Bug#673194: initramfs-tools: mkinitramfs silently creates non-bootable initramfs when run as non-root user

[Markus Vuorio <maakuth@gmail.com>]

Package: initramfs-tools
Version: 0.98.8
Severity: normal

Initramfs created by mkinitramfs just doesn't work when it was created
as a non-root user. I guess it's an issue with setting permissions or
something like that. At least mkinitramfs could fail loudly if it's not
meant to be run as a regular user.

-- Package-specific info:
-- initramfs sizes
-- /proc/cmdline
console=ttyS0,115200 root=/dev/mapper/elikko-root rootdelay=20

-- /proc/filesystems
	ext3
	ext2
	ext4
	cramfs
	vfat
	msdos
	jfs
	fuseblk

-- lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
xt_multiport            1507  1 
nf_conntrack_ftp        4866  0 
nf_conntrack_irc        2689  0 
xt_limit                1352  16 
xt_tcpudp               1964  46 
xt_state                 947  53 
nf_conntrack_ipv4       5721  53 
nf_conntrack           41843  4 nf_conntrack_ftp,nf_conntrack_irc,xt_state,nf_conntrack_ipv4
nf_defrag_ipv4           975  1 nf_conntrack_ipv4
zram                    9740  1 
ipt_ULOG                4978  15 
tun                    12494  2 
iptable_filter           939  1 
ip_tables               9492  1 iptable_filter
x_tables               11513  7 xt_multiport,xt_limit,xt_tcpudp,xt_state,ipt_ULOG,iptable_filter,ip_tables
ipv6                  237044  32 
fuse                   60385  1 
nfsd                  227755  11 
exportfs                2997  1 nfsd
8021q                  15109  0 
dm_crypt               14438  0 
btmrvl_sdio             7580  0 
btmrvl                 10752  1 btmrvl_sdio
libertas_sdio           8830  0 
libertas               51098  1 libertas_sdio
cfg80211              157618  1 libertas
bluetooth             159768  2 btmrvl_sdio,btmrvl
rfkill                 15099  2 bluetooth,cfg80211
uas                     6804  0 
sata_mv                24050  0 

-- /etc/initramfs-tools/modules

-- /etc/initramfs-tools/initramfs.conf
MODULES=most
BUSYBOX=y
KEYMAP=n
COMPRESS=gzip
BOOT=local
DEVICE=
NFSROOT=auto

-- /etc/initramfs-tools/update-initramfs.conf
update_initramfs=yes
backup_initramfs=no

-- /etc/crypttab
# <target name>	<source device>		<key file>	<options>

-- /proc/mdstat
Personalities : 
unused devices: <none>

-- mkinitramfs hooks
/etc/initramfs-tools/hooks/:

/usr/share/initramfs-tools/hooks:
busybox
cryptgnupg
cryptkeyctl
cryptopenct
cryptopensc
cryptpassdev
cryptroot
dmsetup
keymap
klibc
lvm2
thermal
udev


-- System Information:
Debian Release: 6.0.5
  APT prefers stable
  APT policy: (500, 'stable')
Architecture: armel (armv5tel)

Kernel: Linux 3.3.6 (PREEMPT)
Locale: LANG=en_GB.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_GB.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash

Versions of packages initramfs-tools depends on:
ii  cpio                   2.11-4            GNU cpio -- a program to manage ar
ii  findutils              4.4.2-1+b1        utilities for finding files--find,
ii  klibc-utils            1.5.20-1+squeeze1 small utilities built with klibc f
ii  module-init-tools      3.12-2            tools for managing Linux kernel mo
ii  udev                   164-3             /dev/ and hotplug management daemo

Versions of packages initramfs-tools recommends:
ii  busybox                       1:1.17.1-8 Tiny utilities for small and embed

Versions of packages initramfs-tools suggests:
pn  bash-completion               <none>     (no description available)

-- no debconf information