package linux-headers-2.6.38-11-generic 2.6.38-11.48 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2

[Sergei Ianovich]

Output:
Setting up linux-image-2.6.38-11-generic (2.6.38-11.48) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-11-generic
Not updating initrd symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.38-11.47 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Not updating image symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(2.6.38-11.47 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 2.6.38-11-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-11-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/nvidia-common 2.6.38-11-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-11-generic
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/nvidia-detector", line 8, in <module>
    a = NvidiaDetection(printonly=True, verbose=False)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/NvidiaDetector/nvidiadetector.py", line 68, in __init__
    self.getData()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/NvidiaDetector/nvidiadetector.py", line 148, in getData
    driver_version = self.__get_value_from_name(stripped_package_name)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/NvidiaDetector/nvidiadetector.py", line 87, in __get_value_from_name
    v = int(name)
ValueError: invalid literal for int() with base 10: '173-updates'
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/nvidia-common exited with return code 1
Failed to process /etc/kernel/postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-2.6.38-11-generic.postinst line 1010.
dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.38-11-generic (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2

My box has a intel/radeon GPU combination, so no nvidia-related packages are installed. We probably see an unintentional dependency of linux-image on nvidia-173.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: linux-headers-2.6.38-11-generic 2.6.38-11.48
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-11.47-generic 2.6.38.8
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-11-generic x86_64
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.23.
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC275 Analog [ALC275 Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: sergei 1659 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'PCH'/'HDA Intel PCH at 0xc9400000 irq 50'
   Mixer name : 'Intel CougarPoint HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0275,104d5000,00100005 HDA:80862805,104d5000,00100000'
   Controls : 20
   Simple ctrls : 9
Date: Sun Aug 14 21:08:17 2011
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=117f6a93-369c-49fe-b64b-1d8f2864782e
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release amd64 (20110426)
MachineType: Sony Corporation VPCSA2V9R
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-11-generic root=UUID=95e6b6c2-82e3-4664-96b4-ff13898931a9 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-2.6.38-11-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-2.6.38-11-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.52.1
SourcePackage: linux
Title: package linux-headers-2.6.38-11-generic 2.6.38-11.48 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
WifiSyslog:

dmi.bios.date: 04/25/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: INSYDE
dmi.bios.version: R1031H4
dmi.board.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.board.name: VAIO
dmi.board.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.board.version: N/A
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnINSYDE:bvrR1031H4:bd04/25/2011:svnSonyCorporation:pnVPCSA2V9R:pvrC609288B:rvnSonyCorporation:rnVAIO:rvrN/A:cvnSonyCorporation:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: VPCSA2V9R
dmi.product.version: C609288B
dmi.sys.vendor: Sony Corporation

[Sergei Ianovich (ynvich-gmail)]

Issue worked around by
$ sudo apt-get purge nvidia-common

As a side effect, ubuntu-desktop has been removed. I think, it is bad and it should be possible to install ubuntu-desktop without proprietary nvidia drivers. Suggestion is to demote nvidia-common to Recommends in ubuntu-desktop dependencies.

[Alessandro Polverini (polve)]

I have the same problem.

Another workaround is to install nvidia-common 0.2.33 from the oneiric release.