Ubuntu
initramfs-tools package

kernel update fails when kernels from other distributions are installed in shared /boot

Bug #338563 reported by laltopi
2
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
initramfs-tools (Ubuntu)
Fix Released
Medium
Unassigned
Jaunty
Won't Fix
Medium
Unassigned

Bug Description

I have multiple linux distributions installed on my computer with a shared /boot partition. I have had this configuration working for a while now with ubuntu as one of the distributions. With jaunty, updates break the boot process every time there is a kernel update and dselect attempts to regenerate initramfs as it incorrectly selects the image from another distribution rather than the ubuntu image. The error message is as follows:

Setting up initramfs-tools (0.92bubuntu21) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)

Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-initrd-2.6.27.7-desktop-1mnb.img
Cannot find /lib/modules/initrd-2.6.27.7-desktop-1mnb.img
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-initrd-2.6.27.7-desktop-1mnb.img
dpkg: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1

In this case, deselect is trying to update the initrd image for Mandriva - instead of regenerating the ubuntu image: initrd.img-2.6.28-8-generic

Revision history for this message
Michael Vogt (mvo) wrote :

This also happend to me during a test upgrade when for some reason the /vmlinuz and /initrd links were wrong.

Changed in initramfs-tools:
importance: Undecided → Medium
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Michael Vogt (mvo) wrote :

This patch adds a check if the symlink target actually exists before setting the version. This should be ok because set_linked_version is just one source to find the right version (next are set_highest_version and set_current_version) so if the link is broken other methods will be used next.

Revision history for this message
Michael Vogt (mvo) wrote :

Hm, my proposed fix is not good enough for the original report. I think it needs a additinal
check in set_highest_version if /lib/modules/initrd.img-$ver exists and if not skip until
one is found that exists.

Brian Murray (brian-murray)
tags: added: patch-needswork
Changed in initramfs-tools (Ubuntu Jaunty):
status: Confirmed → Won't Fix
Revision history for this message
Benjamin Drung (bdrung) wrote :

set_linked_version in initramfs-tools 0.142ubuntu17 from noble has:

```
    linktarget=
    if [ -e /initrd.img ] && [ -L /initrd.img ]; then
        linktarget="$(basename "$(readlink /initrd.img)")"
    fi

    if [ -e /boot/initrd.img ] && [ -L /boot/initrd.img ]; then
        linktarget="$(basename "$(readlink /boot/initrd.img)")"
    fi
```

Changed in initramfs-tools (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Fix Released
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