grub-efi-amd64 (2.02~beta2-36ubuntu3.17) gets stuck upon setup

[Carl-Johan Kjellander]

Ubuntu messed up grub completely, probably in an update, so one day the harddrive wasn't bootable anymore. I had to use a rescue usb and do another grub-install to get it to boot.

But since then, I can't use apt cause grub-efi-amd64 hangs. This was my interaction:

$ sudo apt install inkscape
[sudo] password for cjk:
E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'sudo dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.

$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
Setting up docker-ce (17.12.1~ce-0~ubuntu) ...
initctl: Unable to connect to Upstart: Failed to connect to socket /com/ubuntu/upstart: Connection refused
insserv: warning: script 'screen-cleanup' missing LSB tags and overrides
insserv: Default-Start undefined, assuming empty start runlevel(s) for script `screen-cleanup'
insserv: Default-Stop undefined, assuming empty stop runlevel(s) for script `screen-cleanup'
initctl: Unable to connect to Upstart: Failed to connect to socket /com/ubuntu/upstart: Connection refused
insserv: warning: script 'binfmt-support' missing LSB tags and overrides
insserv: Default-Start undefined, assuming empty start runlevel(s) for script `binfmt-support'
insserv: Default-Stop undefined, assuming empty stop runlevel(s) for script `binfmt-support'
Setting up grub-efi-amd64 (2.02~beta2-36ubuntu3.17) ...
Installing for x86_64-efi platform.
^Cdpkg: error processing package grub-efi-amd64 (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script was interrupted
Setting up libpulse0:amd64 (1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8) ...
Setting up libpulse0:i386 (1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of grub-efi-amd64-signed:
 grub-efi-amd64-signed depends on grub-efi-amd64 (= 2.02~beta2-36ubuntu3.17); however:
  Package grub-efi-amd64 is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package grub-efi-amd64-signed (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up python-apt (1.1.0~beta1ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Setting up nvidia-common (1:0.4.17.7) ...
Setting up python3-distupgrade (1:16.04.24) ...
Setting up libpulse-mainloop-glib0:amd64 (1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8) ...
Setting up libpulse-dev:amd64 (1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8) ...
Setting up libpulsedsp:amd64 (1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8) ...
Setting up pulseaudio-utils (1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8) ...
Setting up ubuntu-release-upgrader-core (1:16.04.24) ...
Setting up pulseaudio (1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8) ...
Setting up pulseaudio-module-zeroconf (1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8) ...
Setting up ubuntu-release-upgrader-gtk (1:16.04.24) ...
Setting up pulseaudio-esound-compat (1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8) ...
Setting up pulseaudio-module-x11 (1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8) ...
Setting up pulseaudio-module-bluetooth (1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8) ...
Setting up pulseaudio-module-gconf (1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.23-0ubuntu10) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 grub-efi-amd64
 grub-efi-amd64-signed

