package postfix 2.7.0-1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

[firebird]

Binary package hint: postfix

Hi guys!

This is what console said:

Running newaliases
postalias: fatal: open database /etc/aliases.db: Permission denied
dpkg: error processing postfix (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Processing triggers for libc-bin ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
Errors were encountered while processing:
 postfix
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Baiscly no harm done there except does it really have to crash because of this?
your's firebug

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: postfix 2.7.0-1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-24.42-generic 2.6.32.15+drm33.5
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-24-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
AptOrdering:
 postfix: Install
 postfix: Configure
Architecture: i386
Date: Fri Sep 10 13:29:40 2010
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
SourcePackage: postfix
Title: package postfix 2.7.0-1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

[Clint Byrum (clint-fewbar)]

Hi firebird, thanks for taking the time to report this as a bug and help us make Ubuntu better.

This one is very confusing. Since all of this runs as root, there should have been no permission denied on file access. Did you have /etc mounted readonly, or maybe some hardening on the system, like immutable files on /etc, that might have layered on top of the normal permissions?

Marking Incomplete, firebird, please respond to the above at your earliest convenience so I can reopen the bug. Thanks!

[firebird (sysadmin-dk-compmath-deactivatedaccount)]

Hi Clint!

Nope, none of the above, /etc has completely normal acces/ownership attributes and no hardening, no SELinux or what so ever.

Bad thing is I have been tinkering around so much meanwhile that i don't recall with 100% certainty if it was due to the file not existing at the time...
If i recall this correctly after purging sendmail /etc/aliases and /etc/aliases.db were gone, and after "touch"ing it manually and reinstalling postfix it worked.

I hope that gets you further?
Your's, firebug

[Chuck Short (zulcss)]

Thanks closing based on feedback here.

chuck

[firebird (sysadmin-dk-compmath-deactivatedaccount)]

excuse me chuck but why would this be invalid?
do you consider postfix to "behave properly" if it just crashes over a non existing /etc/aliases?

I am just saying that it requires about one line of code to fix this, something like if [! test -f /etc/aliases]; touch /etc/aliases; ... (or so i am not familiar with bash scripting...)?
your's firebug

[Clint Byrum (clint-fewbar)]

Hi firebird,

I won't speak for Chuck, but I will agree with his decision to close the bug report.

The reason is, there's no pattern identified in the report that suggests a normal situation or a repeatable test case. When you say you tinkered and aren't sure, this makes it really hard for us to repeat the issue or identify what should be changed.

Its not clear at all whether the file /etc/aliases was there, or not, and what exactly failed.

If you can maybe boot up a vm or a spare server with a clean install, and recreate the situation (possibly by removing /etc/aliases before installing postfix?), and post it here, then you are welcome to re-open the report (change Status back to New) and we'll take another look.

[firebird (sysadmin-dk-compmath-deactivatedaccount)]

Hi Clint!

Fair enuff, thanks for your explanations, new informatins will follow briefly!

Your's, firebug