vfat : wubi 8.04.1-rev506 kernel upgrade fails

[magowiz]

When I try to upgrade the kernel it fails with this error :
E: /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic_2.6.24-19.36_i386.deb: unable to make backup link of `./boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic' before installing new version: Operation not permitted

My fs is a vfat, ubuntu , with wubi version indicated in summary

[magowiz (magowiz)]

Since link it isn't a fat32 supported operation I found a workaround : if you have an external disk or a partition which have a linux filesystem it is possible to copy the wubi-ubuntu /boot/ directory in that linux filesystem, mount it as /boot/ in ubuntu, upgrade the kernel and then remount it in another mount point (/mnt/tmp/ ) and copy the new boot over the ubuntu "old" one, then reboot the machine.

If it isn't possible to have a dedicated temporary boot partition formatted with a linux file system you could always make a temporary boot directory over an existing fs and then export via nfs that dir and mount it as boot.
Keep in mind , if you use nfs that you need no_root_squash as an option to make apt-get assign correctly the ownership of the files.

[Agostino Russo (ago)]

This is because dpkg requires POSIX operations not supported by VFAT (hardlinks), and unfortunately it is unlikely to be fixed at this stage, particularly since 8.04 is an LTS. A workaround similar to the above is to remove the /boot mountpoint in /etc/fstab and unmount /boot (this basically moves /boot inside of the root filesystem), then copy over the files from /host/disks/boot to /boot and repeat each time you update boot (e.g. new kernel).

[Alan B. Clements (alan-clements)]

SOLUTION:

The problem occurs when updating a subversion of the same kernel version.

e.g. linux-image-2.6.24-19.33 -> linux-image-2.6.24-19.41

if the old package is removed/purged first the upgrade package installs fine it does. it still fails to create the hard link but dpkg does not bail out.

also select "package maintainers version" when it offers to update 'menu.lst'

finally, in case there is a problem -- make sure you have an older version installed as a backup (e.g., linux-image-2.6.24-18-generic)

[fida (fidamehran)]

I installed the 2.6.24-21 kernel on my 2.6.24.19 and then did the amateur thing. Chopped the head off to cure the headache. Uninstalled the 2.6.24-19 kernel from Synaptic. Head chopped, problem solved.

[Zdenko Rohac (zdenko-rohac)]

Similar problem for linux-image-2.6.27-7 on Ibex.

[Marysia (marysiak)]

Can anyone talk me through these fixes, normally I'd charge ahead and give it a go but I sense that doing that with boot and kernel stuff when I don't really understand exactly what I'm supposed to do is a bad idea.

What is a linux file system and how do I know if any of my drives have one?

Or - if I remove the boot mount point from fstab how do I then unmount boot? And I can't find a folder in host called disks?

Or - how do I remove/purge the old package first and how do I install an older backup?

[Chris (chrisjmyers1204)]

I'm also having the Wubi Ibex issue with linux-image-2.6.27-7-generic_2.6.27-7.15_i386.deb dpkg error code (1) on update after Wubi install.

[daniel (bocardo+u)]

One possible solution would be to convert the vfat volume to ntfs. This can be done if the volume in question is NOT a system or otherwise un-dismountable volume.
The command to do this, under windows xp, is:

convert x: /FS:NTFS /NoSecurity

where x is the drive letter of the volume.

[michel Duhurt (michel-duhurt)]

daniel a écrit :
> One possible solution would be to convert the vfat volume to ntfs. This can be done if the volume in question is NOT a system or otherwise un-dismountable volume.
> The command to do this, under windows xp, is:
>
> convert x: /FS:NTFS /NoSecurity
>
> where x is the drive letter of the volume.
>
>
merci, thank you
with ubuntu installed on my volume D converted in NTFS
it is OK now
no more bug

[Broomer68 (jbezemer)]

Converting the disk is not a viable solution for me as it will break my Windows-XP recovery partition, and I need that for (eventually) reinstalling the original OEM-XP.
The recovery program used to create the image only accepts Fat partitions.

I decided when I tried Ubuntu on this laptop, that I would put it in that partition as I did have some unused Gigs over there.

[daniel (bocardo+u)]

@michel Duhurt
You are welcome, glad it worked for you.

