package openssh-server 1:7.2p2-4ubuntu2.7 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

[Hrvoje Kevic]

During an automated update process

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: openssh-server 1:7.2p2-4ubuntu2.7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-142.168-generic 4.4.167
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-142-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.18
Architecture: amd64
Date: Thu Feb 21 10:50:04 2019
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-10-06 (868 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20160719)
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.18.4ubuntu1.5
 apt 1.2.29ubuntu0.1
SSHDConfig: Error: command ['/usr/sbin/sshd', '-T'] failed with exit code 255: Missing privilege separation directory: /var/run/sshd
SourcePackage: openssh
Title: package openssh-server 1:7.2p2-4ubuntu2.7 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2018-09-04 (170 days ago)

[Christian Ehrhardt  (paelzer)]

Hi Hrovje,

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better.

The directory would usually be created for you on system start.
There were cases where users set /var to tmpfs or similar things eventually breaking this.

You might take a look at [1] as that pretty much sounds like your issue already

Since it seems likely to me that this is a local configuration problem, rather than a bug in Ubuntu, I'm marking this bug as Incomplete.

If indeed this is a local configuration problem, you can find pointers to get help for this sort of problem here: http://www.ubuntu.com/support/community

Or if you believe that this is really a bug, then you may find it helpful to read "How to report bugs effectively" http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/bugs.html. We'd be grateful if you would then provide a more complete description of the problem, explain why you believe this is a bug in Ubuntu rather than a problem specific to your system, and then change the bug status back to New.

[1]: https://serverfault.com/questions/941855/why-am-i-missing-var-run-sshd-after-every-boot

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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