package linux-image-2.6.32-24-generic 2.6.32-24.39 failed to install/upgrade with grub2 error "Invalid magic number"

[Jefferson Rincón Botero]

Description: Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS
Release: 10.04

linux-image-2.6.32-24-generic:
  Instalita: 2.6.32-24.39
  Candidato: 2.6.32-24.39
  Tabla de versión:
 *** 2.6.32-24.39 0
        500 http://ftp.usf.edu/pub/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main Packages
        500 http://ftp.usf.edu/pub/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Error:
package linux-image-2.6.32-24-generic 2.6.32-24.39 failed to install/upgrade: la subprocezo instalis skripton post-installation returned exit status error 127

This error is reported every time Update manager runs. This problem has happened only with this new version of the kernel that appeared today Aug. 05/2010 in the Update Manager. I've been nevertheless successful installing previous versions of the kernel after upgrading from Karmic to Lucid.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: linux-image-2.6.32-24-generic 2.6.32-24.39
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-24.39-generic 2.6.32.15+drm33.5
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-24-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: i386
Date: Thu Aug 5 10:53:08 2010
ErrorMessage: la subprocezo instalis skripton post-installation liveris eraran elir-staton 127
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release i386 (20091028.5)
SourcePackage: grub2
Title: package linux-image-2.6.32-24-generic 2.6.32-24.39 failed to install/upgrade: la subprocezo instalis skripton post-installation liveris eraran elir-staton 127

[Gurubie (gurubie)]

The newbie experience is:

"Bad magic number"

and

"load kernel first", at GRUB.

Newbie say huh?

They have to arrow down and select an older kernel, if they have one.

This looks bad. All we did was agree to the Upgrade Manger request.

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. This particular bug has already been reported and is a duplicate of bug 484499, so it is being marked as such. Please look at the other bug report to see if there is any missing information that you can provide, or to see if there is a workaround for the bug. Additionally, any further discussion regarding the bug should occur in the other report. Please continue to report any other bugs you may find.

[Gurubie (gurubie)]

I'm not seeing a syntax error and the "" one, is not the problem. Maybe the status is wrong.

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

Following my comment on bug 484499, we'd be grateful if you would then provide a more complete description of the problem. We have instructions on debugging some types of problems at http://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingProcedures.
At a minimum, we need:
1. the specific steps or actions you took that caused you to encounter the problem,
2. the behavior you expected, and
3. the behavior you actually encountered (in as much detail as possible).
Thanks!

[Gurubie (gurubie)]

Thank you. My post above at #2, answered those questions; as fully as possible.
This has thrown me into GRUB reinstall heck; but those failure bugs, are another issue, accept to show that once with a working menu, this is probably not a GRUB bug; because the new kernel still never boots (in GRUB legacy, as well).

I'm now getting Error 13 instead, (GRUB Legacy) upon trying to boot the newest kernel. Older kernel works. Somethings up with the new one.

Proceeding to bug 484499 as suggested.

[Gurubie (gurubie)]

Are there any syntax errors here? .......-24, will not boot. ......-22 boot fine.

title Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS, kernel 2.6.32-24-generic
uuid 8dcefa3c-cb54-4793-8fa6-e5587d9ab4ed
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic root=UUID=8dcefa3c-cb54-4793-8fa6-e5587d9ab4ed ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-24-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS, kernel 2.6.32-22-generic
uuid 8dcefa3c-cb54-4793-8fa6-e5587d9ab4ed
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=UUID=8dcefa3c-cb54-4793-8fa6-e5587d9ab4ed ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
quiet

[Gurubie (gurubie)]

Now that I have grub-pc (GRUB 2) back completely, this newest kernel (ending in -24) still will not boot (never has); yielding that latest (original clean install 10.04) error of:

"Invalid magic number" after that GRUB 2 menu listed in selected.

Grub legacy didn't boot it either.

I'm guessing this has something to do with EXT4. I don't know.

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

thanks for the additional information. I'm affecting to grub2 and setting status to confirmed.

[Gurubie (gurubie)]

Thank you.

Upgrades today still leave that new kernel with the same error.

My second mission critical, AMD CPU computer, took the new kernel fine. The subject error is on my first main computer; running a Dell P4 CPU. Both computers are EXT4.

[Gurubie (gurubie)]

Going on 4 weeks...

1. The only action we took, was upgrading our clean-install of 10.04.

2. We expected the new kernel to boot.

3. "Invalid magic number" hangs the computer from booting to desktop, everyday, unless the offending kernel is removed. Users must know to select another kernel.

When the offending kernel is removed, which I have purged and reinstalled several times, and getting "Invalid magic number", every time, this also removes "linux-image", and this system is then stuck, not kernel upgrading, with the old kernel, without further technical intervention. Whatever security, bugs, and function, the new, now main stream kernel effects, is lost. Total Ubuntu, system integrity, is compromised.

Obviously, this makes Ubuntu look bad. I have strong concerns, of slower Ubuntu adoption and therefore less mainstream, and comprehensive integrity.

Thoughts: Logically speaking, and since it didn't work, when I tried GRUB legacy (and then returned to Grub "2"), it's seems to me, the "Invalid magic number" error, suggests this kernel build does not work with SOME systems. Especially, since the old kernel boots off of, the self same EXT4 partition. We may need another kernel build in order to stop this error and keep Ubuntu working, on more systems. We may be missing many instances, of this fundamental error.

Dynamic upgrades are a major success of Ubuntu, and a necessity of modern computing. When this breaks, even if for a fraction of users, on their MISSION CRITICAL systems, the priority is of the highest.

Q: How can I know the current status and ETA, of the next, official Ubuntu generic kernel build?

[Gurubie (gurubie)]

SOLUTION (myself) - Turn UDMA off, in my computers BIOS settings. (Dell D8200 + Seagate 200GB PATA)

The question was, why this system, and not my other. If you're having this problem, here's what fixed it, for me.

If not Grub (2) and not the kernel, then what's left? THE BIOS!

Once I started to painstakingly test things, in the BIOS; that might affect GRUB booting, I finally just turned UDMA off; just to be sure and viola! It booted the new kernel; for the first time.

Now, I think why this happens, is GRUB will take the UDMA settings from the BIOS, and if it's wrong, no booty. By turning UDMA off (which might be trouble for other duel booted OS systems, I run just Ubuntu now.) or actual setting it to the WRONG UDMA mode (I read), forces GRUB to call the CORRECT UDMA mode; from the actual drive!

*** (Perhaps this kernel build failed to do something different, with UDMA; because the others worked!) ***

hdparm -i /dev/sda1

...(Yours might not be sda1) reports UDMA 5, as active. Confirming the correct (faster) UDMA drive setting; even though it's off, in my BIOS.

[Gurubie (gurubie)]

This may need to be fixed in GRUB(2), and how the kernels are complied. Not just one.

If GRUB can get the correct UDMA mode from the drive, it needs to do that; when it otherwise gives a "Invalid Magic Number", error.

The kernels need to be compiled with options like the older kernels(that just worked). Perhaps referencing UDMA.

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Reviewing your log files attached to this bug report it seems that there is a problem in the configuration of your '/etc/default/grub' file. Keep in mind than any kernel parameters should have double quotes around them like so: GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash". Please review your changes to '/etc/default/grub' and try running 'sudo update-grub' again. In the event they you are able to resolve your issue please set this bug's status to Invalid. If you are not able to resolve the issue please attach the file '/etc/default/grub' to the bug report. Thanks and good luck!

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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