Bug#300806: (Seemingly) All programs fail to start, with the error message: relocation error: /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6: symbol _dl_starting_up, version GLIBC_PRIVATE not defined in file ld-linux.so.2 with link time reference

[Martin Thorsen Ranang <ranang@gmail.com>]

Package: libc6
Version: 2.3.4-1

I didn't find this bug in the archive.  

I tried to upgrade some packages using the following command:
apt-get -t experimental upgrade
[...]
The following packages will be upgraded:
  dpkg dpkg-dev dselect ghc6-doc glibc-doc libc6 libc6-dev libc6-i686
  libmcrypt-dev libmcrypt4 libomniorb4 libomnithread3 librpm4 libsablevm1
  libsvn-core-perl libsvn0 locales mcrypt omniorb4 reportbug rpm sablevm
  scrabble sox udev vim vim-common vim-doc vim-gnome
29 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 27 not upgraded.
[...]

With the following result:

Preparing to replace dpkg 1.13.2 (using .../archives/dpkg_1.13.3_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement dpkg ...
Setting up dpkg (1.13.3) ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/dpkg/origins/debian ...
(Reading database ... 280069 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace libc6-dev 2.3.2.ds1-20 (using
.../libc6-dev_2.3.4-1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libc6-dev ...
Preparing to replace locales 2.3.2.ds1-20 (using
.../locales_2.3.4-1_all.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement locales ...
Preparing to replace libc6 2.3.2.ds1-20 (using .../libc6_2.3.4-1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libc6 ...
Setting up libc6 (2.3.4-1) ...
dpkg: relocation error: /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6: symbol
_dl_starting_up, version GLIBC_PRIVATE not defined in file
ld-linux.so.2 with link time reference
cat: relocation error: /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6: symbol
_dl_starting_up, version GLIBC_PRIVATE not defined in file
ld-linux.so.2 with link time reference
dpkg: error processing libc6 (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 127
Errors were encountered while processing:
 libc6
sh: relocation error: /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6: symbol
_dl_starting_up, version GLIBC_PRIVATE not defined in file
ld-linux.so.2 with link time reference
E: Problem executing scripts DPkg::Post-Invoke 'if [ -x
/usr/bin/debsums ]; then /usr/bin/debsums --generate=nocheck -sp
/var/cache/apt/archives; fi'
E: Sub-process returned an error code
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Now, it seems I cannot start even the most fundamental programs. 
Examples of problem:
$ cat
cat: relocation error: /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6: symbol
_dl_starting_up, version GLIBC_PRIVATE not defined in file
ld-linux.so.2 with link time reference

$ ls            
ls: relocation error: /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libpthread.so.0: symbol
__libc_stack_end, version GLIBC_PRIVATE not defined in file
ld-linux.so.2 with link time reference

$ reportbug 
/usr/bin/python2.3: relocation error: /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6:
symbol _dl_starting_up, version GLIBC_PRIVATE not defined in file
ld-linux.so.2 with link time reference

I hope you have a solution as to how I can get my system working.  As
I cannot use even the most simple programs, I find it difficult to
investigate the problem much further.
I'm running a kernel version 2.6.10 on a i686, but not even uname
works for the moment, and starting a new login via the console does
not work.  Any help appreciated.

Yours,



Martin