[Bug 2132105] [NEW] do-release-upgrade from 20.04 focal to 22.04 jammy Exception during pm.DoInstall(): E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

[Amos Hayes]

Public bug reported:

Trying to upgrade an Ubuntu 20.04 VM to Ubuntu 22.04.

Because of an old small boot partition, I had to make space and grow
/boot so that do-release-upgrade would proceed. Unfortunately, it later
aborted with (what I was able to copy):

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
missing systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/ondemand.service
deleted systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/ondemand.service
added systemd/system/systemd-resolved.service.wants/resolvconf-pull-resolved.service
added systemd/system/timers.target.wants/dpkg-db-backup.timer
modified udev/udev.conf
modified update-motd.d/91-release-upgrade
modified vim/vimrc.tiny
Committed revision 454.
Committing to: /etc/
brz: ERROR: No changes to commit. Please 'brz add' the files you want to commit, or use --unchanged to force an empty commit.
warning: etckeeper failed to commit changes in /etc using bzr
Committing to: /etc/
brz: ERROR: No changes to commit. Please 'brz add' the files you want to commit, or use --unchanged to force an empty commit.
warning: etckeeper failed to commit changes in /etc using bzr
Exception during pm.DoInstall():  E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Could not install the upgrades

The upgrade has aborted. Your system could be in an unusable state. A
recovery will run now (dpkg --configure -a).

Please report this bug in a browser at
http://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-release-upgrader/+filebug
and attach the files in /var/log/dist-upgrade/ to the bug report.
E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Setting up dovecot-core (1:2.3.16+dfsg1-3ubuntu2.6) ...
Configuration file '/etc/dovecot/conf.d/auth-vpopmail.conf.ext' is obsolete. Please remove.
Could not execute systemctl:  at /usr/bin/deb-systemd-invoke line 142.
dovecot.socket is a disabled or a static unit not running, not starting it.
Starting upgrade of Ubuntu Pro service configuration
Finished upgrade of Ubuntu Pro service configuration

Upgrade complete

The upgrade has completed but there were errors during the upgrade
process.

To continue please press [ENTER]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Attached is a tarball of the log files as requested.

** Affects: ubuntu-release-upgrader (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

** Attachment added: "files from /var/log/dist-upgrade/ as requested"
   https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2132105/+attachment/5928148/+files/2025-11-21_Ubuntu_focal_to_jammy_upgrade_fail.tgz

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2132105

Title:
  do-release-upgrade from 20.04 focal to 22.04 jammy Exception during
  pm.DoInstall():  E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code
  (1)

Status in ubuntu-release-upgrader package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  Trying to upgrade an Ubuntu 20.04 VM to Ubuntu 22.04.

  Because of an old small boot partition, I had to make space and grow
  /boot so that do-release-upgrade would proceed. Unfortunately, it
  later aborted with (what I was able to copy):

  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  missing systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/ondemand.service
  deleted systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/ondemand.service
  added systemd/system/systemd-resolved.service.wants/resolvconf-pull-resolved.service
  added systemd/system/timers.target.wants/dpkg-db-backup.timer
  modified udev/udev.conf
  modified update-motd.d/91-release-upgrade
  modified vim/vimrc.tiny
  Committed revision 454.
  Committing to: /etc/
  brz: ERROR: No changes to commit. Please 'brz add' the files you want to commit, or use --unchanged to force an empty commit.
  warning: etckeeper failed to commit changes in /etc using bzr
  Committing to: /etc/
  brz: ERROR: No changes to commit. Please 'brz add' the files you want to commit, or use --unchanged to force an empty commit.
  warning: etckeeper failed to commit changes in /etc using bzr
  Exception during pm.DoInstall():  E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

  Could not install the upgrades

  The upgrade has aborted. Your system could be in an unusable state. A
  recovery will run now (dpkg --configure -a).

  Please report this bug in a browser at
  http://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-release-upgrader/+filebug
  and attach the files in /var/log/dist-upgrade/ to the bug report.
  E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

  Setting up dovecot-core (1:2.3.16+dfsg1-3ubuntu2.6) ...
  Configuration file '/etc/dovecot/conf.d/auth-vpopmail.conf.ext' is obsolete. Please remove.
  Could not execute systemctl:  at /usr/bin/deb-systemd-invoke line 142.
  dovecot.socket is a disabled or a static unit not running, not starting it.
  Starting upgrade of Ubuntu Pro service configuration
  Finished upgrade of Ubuntu Pro service configuration

  Upgrade complete

  The upgrade has completed but there were errors during the upgrade
  process.

  To continue please press [ENTER]

  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Attached is a tarball of the log files as requested.

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