@Broomer68
That was one of the reasons I forgot to mention as not allowing for a conversion. If you don't need more space on that recovery partition, you could shrink it using the partition editor in the livecd, and using that space for the Ubuntu installation. I should warn you that it could result in loss of recovery functionality or worse (don't I know that, it's become something of a yearly occurrence for me to mess up my hard disks)

On a completely unrelated note, I just noticed that the google chrome browser has an entry in it's spelling dictionary for ubuntu, telling me to replace it with Ubuntu.

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

It might make sense to have dpkg handle this case. It's awkward that link() gets EPERM in this case though, since that can also mean that the source of the link is a directory.

[vvdghj (vvdghj)]

Since there is a new kernel available, this bug is not elevant any more. Just clean up the buggish kernel and it will not bother you with crashing updates.

[Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson)]

SURVEYOR - could you please unsubscribe from this bug. Every time I mark another bug as a duplicate of this one, everyone subscribed gets an e-mail notification, but the e-mail to you bounces back asking me to verify that it isn't spam and explain why I want to contact you (because you are using an anti-spam service). I'm not going to do this for every e-mail I send you, so you won't get any notifications anyway.

[Chuck (totalchuck-gmail)]

Sorry, but *according to the webpage "List all related bugs",* i'm not
subscribed to this bug**
Tell me more how I can help you.
Chuck

On Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 3:26 PM, Chris Coulson <<email address hidden>
> wrote:

> SURVEYOR - could you please unsubscribe from this bug. Every time I mark
> another bug as a duplicate of this one, everyone subscribed gets an
> e-mail notification, but the e-mail to you bounces back asking me to
> verify that it isn't spam and explain why I want to contact you (because
> you are using an anti-spam service). I'm not going to do this for every
> e-mail I send you, so you won't get any notifications anyway.
>
> --
> vfat : wubi 8.04.1-rev506 kernel upgrade fails
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/252900
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of a duplicate bug.
>

[Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson)]

Hi Chuck - My comment wasn't directed at you.

[HavanA (ghva)]

How do I unsubscribe?
At subscriptions I see the following message: No questions subscribed to by
HavanA found with the requested statuses.

On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 14:26:47 -0000
Chris Coulson <email address hidden> wrote:
 SURVEYOR - could you please unsubscribe from this bug. Every time I mark
another bug as a duplicate of this one, everyone subscribed gets an
e-mail notification, but the e-mail to you bounces back asking me to
verify that it isn't spam and explain why I want to contact you (because
you are using an anti-spam service). I'm not going to do this for every
e-mail I send you, so you won't get any notifications anyway.

--
vfat : wubi 8.04.1-rev506 kernel upgrade fails
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/252900
You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
of the bug.

Status in Wubi, Windows Ubuntu Installer: Confirmed
Status in “dpkg” source package in Ubuntu: Triaged

Bug description:
When I try to upgrade the kernel it fails with this error :
E: /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic_2.6.24-19.36_i386.deb:
unable to make backup link of `./boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic' before
installing new version: Operation not permitted

My fs is a vfat, ubuntu , with wubi version indicated in summary

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deze mail is verzonden via Web.nl Mail - weekendje weg tips - win een weekend,
elke week nieuwe prijzen

[HavanA (ghva)]

Sorry I don't understand this message.
Why is this sent to me?

On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 15:18:22 -0000
Chuck <email address hidden> wrote:
 Sorry, but *according to the webpage "List all related bugs",* i'm not
subscribed to this bug**
Tell me more how I can help you.
Chuck

On Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 3:26 PM, Chris Coulson <<email address hidden>
> wrote:

> SURVEYOR - could you please unsubscribe from this bug. Every time I mark
> another bug as a duplicate of this one, everyone subscribed gets an
> e-mail notification, but the e-mail to you bounces back asking me to
> verify that it isn't spam and explain why I want to contact you (because
> you are using an anti-spam service). I'm not going to do this for every
> e-mail I send you, so you won't get any notifications anyway.
>
> --
> vfat : wubi 8.04.1-rev506 kernel upgrade fails
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/252900
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of a duplicate bug.
>

--
vfat : wubi 8.04.1-rev506 kernel upgrade fails
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/252900
You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
of the bug.

