/etc/default/grub: line 9: splash: command not found

[Mike Redman]

Binary package hint: grub

Release: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS

michael@michael-desktop:~$ apt-cache policy packagename
W: Unable to locate package packagename

After running Update Manager, received this message:

package linux-image-2.6.32-22-generic-pae 2.6.32-22.33 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127

Kernel currently running: 2.6.31-20-generic-pae

This is an upgraded machine which previously had a fresh install of Ubuntu 9.10 Desktop, 32-bit.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: linux-image-2.6.32-22-generic-pae 2.6.32-22.33
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-20.58-generic-pae
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-20-generic-pae i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: i386
Date: Wed May 5 10:40:24 2010
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release i386 (20091028.5)
SourcePackage: grub
Title: package linux-image-2.6.32-22-generic-pae 2.6.32-22.33 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

Thanks for your report.

Please attach the file /etc/default/grub to this report.
Did you modify it by hand ?

Thanks in advance.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

This error message indicates that the file has been edited, rendering it invalid as a shell script. You will need to correct the broken line (or simply remove the /etc/default/grub file).

[ericc (eric-cheminot)]

Most likely, the '"' at the end of the line is not the correct one... Just delete and re-type it.

[Mike Redman (mike-redman)]

Yes, the problem was caused by bad quotation marks by pasting commands into it, following a procedure that was outlined at:

http://www.ubuntugeek.com/known-ubuntu-10-04lucid-lynx-issuesbugs-with-workarounds.html

I was following the procedure that follows: "
Problem
The logo looks fine when you install Ubuntu, but, after you install the proprietary Nvidia and ATI video drivers,"

Doing a simple cut/paste of the commands pasted quotation marks that apparently unrecognizable by the machine. Once I had replace the pasted marks by typing quotation marks, I then ran update-grub and re-booted, but still didn't have 2.6.32-22 available to me. The newest kernel was still 2.6.31-20

I went to:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1195275

and tried: "grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg"

after reading this:

"To update the GRUB 2 menu, the command sudo update-grub will be used throughout this guide. update-grub actually runs the command "grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg" This runs several scripts and incorporates the results into /boot/grub/grub.cfg which detemines what is seen on the screen during boot. Since the GRUB 2 developers do not intend to remove the update-grub 'stub', it will be used for simplicity and ease of use."

The grub.cfg file was successfully updated, and when I re-booted, I had the 2.6.32-22 kernel available to me.

Problem appears to be solved, thanks.

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

Thanks, at least we've located the source of the error. It was surprising to see many users experiencing the exact same problem.
I added a comment on the blog but it replaces the acsii quotes " by non-ascii quotes ” making the grub's default file an invalid shell script.

[Martin Tremblay (martinatremblay)]

I have this same problem... but cannot edit or delete the grub file due to permissions issues.

How can I access as root so I can delete or edit the grub file?