update-initramfs fails in mkinitramfs with "cpio: ./different/files: Cannot stat: No such file or directory"

[Chamu]

Binary package hint: initramfs-tools

The error occurs when the initramfs-tools trigger is processed and fails with:
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-27-generic
cpio: ./etc/modprobe.d/arch-aliases: Cannot stat: No such file or directory
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-27-generic
dpkg: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

The files found in duplicates are
./etc/modprobe.d/arch-aliases
./lib/udev/firmware.sh
./etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-vmc
./sbin/brltty-setup
./etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-oss.conf
./bin/udevinfo
./sbin/mount.fuse
./etc/modprobe.d/oss-compat.conf
./lib/udev/vol_id

This can happen if cpio tries to copy a broken link.

ProblemType: Package
Architecture: amd64
Date: Thu Mar 18 00:34:22 2010
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
ErrorMessage: el subproceso script post-installation instalado devolvió el código de salida de error 2
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
Package: linux-image-2.6.31-20-generic 2.6.31-20.58
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-17.54-generic
SourcePackage: initramfs-tools
Title: package linux-image-2.6.31-20-generic 2.6.31-20.58 failed to install/upgrade: el subproceso script post-installation instalado devolvió el código de salida de error 2
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-17-generic x86_64

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

Thanks for your report.

The relevant error is
---
Configurando linux-image-2.6.31-20-generic (2.6.31-20.58) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-20-generic
cpio: ./sbin/mount.fuse: No se puede stat: No existe el fichero ó directorio
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-20-generic
Failed to create initrd image.
dpkg: error al procesar linux-image-2.6.31-20-generic (--configure):
 el subproceso script post-installation instalado devolvió el código de salida de error 2

[Rookcifer (rookcifer)]

I am getting a similar error. First of all whenever I run 'aptitude update' the update wont finish because I get this error:

Get:3 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Packages [1,374kB]
E: Method bzip2 has died unexpectedly!
E: Sub-process bzip2 received signal 9.
E: Method /usr/lib/apt/methods/bzip2 did not start correctly
E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'sudo dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.

Secondly, whenever I run 'aptitude upgrade' I get an error with initramfs-tools. It tell me to run 'sudo dpkg --configure -a'. When I do, I get this:

Setting up initramfs-tools (0.92bubuntu69) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)

Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-17-generic
Killed
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-17-generic
dpkg: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

Therefore, I can not update or upgrade my system right now on Lucid. I am basically at a standstill.

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

@Rookcifer, from your description it's not the same. The error we are talking here is about cpio failing to build the archive. Yours is about your system killing random processes. Please file a new report with 'ubuntu-bug linux' and before doing so, please run a memory test from your start menu.
Thanks in advance.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package initramfs-tools - 0.92bubuntu70

---------------
initramfs-tools (0.92bubuntu70) lucid; urgency=low

  * Filter out looping or broken symlinks from the initramfs, since they
    cause cpio to explode (LP: #540686).
 -- Colin Watson <email address hidden> Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:08:05 +0000