Update failed during "tidy-up" stage; computer now broken

[Garry Leach]

Binary package hint: update-manager

 Since the computer is broken (i.e. it won't boot), I can't access any details. I am sending this report from a different (Mythbuntu 10.10, MythTV 0.24) HTPC. I had copied the various error messages into a file to attach to this report, but when I tried to load Update Manager to use apport, the system went strange.

1. Ubuntu 10.10

2. I had updated all of the recently released updates. The one that was sent available to me around 08:00 April 1 (GMT + 11) - 7 packages, I think - is the one that failed.

3. I expected the update manager to its its job & install the updates.

4. The download completed OK.

However, while handling package #3 (I think) - something about *lib*, it failed with messages something like:
"mounting /dev on /root/dev failed; no matching file or directory."
"mounting /proc on /root/proc failed; no matching file or directory."
"mounting /sys on /root/sys failed; no matching file or directory."

I can't remember the circumstances of the following messages.

Update Manager twice came up with the message " updates downloaded, but not installed, at which time I clicked on the "install updates" button.

Any application that I opened after that just showed an empty screen, & could not be closed.

I am not sure whether I was able to shut-down the system normally, or whether I had to use the restart power button.

"target filesystem doesn't have requested /sbin/init; no init found. Try passing init=bootarg

one message flashed too quickly for me to get all of the words.

manprobe (?) fatal .... Could not open /lib/modules.

Bad magic number in /dev/sda3 (where I keep /home)
The superblock could not be read, or does not describe a correct ext2 file system (I am using
 ext4)

/home terminated with status 8.

On another boot, it gave the message that ? was not mounted, continue, ignore, ?, manually fix.

[By the way, 10.10, was giving me that message on almost every boot for a while, but then stopped giving it. When I got that message, I used to reboot. After 1 or more tries, the system booted without that message. I also used hibernate to shut-down sometimes; this message did not appear when booting from hibernate.

This particular sda is about 5.5 years old.

I am retired, but work in a computer recycling depot as a volunteer. Just last week, they changed their distro to 10.04 LTS, but have found that the above problem comes up regularly on a rebuilt PC (i.e. with older HDD); the boss told me how to use e2fsck to check & clean the problem hdd.]

I had Ubuntu 10.04.1 on a live CD. I tried to boot using that, but it failed with complaints about sda.

I had mythbuntu 10.10 installed on a HDD. I tried to boot using that, but it also failed with complaints about sda. When I removed sda, myth booted OK.

So, I am in a mess, particularly as my latest /home back-up is nearly 6 months old. I had a small disaster 6 weeks ago with my last attempt at back-up (my fault; incorrect parameters), so was still cleaning up from that before making a new backup.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: update-manager 1:0.142.22
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-28.49-generic 2.6.35.11
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-28-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: i386
Date: Sat Apr 2 09:21:47 2011
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_AU.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: update-manager