[Bug 1721655] [NEW] a mistype of the kernel version can do you in

[Brian Murray]

Public bug reported:

I mistyped the kernel version when running update-initramfs e.g.:

sudo update-initramfs -u -k 4.1.3.0-11-generic
[sudo] password for bdmurray: 
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.1.3.0-11-generic
WARNING: missing /lib/modules/4.1.3.0-11-generic
Ensure all necessary drivers are built into the linux image!
depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.1.3.0-11-generic: No such file or directory
depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory
depmod: WARNING: could not open /var/tmp/mkinitramfs_MQwUHq/lib/modules/4.1.3.0-11-generic/modules.order: No such file or directory
depmod: WARNING: could not open /var/tmp/mkinitramfs_MQwUHq/lib/modules/4.1.3.0-11-generic/modules.builtin: No such file or directory

I now have a bad(?) initrd in my /boot partition:

ls -lh /boot
...
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 8.8M Oct  5 15:10 initrd.img-4.1.3.0-11-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  32M Oct  4 14:46 initrd.img-4.13.0-11-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  32M Oct  4 14:49 initrd.img-4.13.0-12-generic
...

And that version number was written to /var/lib/initramfs-tools/, so
every time update-initramfs is run that bad(?) initrd will be recreated.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.10
Package: initramfs-tools 0.125ubuntu11
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.13.0-12.13-generic 4.13.3
Uname: Linux 4.13.0-12-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.7-0ubuntu1
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: GNOME
Date: Thu Oct  5 15:14:04 2017
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-01-22 (622 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Alpha amd64 (20160117)
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: initramfs-tools
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug artful wayland-session

** Changed in: initramfs-tools (Ubuntu)
   Importance: Undecided => Medium

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1721655

Title:
  a mistype of the kernel version can do you in

Status in initramfs-tools package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  I mistyped the kernel version when running update-initramfs e.g.:

  sudo update-initramfs -u -k 4.1.3.0-11-generic
  [sudo] password for bdmurray: 
  update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.1.3.0-11-generic
  WARNING: missing /lib/modules/4.1.3.0-11-generic
  Ensure all necessary drivers are built into the linux image!
  depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.1.3.0-11-generic: No such file or directory
  depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory
  depmod: WARNING: could not open /var/tmp/mkinitramfs_MQwUHq/lib/modules/4.1.3.0-11-generic/modules.order: No such file or directory
  depmod: WARNING: could not open /var/tmp/mkinitramfs_MQwUHq/lib/modules/4.1.3.0-11-generic/modules.builtin: No such file or directory

  I now have a bad(?) initrd in my /boot partition:

  ls -lh /boot
  ...
  -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 8.8M Oct  5 15:10 initrd.img-4.1.3.0-11-generic
  -rw-r--r-- 1 root root  32M Oct  4 14:46 initrd.img-4.13.0-11-generic
  -rw-r--r-- 1 root root  32M Oct  4 14:49 initrd.img-4.13.0-12-generic
  ...

  And that version number was written to /var/lib/initramfs-tools/, so
  every time update-initramfs is run that bad(?) initrd will be
  recreated.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.10
  Package: initramfs-tools 0.125ubuntu11
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.13.0-12.13-generic 4.13.3
  Uname: Linux 4.13.0-12-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.20.7-0ubuntu1
  Architecture: amd64
  CurrentDesktop: GNOME
  Date: Thu Oct  5 15:14:04 2017
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-01-22 (622 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Alpha amd64 (20160117)
  PackageArchitecture: all
  SourcePackage: initramfs-tools
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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