initramfs-tools returns error while installing the proposed Bionic kernel

[Po-Hsu Lin]

This issue was spotted on a ThunderX ARM64 system and s390x, AMD64 system does not have this issue

Steps:
  1. Deploy a ThunderX ARM64 node
  2. Enable -proposed, commence apt update and dist-upgrade

Result:
Setting up linux-generic (4.15.0.19.20) ...
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.130ubuntu3) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-15-generic
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/ast_dp501_fw.bin for module ast
Ignoring old or unknown version 4.15.0-15-generic (latest is 4.15.0-19-generic)
Use --force if you want version 4.15.0-15-generic.
run-parts: /etc/initramfs/post-update.d//flash-kernel exited with return code 2
dpkg: error processing package initramfs-tools (--configure):
 installed initramfs-tools package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Processing triggers for linux-image-4.15.0-19-generic (4.15.0-19.20) ...
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools:
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-19-generic
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/ast_dp501_fw.bin for module ast
flash-kernel: deferring update (trigger activated)
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-flash-kernel:
flash-kernel: deferring update (trigger activated)
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-update-grub:
Generating grub configuration file ...
Warning: Setting GRUB_TIMEOUT to a non-zero value when GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT is set is no longer supported.
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-19-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-19-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-15-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-15-generic
Adding boot menu entry for EFI firmware configuration
done
Processing triggers for systemd (237-3ubuntu10) ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-20) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 initramfs-tools
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
ubuntu@starmie-kernel:~$

For error on s390x:
Setting up linux-modules-extra-4.15.0-19-generic (4.15.0-19.20) ...
Setting up linux-image-generic (4.15.0.19.20) ...
Setting up linux-headers-generic (4.15.0.19.20) ...
Setting up linux-generic (4.15.0.19.20) ...
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.130ubuntu3) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-17-generic
Using config file '/etc/zipl.conf'
Error: Ramdisk file '/boot/initrd.img' in section 'ubuntu': No such file or directory
run-parts: /etc/initramfs/post-update.d//zz-zipl exited with return code 1
dpkg: error processing package initramfs-tools (--configure):
 installed initramfs-tools package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.27-3ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for linux-image-4.15.0-19-generic (4.15.0-19.20) ...
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools:
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-19-generic
Using config file '/etc/zipl.conf'
Building bootmap in '/boot'
Building menu 'menu'
Adding #1: IPL section 'ubuntu' (default)
Adding #2: IPL section 'old'
Preparing boot device: dasda (0200).
Done.
/etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-zipl:
Using config file '/etc/zipl.conf'
Building bootmap in '/boot'
Building menu 'menu'
Adding #1: IPL section 'ubuntu' (default)
Adding #2: IPL section 'old'
Preparing boot device: dasda (0200).
Done.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: linux-image-4.15.0-15-generic 4.15.0-15.16
ProcVersionSignature: User Name 4.15.0-15.16-generic 4.15.15
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-15-generic aarch64
AlsaDevices:
 total 0
 crw-rw---- 1 root audio 116, 1 Apr 23 04:36 seq
 crw-rw---- 1 root audio 116, 33 Apr 23 04:36 timer
AplayDevices: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'aplay': 'aplay'
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu6
Architecture: arm64
ArecordDevices: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'arecord': 'arecord'
AudioDevicesInUse: Error: command ['fuser', '-v', '/dev/snd/seq', '/dev/snd/timer'] failed with exit code 1:
Date: Mon Apr 23 06:00:17 2018
IwConfig: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'iwconfig': 'iwconfig'
MachineType: Cavium ThunderX CRB
PciMultimedia:

ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=C.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB:
 0 EFI VGA
 1 astdrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-15-generic root=UUID=d4e5f461-24ef-47d8-a67f-42c82ff1efe8 ro acpi=force iommu.passthrough=1
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.15.0-15-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.15.0-15-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.173
RfKill: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'rfkill': 'rfkill'
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 12/12/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 5.11
dmi.board.asset.tag: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.vendor: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.version: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.type: 0
dmi.chassis.vendor: Cavium
dmi.chassis.version: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr5.11:bd12/12/2012:svnCavium:pnThunderXCRB:pvrTobefilledbyO.E.M.:rvnTobefilledbyO.E.M.:rnTobefilledbyO.E.M.:rvrTobefilledbyO.E.M.:cvnCavium:ct0:cvrTobefilledbyO.E.M.:
dmi.product.family: Default string
dmi.product.name: ThunderX CRB
dmi.product.version: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.sys.vendor: Cavium

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

The solution seems to be re-issue the apt dist-upgrade command again. And this time the upgrade process will ended successfully with a Warning:

$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  linux-headers-4.15.0-15 linux-headers-4.15.0-15-generic linux-image-4.15.0-15-generic linux-image-extra-4.15.0-15-generic
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]
Setting up initramfs-tools (0.130ubuntu3) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.130ubuntu3) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-19-generic
Using config file '/etc/zipl.conf'
Building bootmap in '/boot'
Building menu 'menu'
Adding #1: IPL section 'ubuntu' (default)
Adding #2: IPL section 'old'
Preparing boot device: vda (0000).
Done.
W: APT had planned for dpkg to do more than it reported back (0 vs 4).
   Affected packages: initramfs-tools:s390x
$ echo $?
0

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This change was made by a bot.

[denning (dener-3id)]

when installing linux-headers-4.15.0-15 linux-headers-4.15.0-15-generic linux-image-4.15.0-15-generic

same issue on thinkpad t420 with Intel i5-2520M.

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

Can't reproduce this on Bionic ARM64 ThunderX server.
Will need to verify with the s390x next.

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

Works well in the recent SRU cycles.
I'm gonna to close this bug.

denning, please open a new bug if you're still seeing this issue.

Thank you.