Installations, updates and removals always fail. But work after a restart

Question

Whenever I install, update or remove something, it fails and I get a message similar to what is below. After I restart, everything appears to work fine.

I just installed some updates using update manager, and here were the details shown in the "Package operation failed" window.

installArchives() failed: (Reading database ... 

[...]

run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-update-grub 2.6.35-23-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-23-generic
exec: 15: update-grub: not found
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-update-grub exited with return code 2
Failed to process /etc/kernel/postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-2.6.35-23-generic.postinst line 1010.
dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.35-23-generic (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2

See the full log here.

How can I stop this happening?

Answer 1

It sounds like update-grub has been removed. Do you recall deleting it? Try sudo apt-get install --reinstall grub-pc. Then see if apt works a little better.

Answer 2

Do you have burg installed? I'm guessing you most likely do. If you do, run:

sudo ln -s /usr/bin/update-burg /usr/bin/update-grub

in a terminal, or you can try to replace:

update-grub

with

update-burg

in

/etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-update-grub

by running:

gksu gedit /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-update-grub

in your alt+f2 dialogue.

Answer 3

This is a noted bug.

It looks like your kernel isn't working. At the grub menu when you're booting up, select a previous kernel (if you have the option to select which kernel you use). Example if you're using 2.6.35-23, try using 2.6.35-22. When it boots into Ubuntu using that previous kernel, try installing packages again. If it works without giving you any errors, you can safely know that your current kernel is broken. An option would be to just the kernel that works. If that does work, you will have to change your grub2 list to automatically boot into the previous kernel. (If you need to know how to do that, just let me know or search on AskUbuntu.com).

If you don't want to use a different kernel, trying updating your current kernel following this tutorial.