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I'm using Ubuntu 12.04. Recently I can't install anything anymore. I always get the following error message:

Setting up linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic (3.2.0-34.53) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: deferring update (hook will be called later)
Use of chdir('') or chdir(undef) as chdir() is deprecated at /var/lib/dpkg/inf/linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic.postinst line 235.
Failed to symbolic-link /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-34-generic to initrd.img:File exists at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic.postinst line 614.
dpkg: error processing linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 17
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-generic:
 linux-image-generic depends on linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic; however:
  Package linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing linux-image-generic (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-generic:
 linux-generic depends on linux-image-generic (= 3.2.0.34.37); however:
  Package linux-image-generic is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing linux-generic (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up dselect (1.16.1.2ubuntu7) ...
No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
                                                                                         No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic
 linux-image-generic
 linux-generic
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

The output of dpkg -C is:

The following packages have been unpacked but not yet configured.
They must be configured using dpkg --configure or the configure menu option in dselect for them to work:
 linux-image-generic  Generic Linux kernel image
 linux-generic        Complete Generic Linux kernel

The following packages are only half configured, probably due to problems configuring them the first time. The configuration should be retried using dpkg --configure <package> or the configure menu option in dselect:
 linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic Linux kernel image for version 3.2.0 on 32 bit x8

but dpkg --configure linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic linux-image-generic linux-generic results in the following error message:

Setting up linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic (3.2.0-34.53) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: deferring update (hook will be called later)
Use of chdir('') or chdir(undef) as chdir() is deprecated at /var/lib/dpkg/inf/linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic.postinst line 235.
Failed to symbolic-link /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-34-generic to initrd.img:File exists at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic.postinst line 614.
dpkg: error processing linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 17
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-generic:
 linux-image-generic depends on linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic; however:
  Package linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing linux-image-generic (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-generic:
 linux-generic depends on linux-image-generic (= 3.2.0.34.37); however:
  Package linux-image-generic is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing linux-generic (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic
 linux-image-generic
 linux-generic

I would be very glad if someone could help me with this problem!

share|improve this question
Try rm /initrd.img an run that dpkg --configure again. – Eric Carvalho Dec 28 '12 at 22:09
I tried it but it didn't help, still the same error message. Thank you for the quick answer though! – nalvory Dec 28 '12 at 23:00

1 Answer

up vote 0 down vote accepted

You have a bogus pwd (print working directory) command, somehow. I took a look at the referenced line in the postinst script. It is trying to "save" the working directory by storing the output of pwd in a variable, and then, on the referenced line, switching back to this directory after doing a few things in other directories. The problem happens because the pwd called somehow has empty output.

Run the command which pwd. If the output isn't /bin/pwd, find out why and fix it.

share|improve this answer
pwd seems to work fine and which pwd outputs /bin/pwd as it should. – nalvory Dec 29 '12 at 12:23
I played around with some perl scripts and I noticed that pwd doesn't work from within perl apparently, it just returns an empty string. Running which pwd from within the perl script returns /bin/pwd though. How is this possible? As I said above, running pwd in the terminal works just fine... – nalvory Dec 29 '12 at 13:42
1  
That's really weird. I'm trying to figure out why that would be, but I'm no perl expert. In any case, I'm fairly certain that it's a bug that the postinst script calls pwd instead of using Perl's own Cwd like it ought to. – tgies Dec 29 '12 at 13:54
I substituted all occurrences of pwd in /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-3.2.0-34-generic.postinst with getcwd() and now everything seems to work again! Thanks a lot, tgies! – nalvory Dec 29 '12 at 14:40
I was going to suggest that as a solution to your immediate problem. It is still a point of concern that pwd isn't working from Perl for you. – tgies Dec 29 '12 at 14:46

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