[Initramfs] E: /usr/share/initramfs-tools/hooks/kmod failed with return 1

[dino99]

This happen after trusty migration to utopic and purging an old installed kernel.
Then initramfs fail to configure the kernel(s)

oem@dev32:~$ sudo update-initramfs -u
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-24-generic
cp: cannot stat ‘/lib/modprobe.d/*’: No such file or directory
E: /usr/share/initramfs-tools/hooks/kmod failed with return 1.
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-24-generic with 1.

Trying to reinstall it, i get:
 E: Internal Error, No file name for initramfs-tools:i386

So it seems that the latest kmod (16.2ubuntu1) upgrade into utopic have broken the not yet upgraded initramfs-tools package.
The problem also exist with a newer kernel:

 run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d/dkms 3.14.1-031401-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.14.1-031401-generic
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-3.14.1-031401-generic:
 linux-image-3.14.1-031401-generic depends on initramfs-tools (>= 0.36ubuntu6); however:
 Package initramfs-tools is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package linux-image-3.14.1-031401-generic (--install):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.10
Package: initramfs-tools 0.103ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-24.46-generic 3.13.9
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-24-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3
Architecture: i386
CurrentDesktop: GNOME
Date: Sat Apr 26 14:34:47 2014
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-10-25 (182 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release i386 (20131021.1)
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: initramfs-tools
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[dino99 (9d9)]

Purged the kernels installation, then reinstall one, but still fails:

Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 3.14.1-031401-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.14.1-031401-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 3.14.1-031401-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.14.1-031401-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 3.14.1-031401-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.14.1-031401-generic
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.14.1-031401-generic
cp: cannot stat ‘/lib/modprobe.d/*’: No such file or directory
E: /usr/share/initramfs-tools/hooks/kmod failed with return 1.
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-3.14.1-031401-generic with 1.
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1
Failed to process /etc/kernel/postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-3.14.1-031401-generic.postinst line 1025.
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-3.14.1-031401-generic (--install):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2

[dino99 (9d9)]

Test with latest kernel:

oem@dev32:~/kern$ sudo dpkg -i *
[sudo] password for oem:

Selecting previously unselected package linux-headers-3.15.0-999.
(Reading database ... 228197 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack linux-headers-3.15.0-999_3.15.0-999.201404260253_all.deb ...
Unpacking linux-headers-3.15.0-999 (3.15.0-999.201404260253) ...
Selecting previously unselected package linux-headers-3.15.0-999-generic.
Preparing to unpack linux-headers-3.15.0-999-generic_3.15.0-999.201404260253_i386.deb ...
Unpacking linux-headers-3.15.0-999-generic (3.15.0-999.201404260253) ...
Selecting previously unselected package linux-image-3.15.0-999-generic.
Preparing to unpack linux-image-3.15.0-999-generic_3.15.0-999.201404260253_i386.deb ...
Examining /etc/kernel/preinst.d/
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/preinst.d/intel-microcode 3.15.0-999-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.15.0-999-generic
Done.
Unpacking linux-image-3.15.0-999-generic (3.15.0-999.201404260253) ...
Setting up linux-headers-3.15.0-999 (3.15.0-999.201404260253) ...
Setting up linux-headers-3.15.0-999-generic (3.15.0-999.201404260253) ...
Examining /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d/dkms 3.15.0-999-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.15.0-999-generic
Setting up linux-image-3.15.0-999-generic (3.15.0-999.201404260253) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: deferring update (hook will be called later)
The link /initrd.img is a dangling linkto /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-24-generic
Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 3.15.0-999-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.15.0-999-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 3.15.0-999-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.15.0-999-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 3.15.0-999-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.15.0-999-generic
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.15.0-999-generic
cp: cannot stat ‘/lib/modprobe.d/*’: No such file or directory
E: /usr/share/initramfs-tools/hooks/kmod failed with return 1.
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-3.15.0-999-generic with 1.
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1
Failed to process /etc/kernel/postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-3.15.0-999-generic.postinst line 1025.
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-3.15.0-999-generic (--install):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
 k+
 linux-image-3.15.0-999-generic
oem@dev32:~/kern$

[dino99 (9d9)]

So i wonder if the "1025" line's script which is set to "die" on error(s) is not aborting due to that one:

Running depmod.
depmod: ERROR: Module 'hci_vhci' has devname (vhci) but lacks major and minor information. Ignoring.

That issue has been met and already fixed:
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1051748

So its the new kmod rules:
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/linux/kernel/1870467?page=last

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[dino99 (9d9)]

So by now the workaround is to downgrade kmod : use the Trusty one.
This let the kernels be installed as usual.
Only get that issue (but seems not a show stopper):

initrd.img(/boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-24-generic
) points to /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-24-generic
 (/boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-24-generic) -- doing nothing at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-extra-3.13.0-24-generic.postinst line 491.
vmlinuz(/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-24-generic
) points to /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-24-generic
 (/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-24-generic) -- doing nothing at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-extra-3.13.0-24-generic.postinst line 491.
Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.

Conclusion:
- that error (described as harmless, but stopped out the posinst script with the new kmod) "hci_vhci" have to be fixed with the kernels.
- and initramfs-tools might need some upgrade (Debian use 0.115)

[dino99 (9d9)]

The latest kmod 16.2ubuntu2 change seems to have resolved that initramfs-tools issue

[Mark Lutring (marcus-elitemail)]

It works for me too

[dino99 (9d9)]

has been fixed now.