"dpkg-reconfigure --all" invokes update-initramfs(8) multiple times

[Daniel Richard G.]

Binary package hint: initramfs-tools

On a minimal text-mode-only install of Gutsy (i.e. ubuntu-minimal + ubuntu-standard), "dpkg-reconfigure --all" causes update-initramfs(8) to be invoked no less than 10 times. Moreover, this was running on a fairly old (Pentium II) system, and so significantly slowed down the reconfiguration process (as each initrd update took ~2 minutes).

Initrd updates should be deferred in a situation like this, so that update-initramfs(8) is invoked only once at the end of the reconfiguration process.

[Timothy Smith (tas50)]

This bug is still present in the most recent nightly builds of Ubuntu

[Jeremy Jackson (jerj)]

This is being addressed by the Blueprint

https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/dpkg-triggers

Some pkgs in Gutsy are converted to use trigger for update-initramfs, but others aren't. I have opened a bug for one of the packages that still needs conversion:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/198848

Once I see how that's handled, I'll open bug reports for the remaining pkgs that I found.

[Daniel Richard G. (skunk)]

Bug persists in Hardy.

In an ubuntu-minimal install, "dpkg-reconfigure --all" invokes update-initramfs(8) six times, with the first three instances seemingly occurring one right after the other.

root@darkstar:~# dpkg-reconfigure --all
 * Stopping ACPI services... [ OK ]
 * Loading ACPI modules... [ OK ]
 * Starting ACPI services... [ OK ]
 * Setting up console font and keymap... Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 211.
Use of uninitialized value in scalar assignment at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 227.
Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 228.
Use of uninitialized value in scalar assignment at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 288.
Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 329.
Use of uninitialized value in scalar assignment at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 346.
Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 347.
Use of uninitialized value in scalar assignment at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 288.
Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 329.
Use of uninitialized value in scalar assignment at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 346.
Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 347.
Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 211.
Use of uninitialized value in scalar assignment at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 227.
Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 228.
Use of uninitialized value in scalar assignment at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 288.
Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 329.
Use of uninitialized value in scalar assignment at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 346.
Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 347.
Use of uninitialized value in scalar assignment at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 288.
Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 329.
Use of uninitialized value in scalar assignment at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 346.
Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/share/perl/5.8/utf8_heavy.pl line 347.
                                                                         [ OK ]
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic
 * Stopping kernel log daemon... [ OK ]
 * Starting kernel log daemon... [ OK ]
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic
Not updating init...

[maximilian attems (maks-debian)]

Since then update-initramfs are triggered thus happen far less often.

[midenok (midenok)]

This very annoying bug still persists in natty.