Missing font booting

[Pander]

When booting the font is missing and only bounding boxes are show. This is very annoying, especially when using encrypted system and your passphrase is being asked.

See comment of 22nd of April below.

---
ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8.3
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse: USER PID ACCESS COMMAND /dev/snd/controlC0: sander 2153 F.... pulseaudio /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: sander 2153 F...m pulseaudio
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=24994e67-9b18-4cad-b387-788beff8b388
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-07-06 (61 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release amd64 (20130424) MachineType: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. UX31A
MarkForUpload: True
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.8.0-30-generic root=/dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-root ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-30.44-generic 3.8.13.6
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-restricted-modules-3.8.0-30-generic N/A linux-backports-modules-3.8.0-30-generic N/A linux-firmware 1.106
StagingDrivers: rts5139
Tags: raring staging
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-30-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm cdrom debian-tor dip lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo
WifiSyslog:
dmi.bios.date: 01/31/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: UX31A.218
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: UX31A
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrUX31A.218:bd01/31/2013:svnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:pnUX31A:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnUX31A:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: UX31A
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. From a terminal window please run:

apport-collect 1221264

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Pander (pander)]

# apport-collect 1221264
ERROR: The launchpadlib Python module is not installed. This functionality is not available.

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

apport information

[Pander (pander)]

PS I got some errors:

$ apport-collect 1221264
The authorization page:
...
should be opening in your browser. Use your browser to authorize
this program to access Launchpad on your behalf.
Press any key to continue or wait (5) seconds...
 Waiting to hear from Launchpad about your decision...

(process:6881): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_slice_set_config: assertion `sys_page_size == 0' failed
dpkg-query: no packages found matching linux
ERROR: hook /usr/share/apport/general-hooks/cloud_archive.py crashed:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/apport/report.py", line 197, in _run_hook
    symb['add_info'](report, ui)
  File "/usr/share/apport/general-hooks/cloud_archive.py", line 18, in add_info
    if '~cloud' in packaging.get_version(package) and \
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/apport/packaging_impl.py", line 123, in get_version
    raise ValueError('package %s does not exist' % package)
ValueError: package linux does not exist

[Pander (pander)]

Other thing is that apport-collect should change the status of an issue away from "Incomplete". HAd to set it manually to "New" while it was (I think) "Confirmed" before.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Pander, as per http://www.service.asus.com/#!downloads/c1wax an update is available for your BIOS (219). If you update to this, does it change anything?

If not, could you please both specify what happened, and provide the output of the following terminal command:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

Please note your current BIOS is already in the Bug Description, so posting this on the old BIOS would not be helpful.

Thank you for your understanding.

[Pander (pander)]

How do I install the BIOS upgrade? I have the files UX31AAS.219 and UX31AAS219.zip on a USB drive but in the BIOS menu I only get EFI drive with ubuntu directory with nothing in it.

Furthermore, it worked properly with the previous kernel and the BIOS upgrade is only referring to "Update thermal policy" so I am also a bit hesitated to upgrade it is not needed.

[Pander (pander)]

Still the problem in saucy 13.10 with kernel 3.8.0-32-generic #47-Ubuntu SMP Tue Oct 1 22:35:23 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Kernel 3.11.0 gives blank screen with booting but that is another issue, see https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1195483

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Pander, one may consult the following on how to update the BIOS https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BiosUpdate . For more on why one should perform a BIOS update, please see https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette .

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Pander (pander)]

Finally caught this bug. It should be assigned to package initramfs-tools

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/initramfs-tools

It occurs when installing a new kernel the initramfs is regenerated and package fonts-dejavu-core is not installed. More accurately it happens when the font files cannot be found.

Some users have these particular font files removed and use those shipped with TeX Live installation. In stead of

/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSerifCondensed-Bold.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSerif-BoldItalic.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSansCondensed.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSerifCondensed.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSans-BoldOblique.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSerifCondensed-Italic.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSansCondensed-Oblique.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSerif-Italic.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSans-Bold.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSansMono.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSerifCondensed-BoldItalic.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSansMono-BoldOblique.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSansCondensed-Bold.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSans.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSansCondensed-BoldOblique.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSans-ExtraLight.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSerif.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSerif-Bold.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSansMono-Oblique.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSansMono-Bold.ttf
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu/DejaVuSans-Oblique.ttf

the user has installed

/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSerifCondensed-Bold.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSerif-BoldItalic.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSansCondensed.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSerifCondensed.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSans-BoldOblique.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSerifCondensed-Italic.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSansCondensed-Oblique.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSerif-Italic.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSans-Bold.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSansMono.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSerifCondensed-BoldItalic.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSansMono-BoldOblique.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSansCondensed-Bold.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSans.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSansCondensed-BoldOblique.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSans-ExtraLight.ttf
/usr/local/texlive/2013/texmf-dist/fonts/truetype/public/d...

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

The initramfs hook that installs the fonts belongs to the plymouth package.

And the plymouth hook only installs any graphical splash screen in the initramfs if a plymouth theme is configured that uses the plymouth-label package, which in turn depends on fonts-dejavu-core. So how is fonts-dejavu-core missing from your system?

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

Rather than just tagging the bug, it might help you get a fix sooner to answer the question I asked.

[Pander (pander)]

fonts-dejavu-core package is not missing from my system, I removed the font files that come with it as I use the fonts that ship with TeX Live. More cases could result in this and generating software essential in the booting process should be robust.

Please use as fallback when the files from fonts-dejavu-core package are missing (this is already reported)

$ fc-list |grep DejaVu|awk -F : '{print $1}'
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSans-Oblique.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSansCondensed-Oblique.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSerifCondensed-BoldItalic.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSansMono.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSansCondensed.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSerif-BoldItalic.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSerif-Italic.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSans-Bold.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSans-ExtraLight.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSerifCondensed-Bold.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSans.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSerifCondensed-Italic.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSansMono-Bold.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSansCondensed-Bold.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSerif.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSansCondensed-BoldOblique.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSansMono-Oblique.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSerifCondensed.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSerif-Bold.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSansMono-BoldOblique.ttf
/usr/local/share/fonts/truetype/public/dejavu/DejaVuSans-BoldOblique.ttf

[Pander (pander)]

(was already typing this comment)

[Pander (pander)]

this doesn't concern bios or whatever was collected about the system

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

> fonts-dejavu-core package is not missing from my system, I removed the
> font files that come with it as I use the fonts that ship with TeX Live.

Ah. Then this is not a bug. The package declared a dependency, and you removed the files from the depended-on package; there's no reason why we would support this. Feel free to provide a symlink from the package-installed location to where you've put the files, or vice-versa, but I'm not going to add complexity to the plymouth package (or other packages) to support this by-definition unsupported configuration.

[Pander (pander)]

Well, the thing is that plymouth does report a warning when the fonts aren't there (for whatever reason the fonts are not there) but continues installing. Adding a fall back mechanism would make it more robust and makes it harder to break booting functionality. Would you please reconsider? I am willing to help testing.