Karmic netboot install fails to configure kernel when doing a 'targeted' kernel

[borrell]

Trying to install Karmic from the netboot install, all goes well until I have to select a kernel. If I select any kernel in the list, for example linux-generic, then select to do a 'targeted' build of the kernel, it fails. This is an extract of the syslog from the failed install:

Aug 12 01:59:41 in-target: Running depmod.
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-5-generic
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: readlink: missing operand
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: Try `readlink --help' for more information.
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: mkinitramfs: missing root /sys entry
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: mkinitramfs: workaround is MODULES=most
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: mkinitramfs: Error please report the bug
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-5-generic
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: Failed to create initrd image.
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.31-5-generic (--configure):
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: Setting up linux-firmware (1.15) ...
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-generic:
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: linux-image-generic depends on linux-image-2.6.31-5-generic; however:
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: Package linux-image-2.6.31-5-generic is not configured yet.
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: dpkg: error processing linux-image-generic (--configure):
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-generic:
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: linux-generic depends on linux-image-generic (= 2.6.31.5.16); however:
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: Package linux-image-generic is not configured yet.
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: dpkg: error processing linux-generic (--configure):
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target:
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target:
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: Errors were encountered while processing:
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: linux-image-2.6.31-5-generic
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: linux-image-generic
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: linux-generic
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: E:
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

[borrell (borrell)]

Worth noting that if I DONT select targeted (and select 'generic', I think the other option is called) then it all works fine.

[Russell Green (r.green)]

Also affected my this bug using the latest daily lpia netboot installer.A workaround is to install the system without a kernel then chroot into the install and install the kernel that way.

[Andres Mujica (andres.mujica)]

Hi,take a look on this:

update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-5-generic
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: readlink: missing operand
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: Try `readlink --help' for more information.
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: mkinitramfs: missing root /sys entry
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: mkinitramfs: workaround is MODULES=most
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: mkinitramfs: Error please report the bug
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-5-generic
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: Failed to create initrd image.
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.31-5-generic (--configure):
Aug 12 01:59:42 in-target: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2

[H.-Dirk Schmitt (dirk-computer42)]

The problem behind error message in #4 is that /usr/share/initramfs-tools/hook-functions can't evaluate the root partition in a chroot environment.

As a workaround add inside the chroot environment as 1st line to /etc/mtab the correct view of your root partition.

See also this article: https://www.computer42.org/xwiki/bin/view/DevNotes/Rescue%20Tasks#Hmountinganexistinginstallationchroot

I have run in this after a broken kernel update in lucid (to 2.6.32-24-generic) on some i386 machines.
dpkg -configure -a in a chroot environment failed with the error message noted above.

[H.-Dirk Schmitt (dirk-computer42)]

Workaround procedure works with older systemrescuecd versions (e.g. 1.3.4).
In the current version my /dev/mapper/system-root is linked to ../dm-0.
This will cause mkinitramfs to run in a different error condition because it strips down the evaluated block from "dm-0 "to "dm-"