Comment 2 for bug 305002

This may either be an issue specific to my system with 'update-rc.d' and/or 'invoke-rc.d' or to Gutsy in general. I am unable to test further but I have crafted a workaround...

After the process goes defunct, Ctrl-C to kill it. Then edit '/var/lib/dpkg/info/snmpd.postinst' (after backing up your original of course) and make the following changes...

[XXXXXXXX]# diff snmpd.postinst.bak snmpd.postinst
19,26c19,26
< if [ -x "/etc/init.d/snmpd" ]; then
< update-rc.d snmpd multiuser >/dev/null
< if [ -x "`which invoke-rc.d 2>/dev/null`" ]; then
< invoke-rc.d snmpd start || exit $?
< else
< /etc/init.d/snmpd start || exit $?
< fi
< fi
---
> #if [ -x "/etc/init.d/snmpd" ]; then
> # update-rc.d snmpd multiuser >/dev/null
> # if [ -x "`which invoke-rc.d 2>/dev/null`" ]; then
> # invoke-rc.d snmpd start || exit $?
> # else
> # /etc/init.d/snmpd start || exit $?
> # fi
> #fi

Now, stop snmpd (if it is running)...

[XXXXXXXX]# sudo /etc/init.d/snmpd stop

Run your updates...

[XXXXXXXX]# sudo apt-get update
[XXXXXXXX]# sudo apt-get upgrade

All should go as planned and snmpd should now complete (as far as apt is concerned). Now just start snmpd manually...

[XXXXXXXX]# sudo /etc/init.d/snmpd start

This is the only time you have to do this as snmpd will start at boot time no problems. The issue here was the script making the choice on how to start it. The command 'invoke-rc.d' was returning 'exit 103' instead of 'exit 1', so this workaround opts not to use it.

As I said before, this could be a problem specific to my system or to Gutsy in general as I cannot replicate this problem in Hardy or Intrepid.