package samba 2:3.2.3-1ubuntu3.4 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1

[David]

Binary package hint: samba

I had manually installed samba and SWAT (well, via apt) and then uninstalled them after what I was trying to get to work didn't work. Then I basically tried to re-install samba by creating a folder and attempting to share it, which triggers Ubuntu to install samba. It was at this point that the install failed. So, maybe something in my uninstall process messed things up...

I'm using 8.10, Intrepid.

ProblemType: Package
Architecture: i386
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 8.10
ErrorMessage: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: samba 2:3.2.3-1ubuntu3.4
SourcePackage: samba
Title: package samba 2:3.2.3-1ubuntu3.4 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Uname: Linux 2.6.27-11-generic i686

[Thierry Carrez (ttx)]

Could you try:
sudo apt-get purge samba-common samba
The retry installing samba by sharing your folder.

If the problem persists, could you please attach:
- /etc/samba/smb.conf
- any log file under /var/log/samba/

Thanks !

[David (drueck)]

Hi Thierry,

After I initially encountered that problem I realized what the problem might
have been. I had assumed that completely removing and reinstalling samba
would restore a default smb.conf, but I don't think it did, and I think that
might have been why it failed. Is that the case? I think I manually
deleted smb.conf and possibly the entire /etc/samba directory. Would that
cause that problem?

Anyway, I realized after I reinstalled samba and got that error, that it
didn't recreate that file and/or directory, so I manually re-created it and
got a smb.conf from another machine that still had the default one, and
after that it worked fine.

Perhaps the "bug" if there is any, is that the package should purge the
smb.conf and re-install a default smb.conf when it is re-installed? I'm
not sure... I'm really new to samba. I just submitted the bug report
because it guided me to do it.

Let me know if you still would like me to do the proceedure you asked me to
do. I'd be glad to do it, but yeah, I'm pretty sure it was because I
manually deleted smb.conf, etc.

Thanks for looking into this,

-David

On Wed, Feb 25, 2009 at 5:37 AM, Thierry Carrez
<email address hidden>wrote:

> Could you try:
> sudo apt-get purge samba-common samba
> The retry installing samba by sharing your folder.
>
> If the problem persists, could you please attach:
> - /etc/samba/smb.conf
> - any log file under /var/log/samba/
>
> Thanks !
>
> ** Changed in: samba (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Incomplete
>
> --
> package samba 2:3.2.3-1ubuntu3.4 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess
> post-installation script returned error exit status 1
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/332338
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in “samba” source package in Ubuntu: Incomplete
>
> Bug description:
> Binary package hint: samba
>
> I had manually installed samba and SWAT (well, via apt) and then
> uninstalled them after what I was trying to get to work didn't work. Then I
> basically tried to re-install samba by creating a folder and attempting to
> share it, which triggers Ubuntu to install samba. It was at this point that
> the install failed. So, maybe something in my uninstall process messed
> things up...
>
> I'm using 8.10, Intrepid.
>
> ProblemType: Package
> Architecture: i386
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 8.10
> ErrorMessage: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit
> status 1
> NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
> Package: samba 2:3.2.3-1ubuntu3.4
> SourcePackage: samba
> Title: package samba 2:3.2.3-1ubuntu3.4 failed to install/upgrade:
> subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
> Uname: Linux 2.6.27-11-generic i686
>

[Thierry Carrez (ttx)]

David: yes, that would explain it. Manually deleting the smb.conf file after a removal, and then trying to reinstall the package, would fail. the proper way is to "apt-get purge" the package (which gets rid of smb.conf) before reinstalling.
That said, this behavior is confusing and cause of several bugs, so we should certainly find a way of being a little more tolerant to that special case.
I'll close this bug as Invalid but might open another one (wishlist item) on how to fail more gracefully in that case.
Many thanks for your help !