[Bug 1636922] [NEW] update-initramfs fails when cp encounters empty directory

[Haravikk]

Public bug reported:

I recently upgraded to UbuntuServer 16.04 but encountered the following
problem:

    dpkg --configure linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic
    Setting up linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic (4.4.0-45.66) ...
    Running depmod.
    update-initramfs: deferring update (hook will be called later)
    The link /initrd.img is a dangling linkto /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-45-generic
    vmlinuz(/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-45-generic
    ) points to /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-45-generic
     (/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-45-generic) -- doing nothing at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic.postinst line 491.
    Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.
    run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 4.4.0-45-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-45-generic
    run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 4.4.0-45-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-45-generic
    update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-45-generic
    cp: omitting directory '/etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules'
    E: /usr/share/initramfs-tools/hooks/udev failed with return 1.
    update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-45-generic with 1.
    run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1
    Failed to process /etc/kernel/postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic.postinst line 1052.
    dpkg: error processing package linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic (--configure):
     subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
    Errors were encountered while processing:
     linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic

With a bit of digging I determined the issue was with this line (after
initially disregarding it):

    cp: omitting directory '/etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules'

The path specified turned out to be an empty directory, hence why cp
omitted it, so I simply deleted it and tried again, this time
successfully.

It seems that update-initramfs, or some other component of it, is
treating a cp omission as a failure and erroring out, rather than
continuing, while looking into the problem I found a few variations of
the problem (directories other than udev) so it seems like this
behaviour could do with being changed to prevent this issue in future.


Version information:
    lsb_release -rd
    Description:	Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS
    Release:	16.04

    initramfs-tools:
      Installed: 0.122ubuntu8.5
      Candidate: 0.122ubuntu8.5
      Version table:
     *** 0.122ubuntu8.5 500
            500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 Packages
            500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main i386 Packages
            100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
         0.122ubuntu8 500
            500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 Packages
            500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main i386 Packages

** Affects: initramfs-tools (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to initramfs-tools in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1636922

Title:
  update-initramfs fails when cp encounters empty directory

Status in initramfs-tools package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  I recently upgraded to UbuntuServer 16.04 but encountered the
  following problem:

      dpkg --configure linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic
      Setting up linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic (4.4.0-45.66) ...
      Running depmod.
      update-initramfs: deferring update (hook will be called later)
      The link /initrd.img is a dangling linkto /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-45-generic
      vmlinuz(/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-45-generic
      ) points to /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-45-generic
       (/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-45-generic) -- doing nothing at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic.postinst line 491.
      Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.
      run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 4.4.0-45-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-45-generic
      run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 4.4.0-45-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-45-generic
      update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-45-generic
      cp: omitting directory '/etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules'
      E: /usr/share/initramfs-tools/hooks/udev failed with return 1.
      update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-45-generic with 1.
      run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1
      Failed to process /etc/kernel/postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic.postinst line 1052.
      dpkg: error processing package linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic (--configure):
       subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
      Errors were encountered while processing:
       linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic

  With a bit of digging I determined the issue was with this line (after
  initially disregarding it):

      cp: omitting directory '/etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules'

  The path specified turned out to be an empty directory, hence why cp
  omitted it, so I simply deleted it and tried again, this time
  successfully.

  It seems that update-initramfs, or some other component of it, is
  treating a cp omission as a failure and erroring out, rather than
  continuing, while looking into the problem I found a few variations of
  the problem (directories other than udev) so it seems like this
  behaviour could do with being changed to prevent this issue in future.

  
  Version information:
      lsb_release -rd
      Description:	Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS
      Release:	16.04

      initramfs-tools:
        Installed: 0.122ubuntu8.5
        Candidate: 0.122ubuntu8.5
        Version table:
       *** 0.122ubuntu8.5 500
              500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 Packages
              500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main i386 Packages
              100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
           0.122ubuntu8 500
              500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 Packages
              500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main i386 Packages

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/initramfs-tools/+bug/1636922/+subscriptions