Ubuntu
linux package

package linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic (not installed) failed to install/upgrade: subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1

Bug #1066294 reported by alpha1 on 2012-10-13

This bug report is a duplicate of: Bug #1160346: do-release-upgrade from Ubuntu 12.04 on Pentium-M fails, breaks system without any warning (This kernel does not support a non-PAE CPU). Edit Remove

This bug affects 12 people

Affects		Status	Importance	Assigned to	Milestone
	linux (Ubuntu)	Expired	Medium	Unassigned

Bug Description

I am trying to upgrade to Ubuntu 12.10 on my eeePC (one of the originals) and I get this error messagepackage

linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic (not installed) failed to install/upgrade: subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1

During the install process, it said there was an error in installing linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic. It said:

"This kernel does not support a non-PAE CPU."

......whatever that means.

From Sysinfo, the CPU is: GenuineIntel
Intel(R) Celeron(R) M processor 900MHz
Frequency: 630.095 MHz
L2 Cache: 512 KB
Bogomips: 1260.19
Numbering: family(6) model(13) stepping(6)
Flags: fpu vme de pse tsc msr mce cx8 apic mtrr pge mca cmov clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss tm pbe up bts

GNOME: 3.6.0 (Ubuntu 2012-10-04)
Kernel: 2.0-32-generic (#51-Ubuntu SMP Wed Sep 26 21:32:50 UTC 2012)
GCC Version: 4.7 (i686-linux-gnu)
XOrg Version:1.13.0 (08 October 2012 03:34:08PM)

Is this enough information for someone to diagnose and repair the problem?

When I try running ubuntu-bug linux, it comes up with a message: this problem cannot be reported.

The information collected by cat /proc/version_signature > version.log is:
Ubuntu 3.2.0-32.51-generic 3.2.30

I attached the lspci-vnvn.log

When I ran the Software Center, it said I had to do a repair. This is the result of that attempt:

installArchives() failed: (Reading database ...
(Reading database ... 5%
(Reading database ... 10%
(Reading database ... 15%
(Reading database ... 20%
(Reading database ... 25%
(Reading database ... 30%
(Reading database ... 35%
(Reading database ... 40%
(Reading database ... 45%
(Reading database ... 50%
(Reading database ... 55%
(Reading database ... 60%
(Reading database ... 65%
(Reading database ... 70%
(Reading database ... 75%
(Reading database ... 80%
(Reading database ... 85%
(Reading database ... 90%
(Reading database ... 95%
(Reading database ... 100%
(Reading database ... 376859 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic (from .../linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic_3.5.0-17.28_i386.deb) ...
This kernel does not support a non-PAE CPU.
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic_3.5.0-17.28_i386.deb (--unpack):
subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
Examining /etc/kernel/postrm.d .
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/initramfs-tools 3.5.0-17-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub 3.5.0-17-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic_3.5.0-17.28_i386.deb
Error in function:
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-generic:
linux-image-generic depends on linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic; however:
Package linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic is not installed.

dpkg: error processing linux-image-generic (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-extra-3.5.0-17-generic:
linux-image-extra-3.5.0-17-generic depends on linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic; however:
Package linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic is not installed.

dpkg: error processing linux-image-extra-3.5.0-17-generic (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-generic:
linux-generic depends on linux-image-generic; however:
Package linux-image-generic is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing linux-generic (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic (not installed)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-32.51-generic 3.2.30
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-32-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.6.1-0ubuntu3
AptOrdering:
linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic: Install
linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic: Configure
linux-image-extra-3.5.0-17-generic: Configure
linux-image-generic: Configure
linux-generic: Configure
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
/dev/snd/controlC0: murray 1407 F.... xfce4-volumed
murray 1409 F.... pulseaudio
Date: Sat Oct 13 05:49:19 2012
ErrorMessage: subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=5cb35b41-4f43-450a-93c1-8408432104ce
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release i386 (20111012)
MachineType: ASUSTeK Computer INC. 701
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-32-generic root=UUID=12c0013b-e73e-4ea6-9f6d-cf237655c15c ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
PulseList: Error: command ['pacmd', 'list'] failed with exit code 1: No PulseAudio daemon running, or not running as session daemon.
RelatedPackageVersions: grub-pc 2.00-7ubuntu10
SourcePackage: linux
Title: package linux-image-3.5.0-17-generic (not installed) failed to install/upgrade: subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to quantal on 2012-10-13 (0 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 10/17/2007
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 0401
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: 701
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: x.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 0x00000000
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTek Computer INC.
dmi.chassis.version: x.x
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0401:bd10/17/2007:svnASUSTeKComputerINC.:pn701:pvrx.x:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rn701:rvrx.xx:cvnASUSTekComputerINC.:ct10:cvrx.x:
dmi.product.name: 701
dmi.product.version: x.x
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.

