package sasl2-bin 2.1.26.dfsg1-14build1 [modified: usr/bin/sasl-sample-client usr/sbin/sasl-sample-server] failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

[Kumaran A]

First of all, I am not sure if this is a bug. This page opened when I tried to report using Apport. The following is the message that appears during boot:

"Saslauthd service always exits with status 2."

The following is the output of "systemctl status saslauthd.service":

● saslauthd.service - LSB: saslauthd startup script
   Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/saslauthd; bad; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Wed 2016-10-26 09:13:49 IST; 2min 45s ago
     Docs: man:systemd-sysv-generator(8)
  Process: 26683 ExecStart=/etc/init.d/saslauthd start (code=exited, status=2)

Oct 26 09:13:49 kumaran-desktop systemd[1]: Starting LSB: saslauthd startup script...
Oct 26 09:13:49 kumaran-desktop systemd[26683]: saslauthd.service: Executing: /etc/init.d/saslauthd start
Oct 26 09:13:49 kumaran-desktop saslauthd[26683]: /etc/init.d/saslauthd: 67: /etc/default/saslauthd: Syntax error: Unterminated quoted string
Oct 26 09:13:49 kumaran-desktop systemd[1]: saslauthd.service: Control process exited, code=exited status=2
Oct 26 09:13:49 kumaran-desktop systemd[1]: Failed to start LSB: saslauthd startup script.
Oct 26 09:13:49 kumaran-desktop systemd[1]: saslauthd.service: Unit entered failed state.
Oct 26 09:13:49 kumaran-desktop systemd[1]: saslauthd.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.

The following troubleshooting steps are tried:
1) Removed and purged sasl2-bin & resinstalled
2) Tried restarting the service using terminal after system boot
3) Performed the steps in the following link once again from start to finish:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Postfix

I am using postfix and sasl not on a server but on a desktop mainly for internal mail transfers and for cron job facilitation purposes.

I am new to Ubuntu and *nix operating systems. I am learning by trial and error. This service was running OK before.

I am running Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS Desktop on my system.

Thanks,
Kumaran A

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: sasl2-bin 2.1.26.dfsg1-14build1 [modified: usr/bin/sasl-sample-client usr/sbin/sasl-sample-server]
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-43.63-generic 4.4.21
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-43-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: kpatch_livepatch_Ubuntu_4_4_0_43_63_generic_13
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1
AptOrdering:
 sasl2-bin: Install
 sasl2-bin: Configure
 NULL: ConfigurePending
Architecture: amd64
Date: Wed Oct 26 09:13:42 2016
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.18.4ubuntu1.1
 apt 1.2.12~ubuntu16.04.1
SourcePackage: cyrus-sasl2
Title: package sasl2-bin 2.1.26.dfsg1-14build1 [modified: usr/bin/sasl-sample-client usr/sbin/sasl-sample-server] failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
mtime.conffile..etc.default.saslauthd: 2016-09-14T08:04:22.466595

[Christian Ehrhardt  (paelzer)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better.

This looks like local corruption or misconfiguration, rather than a bug in Ubuntu. You can find pointers to get help for this sort of problem here: http://www.ubuntu.com/support/community

From your log:
Oct 26 09:13:04 hostname systemd[1]: Failed to start LSB: saslauthd startup script.
Oct 26 09:13:04 hostname systemd[1]: saslauthd.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Oct 26 09:13:40 hostname saslpasswd2[18454]: error deleting entry from sasldb: BDB0073 DB_NOTFOUND: No matching key/data pair found

Unfortunately it is hard to help in form of a bug report - it very much seems like a local configuration issue.
You say it worked before - before what - the last update?

It also seems some DB or DB key isn't found - since you purged and reinstalled anyway - could it be that some old broken content is still left?

If you believe that this is really a bug, then you may find it helpful to read "How to report bugs effectively" http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/bugs.html. We'd be grateful if you would then provide a more complete description of the problem, explain why you believe this is a bug rather than a problem specific to your system, and then change the bug status back to New.

The steps to reproduce didn't trigger the problem for me, so there is little that can be done on this bug. I'll mark this bug as Incomplete for now, pending someone else confirming that it is a bug or unless someone can provide steps to reproduce.

Please do report any other bugs you may find.

[Kumaran A (lijikumaran)]

Thanks for the update.

I am not sure when this service broke. I normally check boot-messages once in a while and only when there seems to be a problem. I found the issue with sasl when I was looking for some other process log.

I will try and reinstall and reconfigure as suggested. And I will also update this report accordingly.

Thanks again for your time.

[Kumaran A (lijikumaran)]

Update.

Completely purged sasl2-bin. Manually found and deleted all folders and files associated with sasl2-bin.

Reinstalled postfix and sasl2-bin. Reconfigured from top to bottom again.

Checked the status of the service after several reboots.

The service seems to be operating without any issues. As was mentioned by Christian, the issue probably was due to corrupted configuration files.

Please close this report.

[Robie Basak (racb)]

Closing as requested, thanks.