Status in Wubi, Windows Ubuntu Installer: Confirmed
Status in “dpkg” source package in Ubuntu: Triaged

Bug description:
When I try to upgrade the kernel it fails with this error :
E: /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic_2.6.24-19.36_i386.deb:
unable to make backup link of `./boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic' before
installing new version: Operation not permitted

My fs is a vfat, ubuntu , with wubi version indicated in summary

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deze mail is verzonden via Web.nl Mail - weekendje weg tips - win een weekend,
elke week nieuwe prijzen

[HavanA (ghva)]

I am not Chuck.

On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 15:32:26 -0000
Chris Coulson <email address hidden> wrote:
 Hi Chuck - My comment wasn't directed at you.

--
vfat : wubi 8.04.1-rev506 kernel upgrade fails
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/252900
You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
of the bug.

Status in Wubi, Windows Ubuntu Installer: Confirmed
Status in “dpkg” source package in Ubuntu: Triaged

Bug description:
When I try to upgrade the kernel it fails with this error :
E: /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic_2.6.24-19.36_i386.deb:
unable to make backup link of `./boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic' before
installing new version: Operation not permitted

My fs is a vfat, ubuntu , with wubi version indicated in summary

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deze mail is verzonden via Web.nl Mail - weekendje weg tips - win een weekend,
elke week nieuwe prijzen

[nsramkishen (nsramkishen)]

Unsubscribed...Sorry for the inconvenience.

On Sat, Jan 17, 2009 at 7:56 PM, Chris Coulson <<email address hidden>
> wrote:

> SURVEYOR - could you please unsubscribe from this bug. Every time I mark
> another bug as a duplicate of this one, everyone subscribed gets an
> e-mail notification, but the e-mail to you bounces back asking me to
> verify that it isn't spam and explain why I want to contact you (because
> you are using an anti-spam service). I'm not going to do this for every
> e-mail I send you, so you won't get any notifications anyway.
>
> --
> vfat : wubi 8.04.1-rev506 kernel upgrade fails
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/252900
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of a duplicate bug.
>
> Status in Wubi, Windows Ubuntu Installer: Confirmed
> Status in "dpkg" source package in Ubuntu: Triaged
>
> Bug description:
> When I try to upgrade the kernel it fails with this error :
> E:
> /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic_2.6.24-19.36_i386.deb:
> unable to make backup link of `./boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic' before
> installing new version: Operation not permitted
>
> My fs is a vfat, ubuntu , with wubi version indicated in summary
>

--
N Ramakrishnan

[Cybervulpes (cybervulpes)]

I want to unsubscribe from this bug but I don't know what I must do.

> Message du 17/01/09 16:40
> De : "Chris Coulson"
> A : <email address hidden>
> Copie à :
> Objet : [Bug 252900] Re: vfat : wubi 8.04.1-rev506 kernel upgrade fails
>
>
> Hi Chuck - My comment wasn't directed at you.
>
> --
> vfat : wubi 8.04.1-rev506 kernel upgrade fails
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/252900
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of a duplicate bug.
>
> Status in Wubi, Windows Ubuntu Installer: Confirmed
> Status in “dpkg” source package in Ubuntu: Triaged
>
> Bug description:
> When I try to upgrade the kernel it fails with this error :
> E: /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic_2.6.24-19.36_i386.deb: unable to make backup link of `./boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic' before installing new version: Operation not permitted
>
> My fs is a vfat, ubuntu , with wubi version indicated in summary
>
>

[axelsvag (darinsson)]

The problem is still there now with linux-image-2.6.27.-11

[Keith Vauquelin (keithmv)]

Hi, folks:

Fix for the bug THAT WORKED for me:

1) Convert the file structure on the partition Ubuntu resides on from FAT to NTFS.
2) Reload Ubuntu

All updates and patches will apply without fail.

Good luck.

[bobc4012 (bobc4012)]

Thanks for the input Keith. Makes sense, since the only
system I have encountered this problem is a lap-top that
was formatted as FAT32. My desktop is formatted as
NTFS and my other lap-top is ext 2/3 (only runs Ubuntu).