Tags:

Revision history for this message

alpha1 (wmstrome) wrote on 2012-10-13:

result from: sudo lspci -vnvn > lspci-vnvn.log Edit (23.8 KiB, text/plain)
AlsaInfo.txt Edit (22.2 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
BootDmesg.txt Edit (51.9 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
CRDA.txt Edit (257 bytes, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
CurrentDmesg.txt Edit (481 bytes, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
Df.txt Edit (503 bytes, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
Dmesg.txt Edit (52.4 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
DpkgHistoryLog.txt Edit (2.6 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
DpkgTerminalLog.txt Edit (11.8 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
IwConfig.txt Edit (543 bytes, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
Lspci.txt Edit (23.8 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
Lsusb.txt Edit (481 bytes, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
ProcCpuinfo.txt Edit (549 bytes, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
ProcInterrupts.txt Edit (1.1 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
ProcModules.txt Edit (1.9 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
RfKill.txt Edit (121 bytes, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
UdevDb.txt Edit (100.6 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
UdevLog.txt Edit (230.4 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
WifiSyslog.txt Edit (95.1 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")

Brad Figg (brad-figg) on 2012-10-13

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status:	New → Confirmed

Revision history for this message

Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury) wrote on 2012-10-15:

You may need to run the following:

sudo apt-get install -f
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get update

Then re-install the package.

If that does not resolve your issue, please mark the bug as "Confirmed"

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status:	Confirmed → Incomplete
importance:	Undecided → Medium

Revision history for this message

vilbara (vilmantas-baranauskas) wrote on 2012-10-19:

This is not an issue of broken package dependencies or similar but the problem that there is no non-PAE kernel in 12.10.

I've update my xubuntu installation to 12.10 and got the same problem. Nothing warned me before the upgrade that there will be no kernel suitable to my hardware (Pentium M 1.6 GHz).

Revision history for this message

P (p92) wrote on 2012-10-20:

Same issue here !! Really not professionnal to state kernel will be PAE by default, without a WARNING in the installer !!

Revision history for this message

floid (jkanowitz) wrote on 2012-10-21:

I hope this isn't just a me-too, but I want to add that I'm amazed that I somehow lived through both 12.04 (and the 12.10 upgrade process) completely oblivious to the fact that PAE had become 'temporarily requisite' for 12.04 at launch and now definitely requisite for 12.10 absent 'unsupported' hacks and workarounds.*

The upgrade process on a Dell Latitude D600 laptop (first-generation Pentium M, no PAE) did warn that my graphics were at risk for being unsupported (as prior versions have), but there's no equivalent check and warning for the 'CPU surprise.' Since Ubuntu does leave old kernels lying around in /boot, the upgraded system was still bootable with 3.2.0, but between the kernel issue and the fact that Unity still isn't satisfied with what GL features the radeon driver can offer with an ""ATI Radeon Mobility 9000 (M9) Lf (AGP)" (ChipID = 0x4c66)" - yet no longer falls back to unity-2d, despite it still being installed** - I decided to back out rather than fight.

For users bit by this scenario who want to 'downgrade' back to a known state, the following abuse of apt (as posted on the Ubuntu Wiki) works:

Replace /etc/apt/sources.list with the helpfully-saved sources.list.distUpgrade in the same directory;

Create the file /etc/apt/preferences containing the following:

Package: *
Pin: release a=precise
Pin-Priority: 1001

Then: apt-get update; apt-get dist-upgrade; wait, wait some more, and you'll be back to 12.04. (That this managed to result in circular dependencies for CUPS on my system, so printing may be dead until you resolve that by hand, but elsewise things are back to normal.)

*The 'official' workarounds aren't terribly bad if you're starting from a fresh install: Rely on xubuntu (XFCE) or lubuntu (LXDE), then install the "ubuntu-desktop" package if you want Unity alongside the lighter-weight desktops - but that sort of 'crossgrade' is a little more annoying on an installed system you'd just intended to update rather than modify. If you're determined, some minor adjustments to the above recipe should work.

However, it's unclear how long the 'lightweight' distributions will continue to offer non-PAE kernels if the main Ubuntu kernel team is tired of maintaining some of the security patches; if there's a 'position statement' from those distros re: how long support can be expected, please link!

**(The absence of unity-2d fallback is surely surmountable with editing of the GDM config; I just wasn't in the mood. I'm still somehow surprised that Unity demands more GL features than compiz.)

The upgrade process on a Dell Latitude D600 laptop (first-generation Pentium M, no PAE) did warn that my graphics were at risk for being unsupported (as prior versions have), but there's no equivalent check and warning for the 'CPU surprise.'  Since Ubuntu does leave old kernels lying around in /boot, the upgraded system was still bootable with 3.2.0, but between the kernel issue and the fact that Unity still isn't satisfied with what GL features the radeon driver can offer with an ""ATI Radeon Mobility 9000 (M9) Lf (AGP)" (ChipID = 0x4c66)" - yet no longer falls back to unity-2d, despite it still being installed** - I decided to back out rather than fight.

For users bit by this scenario who want to 'downgrade' back to a known state, the following abuse of apt (as posted on the Ubuntu Wiki) works:

Replace /etc/apt/sources.list with the helpfully-saved sources.list.distUpgrade in the same directory;

Create the file /etc/apt/preferences containing the following:

Package: *
Pin: release a=precise
Pin-Priority: 1001

Then:  apt-get update;  apt-get dist-upgrade;  wait, wait some more, and you'll be back to 12.04.  (That this managed to result in circular dependencies for CUPS on my system, so printing may be dead until you resolve that by hand, but elsewise things are back to normal.)

