package module-init-tools 3.7~pre9-2 failed to install/upgrade. Exit status 139.

[Jim Carpenter]

Binary package hint: module-init-tools

module-init-tools 3.7~pre9-2 segfaults when processing 2.6.27-7-generic. Got this while doing an upgrade from 8.10 to 9.04:

Reading package lists...
Building dependency tree...
Reading state information...
module-init-tools is already the newest version.
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  libstrigiqtdbusclient0 python-zopeinterface python-twisted-core
  python-twisted-web2 libtasn1-3-dev libparted1.8-9 ttf-sil-gentium
  libgpg-error-dev libmagick++10 sqlite comerr-dev libgcrypt11-dev
  mercurial-common libmagick10 libdns43 libpt-1.10.10-plugins-alsa librrd2
  libx11-xcb1 jython-gcj libpt-1.10.10 libkrb5-dev librasqal0 libclamav5
  libgpod3 python2.5-dev python2.5-doc libglide2 libgnome-desktop-2-7
  python-serial python-pam python-openssl default-jdk libpulsecore5 qcad-data
  libpoppler3 python-pyopenssl libmjpegtools0c2a
  openoffice.org-style-andromeda libopal-2.2 libvolume-id0 discover1-data
  libkadm55 libpt-1.10.10-plugins-v4l libisc44 sqlite3 libgtkglext1
  python-twisted-bin libcucul0 libggzdmod6 libpoppler-glib3 libntfs-3g28
  hwtest
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 2 not upgraded.
365 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 0B of additional disk space will be used.
Setting up module-init-tools (3.7~pre9-2) ...
Running depmod for 2.6.22-15-generic...
Running depmod for 2.6.27-7-generic...
Segmentation fault
dpkg: error processing module-init-tools (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 139
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of udev:
 udev depends on module-init-tools (>= 3.2.1-0ubuntu3); however:
  Package module-init-tools is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing udev (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of initramfs-tools:
 initramfs-tools depends on module-init-tools; however:
  Package module-init-tools is not configured yet.
 initramfs-tools depends on udev (>= 117-5); however:
  Package udev is not configured yet.
..... and on, and on, and on ....

Exit status was 139.

Removing the older versions of the Linux kernel and modules allowed the upgrade to continue.

ProblemType: Package
Architecture: i386
Dependencies:
 libgcc1 1:4.3.3-5ubuntu4
 gcc-4.3-base 4.3.3-5ubuntu4
 findutils 4.4.0-2ubuntu4
 libc6 2.9-4ubuntu6
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.04
ErrorMessage:
 ErrorMessage: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 139
NonfreeKernelModules: hsfengine nvidia
Package: module-init-tools 3.7~pre9-2
SourcePackage: module-init-tools
Title: package module-init-tools 3.7~pre9-2 failed to install/upgrade:
Uname: Linux 2.6.27-14-generic i686

[Andrew Somerville (andy-somerville)]

The bug https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/module-init-tools/+bug/366694 appears to be the same, and the report contains an explanation and work around which worked for me:

explanation:
- There is a file in the place of a directory preventing file copy and thus failure of post-installation script

(for those here looking for a solution)
workaround:
- go to "/lib/modules" where there should be a bunch of directories named for kernel versions (like "2.6.22-14-386")
- check for a kernel version which has a file rather in the place of a directory
    - ("ls -lrt" shows "-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 2008-06-04 06:21 2.6.22-14-386")
- remove that file
     - (sudo rm 2.6.24-21-386)
- make a directory in its place (I skipped this step)
     - (sudo mkdir 2.6.24-21-386)
- run "sudo dpkg --configure -a"
- problem solved.

It should be noted that you should NOT try to reboot before fixing this as you may not be able to boot your machine with a half-configured upgrade.

I would mark as duplicate, but didn't want to make any assumptions.