Bug#196108: dpkg fails: Too many levels of symbolic links
Package: dpkg
Version: 1.10.9
The short story:
This is an unstable machine. Dpkg has problems to untar deb archives. So
version 1.10.9 cannot upgrade itself to 1.10.10.
frodo:/# apt-get install dpkg
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
1 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 131 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/1140kB of archives. After unpacking 16.4kB will be freed.
dpkg-deb (subprocess): failed to exec tar: Too many levels of symbolic
links
dpkg-deb: subprocess tar returned error exit status 2
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/dpkg_1.10.10_i386.deb
(--unpack):
subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/dpkg_1.10.10_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
the long story:
I realised this when it failed to install some .deb packages like minicom:
frodo:~# apt-get install minicom
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
minicom
0 packages upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 132 not upgraded.
12 packages not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0B/274kB of archives. After unpacking 913kB will be used.
Preconfiguring packages ...
dpkg-deb (subprocess): failed to exec tar: Too many levels of symbolic
links
dpkg-deb: subprocess tar returned error exit status 2
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/minicom_2.1-2_i386.deb
(--unpack):
subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/minicom_2.1-2_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
Also trying to get the package directly does not help:
frodo:/tmp# dpkg -i minicom_2.1-2_i386.deb
dpkg-deb (subprocess): failed to exec tar: Too many levels of symbolic
links
dpkg-deb: subprocess tar returned error exit status 2
dpkg: error processing minicom_2.1-2_i386.deb (--install):
subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
minicom_2.1-2_i386.deb
frodo:/tmp# dpkg -i minicom_1.83.1-4.5_i386.deb
dpkg-deb (subprocess): failed to exec tar: Too many levels of symbolic
links
dpkg-deb: subprocess tar returned error exit status 2
dpkg: error processing minicom_1.83.1-4.5_i386.deb (--install):
subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
minicom_1.83.1-4.5_i386.deb
frodo:/tmp#
frodo:/tmp# dpkg --info minicom_1.83.1-4.5_i386.deb
new debian package, version 2.0.
size 192642 bytes: control archive= 2851 bytes.
dpkg-deb (subprocess): failed to exec tar: Too many levels of symbolic
links
dpkg-deb: subprocess tar returned error exit status 2
frodo:/tmp# dpkg --info minicom_2.1-2_i386.deb
new debian package, version 2.0.
size 274438 bytes: control archive= 5297 bytes.
dpkg-deb (subprocess): failed to exec tar: Too many levels of symbolic
links
dpkg-deb: subprocess tar returned error exit status 2
it also happens to other packages:
Preconfiguring packages ...
dpkg-deb (subprocess): failed to exec tar: Too many levels of symbolic
links
dpkg-deb: subprocess tar returned error exit status 2
dpkg: error processing
/var/cache/apt/archives/libncurses5_5.3.20030510-1_i386.deb (--unpack):
subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/libncurses5_5.3.20030510-1_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
Most dpkg options return an error:
frodo:/tmp# dpkg -x minicom_2.1-2_i386.deb /tmp/minicom
dpkg-deb (subprocess): failed to exec tar: Too many levels of symbolic
links
dpkg-deb: subprocess tar returned error exit status 2
frodo:/tmp# dpkg -c minicom_2.1-2_i386.deb
dpkg-deb (subprocess): failed to exec tar: Too many levels of symbolic
links
dpkg-deb: subprocess tar returned error exit status 2
frodo:/tmp# dpkg -e minicom_2.1-2_i386.deb
dpkg-deb (subprocess): failed to exec tar: Too many levels of symbolic
links
dpkg-deb: subprocess tar returned error exit status 2
frodo:/tmp# dpkg -f minicom_2.1-2_i386.deb
dpkg-deb (subprocess): failed to exec tar: Too many levels of symbolic
links
dpkg-deb: subprocess tar returned error exit status 2
frodo:/tmp# dpkg -X minicom_2.1-2_i386.deb /tmp/minicom
dpkg-deb (subprocess): failed to exec tar: Too many levels of symbolic
links
dpkg-deb: subprocess tar returned error exit status 2
But:
dpkg --fsys-tarfile minicom_2.1-2_i386.deb > /tmp/minicom.tar
tar -tf minicom.tar
frodo:/tmp# tar -tvvf minicom.tar
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/share/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:54 ./usr/share/man/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/share/man/man1/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 13294 2003-05-19 00:13:54
./usr/share/man/man1/minicom.1.gz
-rw-r--r-- root/root 320 2003-05-19 00:13:54
./usr/share/man/man1/xminicom.1.gz
-rw-r--r-- root/root 1155 2003-05-19 00:13:54
./usr/share/man/man1/ascii-xfr.1.gz
-rw-r--r-- root/root 2894 2003-05-19 00:13:54
./usr/share/man/man1/runscript.1.gz
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/share/locale/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:54 ./usr/share/locale/cs/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:54
./usr/share/locale/cs/LC_MESSAGES/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 34984 2003-05-19 00:13:54
./usr/share/locale/cs/LC_MESSAGES/minicom.mo
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:54 ./usr/share/locale/es/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:54
./usr/share/locale/es/LC_MESSAGES/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 30395 2003-05-19 00:13:54
./usr/share/locale/es/LC_MESSAGES/minicom.mo
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:54 ./usr/share/locale/fr/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:54
./usr/share/locale/fr/LC_MESSAGES/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 36547 2003-05-19 00:13:54
./usr/share/locale/fr/LC_MESSAGES/minicom.mo
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:54 ./usr/share/locale/fi/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/locale/fi/LC_MESSAGES/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 34189 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/locale/fi/LC_MESSAGES/minicom.mo
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/share/locale/hu/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/locale/hu/LC_MESSAGES/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 34955 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/locale/hu/LC_MESSAGES/minicom.mo
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/share/locale/ja/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/locale/ja/LC_MESSAGES/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 34470 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/locale/ja/LC_MESSAGES/minicom.mo
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/share/locale/pl/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/locale/pl/LC_MESSAGES/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 34622 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/locale/pl/LC_MESSAGES/minicom.mo
