Debconf error messages when trying to install

Bug #488375 reported by Andrew
56
This bug affects 12 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
software-center (Ubuntu)
Expired
Low
Unassigned

Bug Description

Binary package hint: software-center

When I try to install an application, I get the following error in the terminal.

DEBUG:AptClient.DebconfProxy:debconf socket: /tmp/aptdaemon-HeupNS/debconf.socket
DEBUG:root:debconf.start()
...
DEBUG:AptClient.DebconfProxy:New passthrough connection
DEBUG:root:_copy_conn
DEBUG:root:hangup on <socket._socketobject object at 0xb6f6b54>
debconf: DbDriver "passwords" warning: could not open /var/cache/debconf/passwords.dat: Permission denied
DEBUG:AptClient.DebconfProxy:New passthrough connection
DEBUG:root:_copy_conn
DEBUG:root:hangup on <socket._socketobject object at 0xb6f6b54>
debconf: DbDriver "passwords" warning: could not open /var/cache/debconf/passwords.dat: Permission denied
DEBUG:root:debconf.stop()

Everything works, but I don't think the error is a good thing to have :-)

Revision history for this message
Paul van Genderen (paulvg) wrote :

Confirmed although I don't see "DEBUG" in there. This is what I get:

debconf: DbDriver "passwords" warning: could not open /var/cache/debconf/passwords.dat: Permission denied
debconf: DbDriver "passwords" warning: could not open /var/cache/debconf/passwords.dat: Permission denied

The installation does seem to work though, what is this DbDriver supposed to do?

Changed in software-center (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Andrew (and471) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Alkis Georgopoulos (alkisg) wrote :

I think it's related to LP bug #962393, i.e. that software-center spawns debconf-communicate with the user id instead of as root.

Changed in software-center (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → High
Revision history for this message
Matthew Paul Thomas (mpt) wrote :

Oops, I missed the "Everything works, but..." part of this bug report, so this is really Low importance.

In any case, the USC code has changed hugely since this bug was reported in 2009, so it's likely that this bug has been fixed. And starting in Ubuntu R, we'll be tracking debconf errors in the error tracker, so if this is a recurring problem it will be found and fixed that way. So please reopen this report only if you have steps to reproduce the problem, ideally starting from a fresh installation.

Changed in software-center (Ubuntu):
importance: High → Low
status: Confirmed → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

[Expired for software-center (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

Changed in software-center (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Expired
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