Unable to install initramfs-tools in Dapper 64

[Absolute]

've been trying to install Dapper flight 5 (AMD64) on my computer, but it always ends up failing. It gets all the way down to the base installation, but can never install the initramfs-tools. It says it'll repeat the message 5 times, but finally fails.

If I try to do the base installation step again, it fails on that package 5 times again, but than asks me to choose a kernel. I choose the generic 64 one, and that also fails.

At that point I can go onto the apt configuration step, but I always stop the install, since part of the base installation fails.

I've had the same results with Flight 4, Flight 5, and the nightlies from the 28th and 29th. I also tried the nightly AMD64 DVD install, but it pauses after starting the kernel, finally saying that /dev/ramfs doesn't exist, and drops me to a shell.

My system:

AMD 64 X2 4400+
3GB DRR-400
Giga-Byte K8NXP-SLI (nVidia and Silicon Image SATA controllers)
Dual XFX 7800 video cards in an SLI configuration

I'm trying to install onto a hard drive on the nVidia SATA1 controller.

Here's the end of the /var/log/syslog it dumps out, I have the full log available too:

Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: Unpacking installation-report (from .../installation-report_2.12ubuntu1_all.deb) ...
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: Setting up udev (079-0ubuntu22) ...
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: Removing any system startup links for /etc/init.d/udev-mtab ...
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: Removing any system startup links for /etc/init.d/udev ...
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: Removing any system startup links for /etc/init.d/hotplug ...
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: Removing any system startup links for /etc/init.d/hotplug-net ...
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: Unable to remove /etc/logcheck, not empty
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: Cannot find /lib/modules/2.6.12-10-amd64-k8-smp
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: Setting up installation-report (2.12ubuntu1) ...
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: dpkg: error processing udev (--configure):
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of pcmciautils:
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: pcmciautils depends on udev; however:
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: Package udev is not configured yet.
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: dpkg: error processing pcmciautils (--configure):
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of ubuntu-minimal:
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: ubuntu-minimal depends on pcmciautils; however:
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: Package pcmciautils is not configured yet.
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: ubuntu-minimal depends on udev; however:
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: Package udev is not configured yet.
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: dpkg: error processing ubuntu-minimal (--configure):
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install:
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: Errors were encountered while processing:
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: udev
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: pcmciautils
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: ubuntu-minimal
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: E:
Mar 31 15:14:32 apt-install: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
Mar 31 15:14:32 base-installer: info: Running /usr/lib/base-installer.d/40netcfg

[Absolute (suthel)]

I've had the same result with Flight 4, Flight 5, and the most recent daylies. The AMD 64 DVD daily doesn't even run.

Apparently the March 22nd daily fixed this issue for one person, but it's not available any more.

Link: http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=153136

[Scott James Remnant (Canonical) (canonical-scott)]

Looks like initramfs-tools isn't getting updated properly.

[Roberto Rosselli Del Turco (rosselli)]

I've just experienced exactly the same problem, but on a plain, old Athlon XP 2200+. My system:

CPU: Athlon XP 2200+
Motherboard: Asus A7N8 nForce2
RAM: 512Mb
Video: ATI Radeon 9000
Audio: nForce2 APU
3 EIDE disks
1 CD/DVD recorder

[Roberto Rosselli Del Turco (rosselli)]

I forgot to write that

- I checked the CD before trying again, and it turned out clean (using the included utility);
- I used the same CD to install Flight 6 on a laptop before (Acer Aspire 1360) and everything went smooth.

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

According to the transcript, it's udev which is failing to configure. I see nothing about initramfs-tools.

Is this bug still present with current CDs (beta 2)?