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/locale/pt_BR/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/locale/pt_BR/LC_MESSAGES/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 29497 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/locale/pt_BR/LC_MESSAGES/minicom.mo
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/share/locale/ru/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/locale/ru/LC_MESSAGES/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 32951 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/locale/ru/LC_MESSAGES/minicom.mo
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/share/doc/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/share/doc/minicom/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/examples/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 1112 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/examples/minicom.users
-rw-r--r-- root/root 129 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/examples/minirc.dfl
-rw-r--r-- root/root 56 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/examples/htsalogin
-rw-r--r-- root/root 711 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/examples/saralogin
-rw-r--r-- root/root 1246 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/examples/unixlogin
-rw-r--r-- root/root 251 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/examples/minirc.nullmodem
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/intl/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 1765 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/intl/japanese
-rw-r--r-- root/root 3666 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/intl/Locales
-rw-r--r-- root/root 686 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/intl/pl-translation.txt
-rw-r--r-- root/root 461 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/intl/portugues-brasil
-rw-r--r-- root/root 783 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/intl/suomeksi
-rw-r--r-- root/root 5205 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/intl/ABOUT-NLS.gz
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/term/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 1912 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/term/README.termcap
-rw-r--r-- root/root 1601 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/term/README.terminfo
-rw-r--r-- root/root 263 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/term/terminfo
-rw-r--r-- root/root 2859 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/term/termcap.long.gz
-rw-r--r-- root/root 2520 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/term/termcap.short.gz
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/todo/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 454 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/todo/TODO
-rw-r--r-- root/root 836 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/todo/TODO.lrzsz
-rw-r--r-- root/root 579 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/todo/Todo
-rw-r--r-- root/root 537 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/todo/Todo.175
-rw-r--r-- root/root 1357 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/todo/Todo.fsel
-rw-r--r-- root/root 1816 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/todo/Todo.Irix.dif.gz
-rw-r--r-- root/root 1807 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/todo/Todo.emacskey.dif.gz
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/tables/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 512 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/tables/mc.iso
-rw-r--r-- root/root 512 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/tables/mc.noconv
-rw-r--r-- root/root 512 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/tables/mc.pc8
-rw-r--r-- root/root 512 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/tables/mc.sf7
-rw-r--r-- root/root 1776 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/AUTHORS
-rw-r--r-- root/root 1123 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/copyright
-rw-r--r-- root/root 760 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/README.Debian
-rw-r--r-- root/root 5224 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/changelog.Debian.gz
-rw-r--r-- root/root 3478 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/HistSearch.gz
-rw-r--r-- root/root 1368 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/COMPATABILITY.lrzsz
-rw-r--r-- root/root 2150 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/fselector.txt
-rw-r--r-- root/root 3303 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/Macros.gz
-rw-r--r-- root/root 3023 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/minicom.FAQ
-rw-r--r-- root/root 730 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/README.lrzsz
-rw-r--r-- root/root 6955 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/changelog.gz
-rw-r--r-- root/root 6442 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./usr/share/doc/minicom/changelog.old.gz
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/bin/
-rwxr-xr-x root/root 146904 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/bin/minicom
-rwxr-xr-x root/root 14296 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/bin/runscript
-rwxr-xr-x root/root 6332 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/bin/ascii-xfr
-rwxr-xr-x root/root 1119 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/bin/xminicom
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/lib/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/lib/menu/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 242 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./usr/lib/menu/minicom
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./etc/
drwxr-xr-x root/root 0 2003-05-19 00:13:55 ./etc/minicom/
-rw-r--r-- root/root 1112 2003-05-19 00:13:55
./etc/minicom/minicom.users
frodo:/tmp# apt-get install dpkg
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
1 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 131 not upgraded.
10 packages not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0B/1140kB of archives. After unpacking 16.4kB will be freed.
dpkg-deb (subprocess): failed to exec tar: Too many levels of symbolic
links
dpkg-deb: subprocess tar returned error exit status 2
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/dpkg_1.10.10_i386.deb
(--unpack):
subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/dpkg_1.10.10_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
I untared the contents of dpkg.deb and install them over version 1.10.9.
the problem still persists.
dpkg --fsys-tarfile dpkg_1.10.10_i386.deb > /tmp/dpkg.tar
frodo:/# tar -xvvf /tmp/dpkg.tar
Any hints?
Cheers
Mark
--
Krisztian Mark Szentes
produktivIT - Open-Source Solution Provider
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