LTS dist upgrade from 14.04 to 16.04 ok, then directly to 18.04 failure with dependency problems

[Enrico Rosina]

Hello,

lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS
Release: 18.04

I am not sure what the package name is for the update manager, so I check the "I don't know" option, sorry for that. I try this one, just in case:

apt-cache policy update-manager
update-manager:
  Installé : 1:18.04.11.10
  Candidat : 1:18.04.11.10
 Table de version :
 *** 1:18.04.11.10 500
        500 http://ch.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://ch.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     1:18.04.11 500
        500 http://ch.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://ch.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main i386 Packages

I upgraded with the update manager (with the GUI) from Ubuntu 14.04 LTS to Ubuntu 16.04 LTS,

This was perfectly done, I rebooted with the new 16.04 version, and tried several programs: mail, network, firefox, gedit, libreoffice... everything was fine, so 10 minutes after, I launched the update manager with the GUI again to Upgrade to Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. I did this Without having done any other update using the 16.04 LTS.

The packages were downloaded ok, but the installation failed with multiple messages like this one (may not be accurate, I translate "on the fly" from french). Sorry, I did not find any log to copy those messages, and the files cannot be browsed from the gui anymore. I had to search the files and edit them with "vi" (gedit was no more usable), and found nothing useful. So here is(are) the message(s):

   "Impossible to install «systemd»
   The upgrade will continue, but the package «systemd» may not run.
   Please do report this as a bug."

Then:
   "installed systemd package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1".

Then I had more than 20 packages ending to similar error messages: "dependency problems - leaving unconfigured"

Among those broken packages:
   systemd-sysv, init,dbus-user-session, policykit-1, aptdaemon, synaptic, gnome-settings-daemon,
   mutter, gnome-shell, policykit-1-gnome, update-manager, update-notifier, ubuntu-system-service,
   network-manager, netwirk-manager-pptp, network-manager-gnome... etc.
With libpam-systemd package there was an error number displayed with the message:
   66.8035: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured.

I am filing this bug before I reboot, I don't even know if I will be able to restart a previous Ubuntu version.

Please tell me if I can help adding commands outputs or attaching log files, and where I am supposed to find those logs... I saw other similar bugs or this question: https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/670525
... but nothing was close enough to my problem, so here I am.

Thank you for your understanding and hints...
Enrico.

[Ubuntu Foundations Team Bug Bot (crichton)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. It seems that your bug report is not filed about a specific source package though, rather it is just filed against Ubuntu in general. It is important that bug reports be filed about source packages so that people interested in the package can find the bugs about it. You can find some hints about determining what package your bug might be about at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/FindRightPackage. You might also ask for help in the #ubuntu-bugs irc channel on Freenode.

To change the source package that this bug is filed about visit https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/1838897/+editstatus and add the package name in the text box next to the word Package.

[This is an automated message. I apologize if it reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

[Enrico Rosina (e-rosina)]

As I suspected it became impossible to boot on Ubuntu after this installation bug. I tried all versions but I am unable to boot even with recovery mode, 18.04 and 16.04 as well.

I write this comment using an old "Windows 7" (first login on this dual-boot in years)! If you ask me to attach a log, you will have to teach me how to make this miracle happen, because I'm unable to connect an usb-key from the command line...

Should I submit a question instead of a bug, so I have a better chance to get help? Thank you for any answer.

[Enrico Rosina (e-rosina)]

I learnt how to mount an usb-key and also to handle an us keyboard from the command line, and so I can attach the apt-term.log.

Is there any chance to recover the installation for me? Or should I post a question on the "Answers" forum? Thank you for helping.