$ sudo apt install inkscape
[sudo] password for cjk:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  libqmi-glib1 linux-headers-4.4.0-104 linux-headers-4.4.0-104-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-109 linux-headers-4.4.0-109-generic
  linux-headers-4.4.0-112 linux-headers-4.4.0-112-generic linux-image-4.4.0-104-generic linux-image-4.4.0-109-generic
  linux-image-4.4.0-112-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-104-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-109-generic
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-112-generic linux-signed-image-4.4.0-104-generic linux-signed-image-4.4.0-109-generic
  linux-signed-image-4.4.0-112-generic
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following additional packages will be installed:
  libgnomevfs2-extra libgsl2 libimage-magick-perl libimage-magick-q16-perl libmagick++-6.q16-5v5 libwmf-bin transfig
Suggested packages:
  pstoedit dia | dia-gnome libsvg-perl libxml-xql-perl python-uniconvertor ruby gsl-ref-psdoc | gsl-doc-pdf | gsl-doc-info | gsl-ref-html
  imagemagick-doc xfig
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  inkscape libgnomevfs2-extra libgsl2 libimage-magick-perl libimage-magick-q16-perl libmagick++-6.q16-5v5 libwmf-bin transfig
0 upgraded, 8 newly installed, 0 to remove and 14 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 14.1 MB of archives.
After this operation, 91.9 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]
Get:1 http://mirrors.nic.funet.fi/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 libgsl2 amd64 2.1+dfsg-2 [840 kB]
Get:2 http://mirrors.nic.funet.fi/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 libmagick++-6.q16-5v5 amd64 8:6.8.9.9-7ubuntu5.9 [136 kB]
Get:3 http://mirrors.nic.funet.fi/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 inkscape amd64 0.91-7ubuntu2 [12.3 MB]
Get:4 http://mirrors.nic.funet.fi/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 libgnomevfs2-extra amd64 1:2.24.4-6.1ubuntu1 [67.3 kB]
Get:5 http://mirrors.nic.funet.fi/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 libimage-magick-q16-perl amd64 8:6.8.9.9-7ubuntu5.9 [109 kB]
Get:6 http://mirrors.nic.funet.fi/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 libimage-magick-perl all 8:6.8.9.9-7ubuntu5.9 [62.3 kB]
Get:7 http://mirrors.nic.funet.fi/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 libwmf-bin amd64 0.2.8.4-10.5ubuntu1 [17.1 kB]
Get:8 http://mirrors.nic.funet.fi/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 transfig amd64 1:3.2.5.e-5 [604 kB]
Fetched 14.1 MB in 1s (12.4 MB/s)
Selecting previously unselected package libgsl2:amd64.
(Reading database ... 457703 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libgsl2_2.1+dfsg-2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libgsl2:amd64 (2.1+dfsg-2) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libmagick++-6.q16-5v5:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libmagick++-6.q16-5v5_8%3a6.8.9.9-7ubuntu5.9_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libmagick++-6.q16-5v5:amd64 (8:6.8.9.9-7ubuntu5.9) ...
Selecting previously unselected package inkscape.
Preparing to unpack .../inkscape_0.91-7ubuntu2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking inkscape (0.91-7ubuntu2) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libgnomevfs2-extra:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libgnomevfs2-extra_1%3a2.24.4-6.1ubuntu1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libgnomevfs2-extra:amd64 (1:2.24.4-6.1ubuntu1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libimage-magick-q16-perl.
Preparing to unpack .../libimage-magick-q16-perl_8%3a6.8.9.9-7ubuntu5.9_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libimage-magick-q16-perl (8:6.8.9.9-7ubuntu5.9) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libimage-magick-perl.
Preparing to unpack .../libimage-magick-perl_8%3a6.8.9.9-7ubuntu5.9_all.deb ...
Unpacking libimage-magick-perl (8:6.8.9.9-7ubuntu5.9) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libwmf-bin.
Preparing to unpack .../libwmf-bin_0.2.8.4-10.5ubuntu1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libwmf-bin (0.2.8.4-10.5ubuntu1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package transfig.
Preparing to unpack .../transfig_1%3a3.2.5.e-5_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking transfig (1:3.2.5.e-5) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.23-0ubuntu10) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) ...
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.15-0ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1ubuntu5.1) ...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.59ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.13.3-6ubuntu3.1) ...
Processing triggers for bamfdaemon (0.5.3~bzr0+16.04.20160824-0ubuntu1) ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/bamf-2.index...
Processing triggers for doc-base (0.10.7) ...
Processing 2 added doc-base files...
Registering documents with scrollkeeper...
Setting up grub-efi-amd64 (2.02~beta2-36ubuntu3.17) ...
Installing for x86_64-efi platform.

Progress: [ 51%] [#############################################################.........................................................]

And there it hung. This is part of the pstree for the offending process.

bash(8087)───sudo(3675)───apt(3683)───dpkg(8740)───frontend(8741)───grub-efi-amd64.(8751)───grub-install(8848)───efibootmgr(8869)

The efibootmgr seems to be unkillable as well.

It just adds more of them, though:

─bash(8087)───sudo(3675)───apt(3683)───dpkg(8740)───frontend(8741)───grub-efi-amd64.(8751)───grub-install(8848)─┬─efibootmgr(8869)
                                                                                                            └─efibootmgr(10799)

So how do I go forward with this?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[dskd (mark-p--sanders)]

I seem to have the same problem, except it always rebooted fine.

[Carl-Johan Kjellander (x-carljohan)]

When I rebooted I could actually see an Oops in the text terminal, and I was stupid and forgot to photograf it quickly.

All I remember was seeing something about "efi" in the stacktrace.

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

Can you run sudo efibootmgr -v and post the output? Also did you try killing it with SIGKILL or SIGTERM?

[Carl-Johan Kjellander (x-carljohan)]

$ sudo efibootmgr -v
[sudo] password for cjk:
BootCurrent: 0000
Timeout: 1 seconds
BootOrder: 0000,0001
Boot0000* ubuntu HD(1,GPT,47335274-0fa8-4b8a-99a4-4e76e73ae208,0x7d0,0x5f5e2)/File(\EFI\ubuntu\shimx64.efi)
Boot0001* Hard Drive BBS(HD,,0x0)AMGOAMNO........o.O.C.Z.-.V.E.R.T.E.X.3....................A...........................>..Gd-.;.A..MQ..L.C.O.-.Z.1.9.Y.6.X.M.U.8.8.5.J.4.K.X.D.N......AMBOAMNO........o.W.D.C. .W.D.3.0.E.Z.R.Z.-.0.0.W.N.9.B.0....................A...........................>..Gd-.;.A..MQ..L. . . . .W. .-.D.C.W.4.C.5.E.X.R.3.T.J.0......AMBO

[Carl-Johan Kjellander (x-carljohan)]

I used both SIGTERM and then SIGKILL.

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

Right, so it is working fine now? It definitely sounds like the kernel hung, either because of a bug there, or in the EFI firmware. Can you reproduce the hang?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for grub2 (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]