However, the partition type should be irrelevant to Ubuntu
(or any Linux system running on a Windows machine). A
file system is a file system and should be independent of
the HD characteristics. The Host System I/O routines
should be the only software aware f the HD record structure.
The Ubuntu (Linux) update routines should just be dealing
at a higher level and unconcerned with lower level formats.
Sounds like either a design flaw in Ubuntu (Linux) or a bug.

Regards Bob

--- On Sat, 2/14/09, Keith Vauquelin <email address hidden> wrote:
From: Keith Vauquelin <email address hidden>
Subject: [Bug 252900] Re: vfat : wubi 8.04.1-rev506 kernel upgrade fails
To: <email address hidden>
Date: Saturday, February 14, 2009, 7:16 AM

Hi, folks:

Fix for the bug THAT WORKED for me:

1) Convert the file structure on the partition Ubuntu resides on from FAT to
NTFS.
2) Reload Ubuntu

All updates and patches will apply without fail.

Good luck.

--
vfat : wubi 8.04.1-rev506 kernel upgrade fails
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/252900
You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
of a duplicate bug.

[daniel (bocardo+u)]

I gave a command to convert the filesystem a few posts back (https://bugs.launchpad.net/wubi/+bug/252900/comments/9) for those who need it.
And regarding Bob's post, it was pointed out on the first post that this is probably a result of fat not supporting hard-links.
As an aside, please remove any email address present when replying to a post, they could be found by some spambot.

[HavanA (ghva)]

Can anyone please tell me how to unsubscribe from these bugs? I keep getting 10 or so emails in my mailbox when someone has posted a message. (I already changed setting of autosubscribe).

[Pablo Castellano (pablocastellano)]

HavanA. in the right side, just under all the bug duplicates you have an option to Unsubscribe.

[Alessandro B. (gigoachef)]

I had the same problem: Xubuntu 32bit installed via WUBI on a FAT32 partition.

I have removed the obstacle uninstalling the older linux-image-2.6.27-7-generic package (via synaptic, I am currently on 2.6.27-11-generic). However, as a precaution I have also installed linux-image-2.6.27-9-generic as a backup.

[MANUEL6D2 (manuel6d2)]

Lo he solucionado haciendo una particion NTFS en vez de FAT 32

Manuel 6d2

________________________________
De: Alessandro B. <email address hidden>
Para: <email address hidden>
Enviado: miércoles, 18 de febrero, 2009 11:16:23
Asunto: [Bug 252900] Re: vfat : wubi 8.04.1-rev506 kernel upgrade fails

I had the same problem: Xubuntu 32bit installed via WUBI on a FAT32
partition.

I have removed the obstacle uninstalling the older linux-
image-2.6.27-7-generic package (via synaptic, I am currently on
2.6.27-11-generic). However, as a precaution I have also installed
linux-image-2.6.27-9-generic as a backup.

--
vfat : wubi 8.04.1-rev506 kernel upgrade fails
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/252900
You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
of a duplicate bug.

Status in Wubi, Windows Ubuntu Installer: Confirmed
Status in “dpkg” source package in Ubuntu: Triaged

Bug description:
When I try to upgrade the kernel it fails with this error :
E: /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic_2.6.24-19.36_i386.deb: unable to make backup link of  `./boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic' before installing new version: Operation not permitted

My fs is a vfat, ubuntu , with wubi version indicated in summary

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

Bob: Ubuntu is independent of the characteristics of the underlying filesystem provided that they meet certain minimum standards, specified in a standard called POSIX. However, FAT is a particularly incapable filesystem and does not meet these standards.

[WubiNeophyte (wubibugs)]

Hi, I seem to have the same problem as mentioned above: can't install linux-image-2.6.27-7 from Wubi. While I've seen the comments above, I'm unclear about the details of the workaround/solution.

1) If I'm converting a partition to NTFS, would I be doing this under Windows, or the Wubi image?
1a) If it's Windows fs that needs to be converted, is there a Wubi bug addressing this limitation?
1b) If it's a Ubuntu fs that needs to be converted, is there a Ubuntu bug addressing this?

2) I can't tell whether I can expect to see the problem again after I've applied the recommended fix. Is it a band-aid, or a permanent fix?