*The 'official' workarounds aren't terribly bad if you're starting from a fresh install:  Rely on xubuntu (XFCE) or lubuntu (LXDE), then install the "ubuntu-desktop" package if you want Unity alongside the lighter-weight desktops - but that sort of 'crossgrade' is a little more annoying on an installed system you'd just intended to update rather than modify.  If you're determined, some minor adjustments to the above recipe should work.

**(The absence of unity-2d fallback is surely surmountable with editing of the GDM config; I just wasn't in the mood.  I'm still somehow surprised that Unity demands more GL features than compiz.)

Revision history for this message

floid (jkanowitz) wrote on 2012-10-21:

Sorry, per #3 [thanks vilbara, wish I'd actually read your comment first!], it looks like xubuntu and lubuntu were workarounds for the initial "PAE-free" release of 12.04, but have already inherited the PAE requirement from mainline Ubuntu for 12.10, so... the 'grace period' offered by those distributions has already expired.

[I'd be happy to live insecurely but cautiously without NX emulation - AFAIK it wasn't even introduced to Ubuntu until relatively recently, see bug #369978 - maintenance of the patch being claimed as one reason for going PAE-only - even if this required manual installation of a specific 'nopae-insecure' kernel with screaming warnings after the fact, but given the other limitations it seems unlikely that many of the 'hot new features' post-12.04LTS would be available on my hardware anyway.]

Revision history for this message

alpha1 (wmstrome) wrote on 2012-10-24:

Does this mean that the kernel will never again support non-PAE CPUs? One of the great "selling features" of LINUX has always been that it would support very old hardware.

I am running XUbuntu 12.10 but with the old kernel (3.2.X). However, I cannot do any upgrades until the "Broken Packages" are fixed, namely the 3.5.0 kernel.

What is the recommended solution (other than throwing away my perfectly good eeePC)?

Is there another distribution that would be more suited to non-PAE CPUs that will be supported for years to come?

Thanks for any advice?

Revision history for this message

floid (jkanowitz) wrote on 2012-10-24:

@alpha1: I'm just another vaguely-confused "end user" like you; as far as I can tell there should be "no reason" for the kernel to *demand* PAE aside from Ubuntu apparently wanting to make sure all their users have W^X protections (given Ubuntu's popularity among distributions, that's a fair point, but only the subset of users with PAE-less hardware would be vulnerable if they simply gave up on the apparently annoying-to-maintain emulation patch) ... and guarantee that people with >4GB running 32-bit can see all their RAM (the main reason PAE exists).

As far as I can tell the 'official' solution is to hang back with 12.04 LTS and see what happens when the 'LTS' runs out. I don't think many other distributions have made the same decision yet (some people have pointed back to 'plain old Debian', for instance) and there's always the "fun" options of customizing your own kernel or trusting someone's unofficial build - so if you want to stick with 12.10, check around the forums for links to PPAs.

Revision history for this message

Samuel (samuel-sh79) wrote on 2012-10-28:

Affects me as well. I'd performed upgrade on my Thinkpad R50e.
I didn't read news about kernel devs stopping non pae support, and simply upgraded.
I really would expect from the installer to inform me about the issue before installation actually done
or even prevent me form installing 12.10.

Revision history for this message

Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote on 2012-12-28:

#10

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

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status:	Incomplete → Expired

Revision history for this message

rewound (rewound) wrote on 2013-03-04:

#11

Bug #1066294 was marked expired on 28Dec2012 but is still present in Feb 2013 so has not been actioned and needs re-opening.
Before any upgrading software makes changes it needs to test that the hardware meets its requirements (no CPU PAE bit in this case) and if not show the problem in plain language and stop the upgrade.
Ubuntu 12.10 needs CPU PAE bit and Win8 will only run on processors which support PAE and NX and SSE2. So Ubuntu is going down the Windows slippery path encouraging usable PCs (even those with decent performance and those with up to 4 GB RAM) to be junked.
Ubuntu must continue to be better than Windows so should adapt to non-PAE PCs without having to be selective about kernels or worry if an upgrade will break after the upgrade.

Narrative: Xubuntu 12.04 was upgraded to 12.10. The new upgrade ran but we soon got broken package dependencies problems that could not be fixed (e.g. as suggested by the right honourable jsalisbury in Bug #1066294 above) and this led to the discovery that the CPU PAE bit was needed for 12.10.

Affects Xubuntu 12.10, Lubuntu 12.10, Ubuntu 12.10 and Peppermint 4 upgrade paths.

Revision history for this message

P (p92) wrote on 2013-03-06:

#12

add Kubuntu to the list. And I agree with #11, ubuntu tries too much to be like windows for some years now, on the desktop side :(

Revision history for this message

P (p92) wrote on 2013-03-06:

#13

Forcing people to get rid of "old" hardware like this, is a step in the playground of programmed waste of resources and certainly not a green behaviour.