package linux-image-4.4.0-47-generic keeps reporting a system problem

[David A Ploen]

Many times all that is required is to start the system and log in. Immediately the report of a system problem shows up. This is a regular occurrence. The release is 16.04. The description is "Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS".

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: linux-image-4.4.0-53-generic 4.4.0-53.74
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-47.68-generic 4.4.24
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-47-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: david 1757 F.... pulseaudio
Date: Wed Dec 7 08:18:48 2016
ErrorMessage: run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal exited with return code 2
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=8d4566d4-7212-4261-963c-93d573dbeb91
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-11-20 (18 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20160420.1)
MachineType: LENOVO F0BF0016US
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-47-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=bca2cbc9-8ad9-4a9c-a8ef-fa4e75436d48 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
PulseList: Error: command ['pacmd', 'list'] failed with exit code 1: No PulseAudio daemon running, or not running as session daemon.
RelatedPackageVersions: grub-pc N/A
SourcePackage: apt
Title: package linux-image-4.4.0-53-generic 4.4.0-53.74 failed to install/upgrade: run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal exited with return code 2
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 11/11/2015
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: O1SKT26AUS
dmi.board.name: SKYBAY
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: SDK0J40700 WIN 3258041700079
dmi.chassis.type: 13
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: None
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvrO1SKT26AUS:bd11/11/2015:svnLENOVO:pnF0BF0016US:pvrideacentreAIO700-22ISH:rvnLENOVO:rnSKYBAY:rvrSDK0J40700WIN3258041700079:cvnLENOVO:ct13:cvrNone:
dmi.product.name: F0BF0016US
dmi.product.version: ideacentre AIO 700-22ISH
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO

[Jarno Suni (jarnos)]

What does
ls -l /etc/alternatives/awk
print?

[David A Ploen (daveploen)]

ls -l /etc/alternatives/awk returns:
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13 Jan 24 2017 /etc/alternatives/awk -> /usr/bin/mawk
(that is all)

This problem has gone away. I remember ubuntu forums saying something about a certain error directory containing an entry versus being empty.

Also, I have starting using ucaresystem-core. It left me at linux 4.4.0.21-generic and seems to be running fine.
Thanks for your interest.
David Ploen

[Jarno Suni (jarnos)]

4.4.0.21-generic is an old kernel. The current one for Xenial is 4.4.0-92-generic. Could you add /var/log/apt/term.log as attachment?

[David A Ploen (daveploen)]

Have attached /var/log/apt/term.log.
It is from my current machine state (4.4.0.21-generic).

[Jarno Suni (jarnos)]

To be able to debug better the problem shown in DpkgTerminalLog.txt
you could run:
sudo cp -a /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal /
sudo sed -i 's/set -e/set -ex/' /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal
You can revert that later by:
sudo mv /apt-auto-removal /etc/kernel/postinst.d/
(when not needed anymore.)

I suspect that the ucaresystem-core has removed too much preventing kernel updates. Maybe you had better disable it.
Does 'apt-cache policy linux-generic' show linux-generic is installed?
If not, run
sudo apt install linux-generic

You should also make sure xenial-security is selected in Updates tab of "Software & Updates" dialog.

Then setup automatic maintenance like recommended in
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RemoveOldKernels#Automatic_Maintenance

Then run
sudo unattended-upgrade --debug
and attach
/var/log/unattended-upgrades/unattended-upgrades.log
and latest existing
/var/log/unattended-upgrades/unattended-upgrades-dpkg_* file (that is mentioned last in the former file).

[Jarno Suni (jarnos)]

Actually, re-attach /var/log/apt/term.log after you have installed linux-generic if needed (after making sure xenial-security is selected.)

[David A Ploen (daveploen)]

Have run:
sudo cp -a /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal /
sudo sed -i 's/set -e/set -ex/' /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal

'apt-cache policy linux-generic' showed installed: (none)

so I ran:
sudo apt install linux-generic

I assured myself that xenial-security updates were selected in the Updates tab of "Software & Updates" dialog.

I did as recommended in the automatic maintenance setup. I used the dialog method.

I ran:
sudo unattended-upgrade --debug

Attaching:
/var/log/unattended-upgrades/unattended-upgrades.log
/var/log/unattended-upgrades/unattended-upgrades-dpkg.log
/var/log/apt/term.log

[David A Ploen (daveploen)]

I am now up and running on version 4.4.0-92-generic. All seems fine. Thank you for your advice.

[Jarno Suni (jarnos)]

In the term.log it can be seen there is no problem with awk unlike it was according to DpkgTerminalLog.txt so the original problem with awk is still mystery.
You may run
sudo mv /apt-auto-removal /etc/kernel/postinst.d/
to disable extra stuff in logs in future.

As for automatic maintenance the 'Unattended-Upgrade::Remove-Unused-Dependencies "true";' is important to keep kernel updates working in the future.

I see ucaresystem-core uses code of subsequently deprecated purge-old-kernels, which has this bug:
Bug #1569228

[David A Ploen (daveploen)]

I ran:
sudo mv /apt-auto-removal /etc/kernel/postinst.d/

I will be ignoring ucaresystem-core until further notice.
Again, thank you, Jarno Suni, for all of your help.

[Julian Andres Klode (juliank)]

From what I understand everything is fine now, so I'm going to close this as invalid.