[daniel (bocardo+u)]

Hi, to answer your questions:

1) It can't be done from the wubi image, since it's located on the partition you would be converting. You can use either windows commands (I gave some on a previous post) or from another linux system, like the live cd.

1a&b) It's a limitation of the fat32 file system, so it can't be fixed from wubi. Still, it would be a good idea to check file systems on install and either add a message or a workaround.

2) If you convert the filesystem to ntfs, it won't have any more problems. But I'm not sure if your wubi install will still boot or you will have to reinstall. I ended up just removing windows and making a native install on my system, so it never came up. I'd recomend you backup anything important on the related partitions. It's just better to play safe (even if I STILL end up forgetting and losing a couple partitions at least once every year or so :P)

Hope you can solve your problems.

[WubiNeophyte (wubibugs)]

Thanks daniel.

I've done as you suggested, and have converted Windows to NTFS, then reinstalled Wubi. Things seem to be working well now. The convert to NTFS also seems to have fixed a related problem, bug 332346. I'm not sure they're related, but any FAT32 workaround may want to consider that bug as well.

[George McCally (mccallygeorge)]

This doesn't fix the problem, but it does eliminate it. I am running off of kernel 2.6.27-11-generic and I was trying to update an older version of the kernel. I used synoptic package manager to delete the older version and I no longer am bothered by the updates to that older version that fail to install.

[axelsvag (darinsson)]

I can not say I fixed the problem but I came around it. After the last update 2.6.27-12 the update worked perfectly and I removed the 2.6.27-11 and so far noting bad has happened.

[Death Rider (drider69)]

I saw a lot of fixes listed here but I was just lazy I guess. Here is what I did.

1. sudo su -
    --> I rooted!!!!
2. cd /boot
3. for each in `ls *-generic`
    do
        mv $each $each.old
    done

Since packages already in /var/cache/apt/archives from failed update.
4. cd /var/opt/cache/archives
5. dpkg -i linux-[dhir]*

Even with the server up, the files themselves are already open to the kernel at the specified inode location, all I did was change the name. When the installer ran, there were no files to backup so no error message.

The update-grub run by the install finds the *.old packages anyway so if a problem persisted on reboot then I would just use one of those. Worst case I would just boot off a rescue CD / Desktop CD and copy the .old to the original names, run update-grub and reboot.

[Death Rider (drider69)]

On a new install last night on a different machine I did steps 1-3 before running the software updater. It ran with no problems on any of the installation packages.

Seems like the fix for these packages could be as simple as changing the pre-install scripts to rename / move the files versus hard linking them if the host is running from a WUBI installed version.

[Sherri (developer-web)]

Thanks @Death Rider that allowed me to work around the issue and install the update.

[Sherri (developer-web)]

Scratch that. The work around make it get worse with each progressive upgrade. 9.04 update nuked the whole thing. Had to uninstall Ubuntu. :(

[toshi (toshi-ubuntu)]

As mentioned above Wubi ( 9.04 or even 8.10 ) can not be identified by fs FAT32 , if you want to fix this problem , you must install it on a NTFS partition , because I got the same problem before .
So I created a new NTFS partition on my hard disk and installed WUBI 9.04 on this new partition ,
now everything seems to be fine.

[daniel (bocardo+u)]

For those just joining us, here is a workaround I posted a while back:

"One possible solution would be to convert the vfat volume to ntfs. This can be done if the volume in question is NOT a system or otherwise un-dismountable volume.
The command to do this, under windows xp, is:

convert x: /FS:NTFS /NoSecurity

where x is the drive letter of the volume."

One important addition is that the partition/volume should be as defragmented as possible, or the performance of the new filesystem will be terrible. A free utility that seems to work better than the internal defragmenter is Defraggler from Piriform (http://www.defraggler.com/). If there is too much data on that volume and defragmenting would be too slow, check under the action menu for an advanced option to just defragment the free space (even allowing fragmentation).

[Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson)]

There's no need to change a bug from triaged to confirmed

[Agostino Russo (ago)]

From Wubi 9.10 the boot directory is no longer within the Windows filesystem, so this should not be an issue anymore

[Agostino Russo (ago)]

kasi.logu, may I ask for what reason was the status changed to fix committed given that 9.10 is out?