package linux-headers-2.6.31-19-generic 2.6.31-19.56 failed to install/upgrade

[Gene]

What I noticed was that after reboot, I had no wireless

I tried to reinstall the packages for wireless

sudo apt-get install --reinstall bcmwl-modaliases bcmwl-kernel-source

but had dependency problems. So I ran

sudo dpkg --configure -a

And this is what I got:
-----------------------

Setting up linux-headers-2.6.31-19-generic (2.6.31-19.56) ...
Examining /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d/dkms
run-parts: failed to exec /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d/dkms: Exec format error
run-parts: /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d/dkms exited with return code 1
Failed to process /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-headers-2.6.31-19-generic.postinst line 110.
dpkg: error processing linux-headers-2.6.31-19-generic (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Setting up linux-image-2.6.31-19-generic (2.6.31-19.56) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-19-generic
Running postinst hook script /usr/sbin/update-grub.
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-19-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-19-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-17-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-17-generic
Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin
Found Debian GNU/Linux (5.0.3) on /dev/sda1
done
Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms
run-parts: failed to exec /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms: Exec format error
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms exited with return code 1
Failed to process /etc/kernel/postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-2.6.31-19-generic.postinst line 1002.
dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.31-19-generic (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-generic:
 linux-image-generic depends on linux-image-2.6.31-19-generic; however:
  Package linux-image-2.6.31-19-generic is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing linux-image-generic (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-generic:
 linux-generic depends on linux-image-generic (= 2.6.31.19.32); however:
  Package linux-image-generic is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing linux-generic (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-headers-generic:
 linux-headers-generic depends on linux-headers-2.6.31-19-generic; however:
  Package linux-headers-2.6.31-19-generic is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing linux-headers-generic (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of bcmwl-kernel-source:
 bcmwl-kernel-source depends on linux-headers-generic; however:
  Package linux-headers-generic is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing bcmwl-kernel-source (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-headers-2.6.31-19-generic
 linux-image-2.6.31-19-generic
 linux-image-generic
 linux-generic
 linux-headers-generic
 bcmwl-kernel-source

ProblemType: Package
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: CONEXANT Analog [CONEXANT Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: nake 1661 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xf4700000 irq 22'
   Mixer name : 'Conexant CX20561 (Hermosa)'
   Components : 'HDA:14f15051,17aac001,00100000'
   Controls : 14
   Simple ctrls : 7
Date: Tue Feb 9 16:36:14 2010
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=6e80857f-448d-4f7b-912d-05adcbe100dd
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.
MachineType: LENOVO 2958
Package: linux-headers-2.6.31-19-generic 2.6.31-19.56
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-19-generic root=UUID=d794947f-3f7f-414a-89df-ef7ca0d2687d ro quiet splash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-19.56-generic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-19-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.25
RfKill:

SourcePackage: linux
Title: package linux-headers-2.6.31-19-generic 2.6.31-19.56 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-19-generic x86_64
dmi.bios.date: 07/21/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: 18CN29WW(V2.02)
dmi.board.name: NITU1
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: REFERENCE
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: No Enclosure
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvr18CN29WW(V2.02):bd07/21/2009:svnLENOVO:pn2958:pvrLenovoG550:rvnLENOVO:rnNITU1:rvrREFERENCE:cvnNoEnclosure:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: 2958
dmi.product.version: Lenovo G550
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO

[Gene (kenderclan)]

My problems are solved so far. Here is a mail exchange in case anyone has similar problems.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Stefan,

sorry for the delay, your advice with "purge" was the solution, and I did it right away.(apt-get remove --purge dkms)

However, before writing an answer to you and a comment to the bug report, I had to see that the wireless worked as well.

It didn't.

In the past (1-2 months ago) I had the problem that, even though I did everything as indicated on the official broadcom site to download and install the 802.11 Linux STA driver, at boot it would always load the wrong modules. With help from <email address hidden> I was able to change the boot image (with "update-initramfs -u") and it booted correctly ever since - until this version 2.6.31.19.32

Now since I had this bug signalled, I tried to repeat the exact same steps, but changing the boot image did not work anymore (I could do it, but at reboot nothing changed). I suppose it had to do with the bug, smth with meddling with the image, but I don't understand enough to follow the exact problem.

So the solution now was that I had to make my own script to be run at boot time. Now everything works, but I am concerned as to why the script was necessary at all.

The script consists of just these two lines:

sudo modprobe lib80211
sudo insmod /lib/modules/2.6.31-19-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/wl.ko

Thanks, and maybe this info is helpful to others, so I am posting it on the bug report page as well, as you suggested.

Gene

Stefan Potyra wrote:
> Hi Gene,
>
> Am Saturday 13 February 2010 21:22:29 schrieben Sie:
>
>> Hi Stefan,
>>
>> I hope it's not terribly bad manners to write emails directly (if it is,
>> please tell me so!), but --
>>
>
> I don't feel this as impolite, however it imho doesn't hurt to CC the bug report in question, otherwise the info might just get lost (I'm by far no expert in regards to dkms).
>
>
>> Regarding the "claimed fixed" bug #480055 in dkms/Ubuntu, I wasn't sure
>> anyone would read comments if the bug is reported fixed.
>>
>> If you care to check the (my) bug report #519910, you might conclude the
>> fix didn't work. (Of course it might just be another problem)
>>
>
> Just from the bug report, I cannot really tell this. Basically, there seem to be two problems: 1) old dkms scripts tried to execute possibly non-existant scripts
> -> that was fixed, but... (see below)
> 2) a different problem resulting in empty files. Speculation has it that it is ext4 related, but the real reason is not yet found afaict.
>
>
>> After checking several possible solutions recommended for related bugs -
>> like removing nvidia-common completely, trying to reinstall dkms from
>> Synaptic, trying to upgrade, etc nothing works, I always get stuck with
>> linux-image-2.6.31-19-generic trying to be configured etc
>>
>> I looked and my dkms is empty (I had dkms and nvidia-common in
>> /etc/kernel/postinst.d, dkms was empty, nvidia was not, after removing
>> nvidia with synaptic manager I am left with the empty dkms) and there is
>> no ...

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug was filed against a series that is no longer supported and so is being marked as Won't Fix. If this issue still exists in a supported series, please file a new bug.

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