[Scott James Remnant (Canonical) (canonical-scott)]

The only reason udev exits 1 from postinst is if update-initramfs fails -- thus the bug being assigned to initramfs-tools

[oblemboy (tom14)]

I am having the same problem. Similar hardware to Roberto, _not_ AMD64
Athlon XP 2500+ on an Asus A7N8 nForce2 with 512 MB RAM
update-initramfs sits there doing nothing, making it impossible to complete an upgrade with apt-get. Killing the post-install script which starts update-initramfs results in
"Errors were encountered while processing:
 volumeid
 udev
 grub
 initramfs-tools
 console-setup
 kubuntu-artwork-usplash
 kubuntu-desktop"
update-initramfs seems to be started by the post-install scripts for a few of these packages it mentions. Hmmm, I hope this thing reboots ok now... :-S

[oblemboy (tom14)]

Oh and I'm using Feisty Fawn

[BitJam (bowlin)]

I have exactly the same problem trying to install Feisty Fawn. My system is AMD64 x2 on an ASUS M2NPV-VM motherboard. I've tried installing using the Kubuntu-7.04-amd64-dvd, the Ubuntu-7.04-i386-cd, and the Ubuntu-7.04-i386-dvd. All of them fail in exactly the same way. I also have the full syslog available.

Now here is something very strange: when I first tried installing with the kubuntu amd64 dvd about two weeks ago, I was able to get it to install. That same dvd no longer works and fails as described above. When I successfully installed, I had to hit <F-6> and fool around with boot parameters to even get the install dvd to boot but I don't recall exactly what I did. I don't have that problem now even though the hardware hasn't been changed.

[BitJam (bowlin)]

I found a solution!

I found it in a different thread on another board. The problem is caused when you are trying to install with a pre-existing /boot partition (perhaps one that has been modified). I was able to get past the problem by simply not specifying a /boot partition and letting the installer make a fresh /boot directory on the / (root) partition. I now have to copy some files and run grub to get my /boot partition working again.

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

Changing status to confirmed as multiple users have seen this issue.

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

I have been speaking with a user on irc having this issue and it sounds like the problem is that the kernel package does not get installed when using an existing /boot partition. The user reported that the /lib/modules directory was empty on /target, but somehow the new kernel got installed in /boot. I am not sure how the kernel image can be installed without the modules in the same package. It is the lack of the modules that causes update-initramfs to fail.

So it sounds like this bug should be reassigned as the problem isn't with initramfs-tools.

[Akkana Peck (akkzilla)]

I was the user in question, and I'll be happy to help test a fix. I agree that the problem seems to be the /target/lib files not being installed when there's already a /boot with kernels in it.

If it matters, it's possible there were already some files related to the new kernel there, because this was a second attempt at installing, after the first attempt died due to a lack of adequate space on /boot. That may be why I saw the problem this time when I didn't see it during my dapper or edgy installs on this machine.

The workaround suggested by BitJam worked for me as well: I restarted the installation using only /, not telling it about the existing /boot, then declined to install grub (why does it claim that's a fatal error?), then booted into another system to move the new kernel files into the real /boot partition and edited menu.lst to point to them.

[xul (tod-liebt-dich)]

hi!

i'm experiencing the same problem installing 7.10 using the net install
(http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/gutsy/main/installer-amd64/current/images/netboot/mini.iso)

my machine is a dell t105 (opteron 1212) which has a sata-controller (nvidia ck804), 2 sata hdd (going to be raid1) and a sata dvd-rom.
not sure if that might be a controller (kernel) problem, because regular cd-install (using xubuntu 7.10 amd64 alternate cd) fails. it can't find linux on the cd / can't mount the device correctly.

so i used net install, partitioned, the packages are retreived, but at some point installations stops with the aforementioned message.
i get the install-menu and start the mini-httpd to get syslog

[xul (tod-liebt-dich)]

well, i've done net install. this time it was okay.
deleted all partitions, made new ones.
the only thing i'd changed: used another mirror site (ireland) this time!
install went through successfully.

for me it sounds as if there was an inconsistent mirror.
may also have been problems with /boot partition.
if you're doing a fresh install, try this.

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

Closing this bug since Dapper is no longer supported and it seems to not be an issue with more recent releases.