel team would appreciate it if you could please test this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. There are one of two ways you should be able to test:

1) If you are comfortable installing packages on your own, the linux-image-2.6.27-* package is currently available for you to install and test.

--or--

2) The upcoming Alpha5 for Intrepid Ibex 8.10 will contain this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. Alpha5 is set to be released Thursday Sept 4. Please watch http://www.ubuntu.com/testing for Alpha5 to be announced. You should then be able to test via a LiveCD.

Please let us know immediately if this newer 2.6.27 kernel resolves the bug reported here or if the issue remains. More importantly, please open a new bug report for each new bug/regression introduced by the 2.6.27 kernel and tag the bug report with 'linux-2.6.27'. Also, please specifically note if the issue does or does not appear in the 2.6.26 kernel. Thanks again, we really appreicate your help and feedback.

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

Assigning to grub.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

Hi Petr,

I'm not sure that there's any bug here that we can fix without a major rearchitecting of grub update handling. Why did your system not have the /boot/grub directory? Was your /boot partition not mounted at the time of the upgrade?

The grub package does not have enough information to reconstitute /boot/grub on its own if it disappears - this directory, as well as the /etc/kernel-img.conf file that tells the kernel packages how to call update-grub on upgrade, is set up by grub-installer at install time, and if it goes away the user will have to reconstitute it manually.

So do you know where this directory disappeared to?

[Petr Štetiar (ynezz)]

Hi all.

I think, that this problem was related to my /boot partition. When I was upgrading to 8.04 there was not enough free space left, so initramfs-tools ended with error. I don't remember correctly, but I think, that it's not grub error, it was just some consequence of previous initramfs error. I was then able to free some space in my /boot partition, and was able to continue in the upgrade process.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

Thanks for the follow-up; marking as invalid.