grub-pc upgrade crashing in stack.pm

[Robert Collins]

Binary package hint: debconf

ugprading grub-pc in a UEC instance, the AMI is running a slightly older lucid, debconf/dpkg gets into an infinite loop. I'm filing on debconf as a best-guess, it may not be where the issue lies.

The text below loops around and around. The very start, before the loop kicks in is:
---
Setting up grub-pc (1.98-1ubuntu2) ...

Installing new version of config file /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ...

debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Dialog

debconf: (TERM is not set, so the dialog frontend is not usable.)

debconf: falling back to frontend: Readline

debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Readline

debconf: (This frontend requires a controlling tty.)

debconf: falling back to frontend: Teletype

Configuring grub-pc

-------------------

The following Linux command line was extracted from /etc/default/grub or the

`kopt' parameter in GRUB Legacy's menu.lst. Please verify that it is correct,

and modify it if necessary.

Linux command line: Use of uninitialized value $ret in chomp at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/FrontEnd/Teletype.pm line 70.

Use of uninitialized value $_[1] in join or string at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/DbDriver/Stack.pm line 104.

Replacing config file /etc/default/grub with new version

---

and then the looping bit:
---
The grub-pc package is being upgraded. This menu allows you to select which
devices you'd like grub-install to be automatically run for, if any.

It is recommended that you do this in most situations, to prevent the installed
GRUB from getting out of sync with other components such as grub.cfg or with
newer Linux images it will have to load.

If you're unsure which drive is designated as boot drive by your BIOS, it is
often a good idea to install GRUB to all of them.

Note: It is possible to install GRUB to partition boot records as well. However,
this forces GRUB to use the blocklist mechanism, which makes it less reliable,
and therefore is not recommended.

  1. /dev/sda (10787 MB, QEMU_HARDDISK) 3. - /dev/sda2 (7810 MB)
  2. - /dev/sda1 (2147 MB) 4. - /dev/sda3 (830 MB)

(Enter the items you want to select, separated by spaces.)

GRUB install devices: Use of uninitialized value $ret in chomp at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/FrontEnd/Teletype.pm line 70.

Use of uninitialized value $_[1] in join or string at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/DbDriver/Stack.pm line 104.
You chose not to install GRUB to any devices. If you continue, the boot loader
may not be properly configured, and when your computer next starts up it will
use whatever was previously in the boot sector. If there is an earlier version
of GRUB 2 in the boot sector, it may be unable to load modules or handle the
current configuration file.

If you are already running a different boot loader and want to carry on doing
so, or if this is a special environment where you do not need a boot loader,
then you should continue anyway. Otherwise, you should install GRUB somewhere.

Continue without installing GRUB? Use of uninitialized value $ret in chomp at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/FrontEnd/Teletype.pm line 70.

Use of uninitialized value $_[1] in join or string at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/DbDriver/Stack.pm line 104.
---

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

I think this is more likely to be a grub-pc bug. The debconf messages
are just warnings. I've squashed the teletype one upstream; the stack
one isn't as easy to spot since the cause is further up the call chain,
but nevertheless I think it's unlikely to be the source of the loop.

Can you reproduce this? If so, could you please set DEBCONF_DEBUG='.*'
in the environment and try it again? The output should help.

Also, are you running this upgrade noninteractively? (If you are, don't
stop doing so - I just want to confirm this.)

 status incomplete

[Robert Collins (lifeless)]

On Wed, 2010-03-24 at 10:24 +0000, Colin Watson wrote:
> I think this is more likely to be a grub-pc bug. The debconf messages
> are just warnings. I've squashed the teletype one upstream; the stack
> one isn't as easy to spot since the cause is further up the call chain,
> but nevertheless I think it's unlikely to be the source of the loop.
>
> Can you reproduce this? If so, could you please set DEBCONF_DEBUG='.*'
> in the environment and try it again? The output should help.
>
> Also, are you running this upgrade noninteractively? (If you are, don't
> stop doing so - I just want to confirm this.)
Yes, interactively in a UEC session under hudson.

I'll try with DEBCONF_DEBUG tomorrow for you.

-Rob

[LGB [Gábor Lénárt] (lgb)]

I've also got this problem, at the prompt (continue without ....) I can choose "no" but then I got the question again. I'm about attaching the stderr of dpkg-reconfigure grub-pc with DEBCONF_DEBUG='.*' to this comment.

Ubuntu 10.04 LTS 64 bit with the server kernel, grub-pc package version: 1.98-1ubuntu6

[LGB [Gábor Lénárt] (lgb)]

Btw, I've just did a dpkg --purge for grub-pc and grub-common packages but the result is the same as with upgrade.

[Peter Matulis (petermatulis)]

I can confirm this. What other information is required?