[Bug 1031394] [NEW] Use of command line installer breaks network setup in ubuntu-desktop, lubuntu-desktop

Cefn launchpad.net at cefn.com
Tue Jul 31 15:25:42 UTC 2012 

Public bug reported:

I've been installing Ubuntu Command Line systems using the Alternative
installer, then adding e.g. lubuntu-core, lubuntu-desktop ubuntu-desktop
to wipe old machines and bring them up to date as part of a Laptop
Shrimping project.

I developed this approach as a workaround for bug 424643 meaning I can
roll back the install of a particular desktop if the machine has trouble
with it (typically resource limitations). I assumed naively that
installing Ubuntu in "install a command line system" mode followed by
installing ubuntu-desktop would have the same effect as a full install.
Most of the time, this seems to be the case.

I've discovered, however, that even with exactly the same packages
installed in the end, the network connection is misconfigured (ping
doesn't work) on some machines when following the command line route.

On two machines, (the Dell Q15R N5110 which I used to apport this bug
after a successful install, and the Fujitsu Lifebook P1510 which
clarebowman22 used to apport bug 1014263), this error was consistently
experienced through several installs based on Precise, installing
lubuntu-core, ubuntu-desktop or lubuntu-desktop in various combinations
and sequences starting with a command line system, then using apt-get to
bring up a desktop. Each case led to a desktop which experienced bug
1014263. Nothing but a full wipe and Ubuntu install from scratch will
cure the problem (as demonstrated by the Dell which had a previously
non-functional network and is now able to apport over wireless).

I've tested this by repeating the same install on the same machine with
the same medium using the alternative installer for Ubuntu Precise
through the two different routes - either starting from a command line
install, or going for the full install mode.

To summarize bug 1014263, the desktop installed on top of a command line build through...
sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get dist-upgrade; sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop
...has a wireless network which bizarrely fails to work, even though it can apparently complete a Wireless scan and handshake with a WPA network, no ping packets are exchanged with www.google.com afterward.

Coupled to this behaviour is a long timeout during boot during which
Plymouth reports something like "waiting 60 seconds for network
configuration". Also associated seems to be the disappearance of the
networking icon in lxpanel, and the claim that the eth0 adapter is "not
managed" when trying to control it through a network applet.

Something about the sequence of running a command-line system and apt-
getting over ethernet, versus doing your first boot direct into a full-
fledged Ubuntu desktop, must change something mysterious about the
networking configuration.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: debian-installer (not installed)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-23.36-generic-pae 3.2.14
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-23-generic-pae i686
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu5
Architecture: i386
Date: Tue Jul 31 15:58:25 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release i386 (20120423.2)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Inspiron N5110
MemoryUsage:
 total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
 Mem:       8175020    7724496     450524          0     146944    6996692
 -/+ buffers/cache:     580860    7594160
 Swap:     15624188          0   15624188
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_GB:en
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-23-generic-pae root=UUID=c9767810-263a-424a-80cd-714fd4a9afa1 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: debian-installer
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 03/22/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A10
dmi.board.name: 0HVRTT
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A10
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Not Specified
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA10:bd03/22/2012:svnDellInc.:pnInspironN5110:pvrNotSpecified:rvnDellInc.:rn0HVRTT:rvrA10:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvrNotSpecified:
dmi.product.name: Inspiron N5110
dmi.product.version: Not Specified
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

** Affects: debian-installer (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: Confirmed


** Tags: apport-bug i386 precise

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1031394

Title:
  Use of command line installer breaks network setup in ubuntu-desktop,
  lubuntu-desktop

Status in “debian-installer” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  I've been installing Ubuntu Command Line systems using the Alternative
  installer, then adding e.g. lubuntu-core, lubuntu-desktop ubuntu-
  desktop to wipe old machines and bring them up to date as part of a
  Laptop Shrimping project.

  I developed this approach as a workaround for bug 424643 meaning I can
  roll back the install of a particular desktop if the machine has
  trouble with it (typically resource limitations). I assumed naively
  that installing Ubuntu in "install a command line system" mode
  followed by installing ubuntu-desktop would have the same effect as a
  full install. Most of the time, this seems to be the case.

  I've discovered, however, that even with exactly the same packages
  installed in the end, the network connection is misconfigured (ping
  doesn't work) on some machines when following the command line route.

  On two machines, (the Dell Q15R N5110 which I used to apport this bug
  after a successful install, and the Fujitsu Lifebook P1510 which
  clarebowman22 used to apport bug 1014263), this error was consistently
  experienced through several installs based on Precise, installing
  lubuntu-core, ubuntu-desktop or lubuntu-desktop in various
  combinations and sequences starting with a command line system, then
  using apt-get to bring up a desktop. Each case led to a desktop which
  experienced bug 1014263. Nothing but a full wipe and Ubuntu install
  from scratch will cure the problem (as demonstrated by the Dell which
  had a previously non-functional network and is now able to apport over
  wireless).

  I've tested this by repeating the same install on the same machine
  with the same medium using the alternative installer for Ubuntu
  Precise through the two different routes - either starting from a
  command line install, or going for the full install mode.

  To summarize bug 1014263, the desktop installed on top of a command line build through...
  sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get dist-upgrade; sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop
  ...has a wireless network which bizarrely fails to work, even though it can apparently complete a Wireless scan and handshake with a WPA network, no ping packets are exchanged with www.google.com afterward.

  Coupled to this behaviour is a long timeout during boot during which
  Plymouth reports something like "waiting 60 seconds for network
  configuration". Also associated seems to be the disappearance of the
  networking icon in lxpanel, and the claim that the eth0 adapter is
  "not managed" when trying to control it through a network applet.

  Something about the sequence of running a command-line system and apt-
  getting over ethernet, versus doing your first boot direct into a
  full-fledged Ubuntu desktop, must change something mysterious about
  the networking configuration.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
  Package: debian-installer (not installed)
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-23.36-generic-pae 3.2.14
  Uname: Linux 3.2.0-23-generic-pae i686
  ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu5
  Architecture: i386
  Date: Tue Jul 31 15:58:25 2012
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release i386 (20120423.2)
  MachineType: Dell Inc. Inspiron N5110
  MemoryUsage:
   total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
   Mem:       8175020    7724496     450524          0     146944    6996692
   -/+ buffers/cache:     580860    7594160
   Swap:     15624188          0   15624188
  ProcEnviron:
   LANGUAGE=en_GB:en
   TERM=xterm
   PATH=(custom, no user)
   LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
  ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-23-generic-pae root=UUID=c9767810-263a-424a-80cd-714fd4a9afa1 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
  SourcePackage: debian-installer
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
  dmi.bios.date: 03/22/2012
  dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
  dmi.bios.version: A10
  dmi.board.name: 0HVRTT
  dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
  dmi.board.version: A10
  dmi.chassis.type: 8
  dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
  dmi.chassis.version: Not Specified
  dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA10:bd03/22/2012:svnDellInc.:pnInspironN5110:pvrNotSpecified:rvnDellInc.:rn0HVRTT:rvrA10:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvrNotSpecified:
  dmi.product.name: Inspiron N5110
  dmi.product.version: Not Specified
  dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

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