[Bug 919142] Re: apt-clone crashed with SystemError: E:Sub-process /target/usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (100)

[Martin Süfke]

*** This bug is a duplicate of bug 880462 ***
    https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/880462

I cannot see the private bug, I caonnot comment the private bug, but I
think I have relevant information for this kind of bug.

To trigger the bug reliably I can so this:
Start 12.04 Live CD
Prepare an empty partition , e.g. /dev/sda1 with an empty EXT4 file system.

Start the intaller
Follow instructions, 
Select "something else..."  when asked for Partitioning 
Select use /dev/sda1 with "ext4" , *formatting checkbox unchecked* , use as "/" (system root)
Continue installation, bug triggers at the end (progress bar  >90%)

My analysis shows that the script 
[Live CD]/lib/partman/finish.d/01apt_clone_save
tries to run 'apt-clone clone' on the filesystem selected as /
becase this filesystem is empty, apt-clone creates a damaged tar.gz-archive in [mount-point of /dev/sda1]/ubiquity-apt-clone/apt-clone-state-hostname.tar.gz
This damaged tar.gz-archive then makes the apt-clone restore at the end of the installation fail.

I suggest one of two solutions:
 1) (workaround) In the if-clause in the last lines of [Live CD]/lib/partman/finish.d/01apt_clone_save , remove the tar.gz-archive if apt-clone fails
 2) (behavioural change) do not try to apt-clone the state of the former system. 
The current behaviour is plain crazy. How can the installer asume, that the filesystem selected for / contains valid ubuntu sources in its apt cache ?
Also, why should there be  packages to pick from the existing system ? User upgrading will likely use the update-manager to upgrade to a new distro. 
What would happen if there was e.g. a Debian installed? Would I then get an /etc/apt/sources.list from the apt-clone restore-Phase that would point to Debian package archives instead of Ubuntu, preventing the apt-system from working ?

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to apt-clone in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/919142

Title:
  apt-clone crashed with SystemError: E:Sub-process /target/usr/bin/dpkg
  returned an error code (100)

Status in “apt-clone” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  Hello
  Just running a live session
  Thanks
  Fabio

  ProblemType: Crash
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
  Package: apt-clone 0.2.2
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-9.16-generic 3.2.1
  Uname: Linux 3.2.0-9-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 1.91-0ubuntu1
  Architecture: amd64
  CasperVersion: 1.299
  Date: Fri Jan 20 11:29:21 2012
  DuplicateOf: https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/880462
  ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/apt-clone
  InterpreterPath: /usr/bin/python2.7
  LiveMediaBuild: Lubuntu 12.04 "Precise Pangolin" - Alpha amd64 (20120119)
  PackageArchitecture: all
  ProcCmdline: /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/apt-clone restore-new-distro /target/ubiquity-apt-clone/apt-clone-state-hostname.tar.gz precise --destination /target
  ProcEnviron:
   PATH=(custom, no user)
   LANG=it_IT.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
   LANGUAGE=it_IT.UTF-8
   LC_COLLATE=C
  PythonArgs: ['/usr/bin/apt-clone', 'restore-new-distro', '/target/ubiquity-apt-clone/apt-clone-state-hostname.tar.gz', 'precise', '--destination', '/target']
  SourcePackage: apt-clone
  Title: apt-clone crashed with SystemError: E:Sub-process /target/usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (100)
  Traceback: SystemError: E:Sub-process /target/usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (100)
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
  UserGroups:

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt-clone/+bug/919142/+subscriptions