Re: post-installation script errors

[Goswin von Brederlow <brederlo@informatik.uni-tuebingen.de>]

Peter Nome <peter@cogweb.net> writes:

> On a woody base install, I'm getting lots of post-installation script errors, like this:
> 
> # dpkg -i sed_3.02-8_i386.deb
> (Reading database ... 6623 files and directories currently installed.)
> Preparing to replace sed 3.02-8 (using sed_3.02-8_i386.deb) ...
> /var/lib/dpkg/info/sed.prerm: line 9:   653 Segmentation fault      install-info --quiet --remove sed
> dpkg: warning - old pre-removal script returned error exit status 139
> dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ...
> dpkg: ... it looks like that went OK.
> Unpacking replacement sed ...
> Setting up sed (3.02-8) ...
> /var/lib/dpkg/info/sed.postinst: line 11:   662 Segmentation fault      install-info --quiet --section "General commands" "General commands" /usr/share/info/sed.info
> dpkg: error processing sed (--install):
>  subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 139
> Errors were encountered while processing:
>  sed

Looks like your install-info is busted.
 
> If I comment out the line starting "install-info" in /var/lib/dpkg/info/sed.postinst I can complete the configuration with apt-get --reinstall install sed (or sometimes dpkg --configure sed). However, I get this on lots of packages. What's going on? 
> 
> Strace below. Please cc: me. I'd really appreciate suggestions and insights; I'm stumped.
> 
> Cheers,
> Peter
> 
> 
> 
> stat64("/var/lib/dpkg/info/sed.postinst", {st_mode=S_IFREG|0755, st_size=287, ...}) = 0
> fork()                                  = 624
> rt_sigaction(SIGQUIT, {SIG_IGN}, {SIG_DFL}, 8) = 0
> rt_sigaction(SIGINT, {SIG_IGN}, {SIG_DFL}, 8) = 0
> waitpid(624, /var/lib/dpkg/info/sed.postinst: line 11:   625 Segmentation fault      install-info --quiet --section "General commands" "General commands" /usr/share/info/sed.info
> [WIFEXITED(s) && WEXITSTATUS(s) == 139], 0) = 624
> --- SIGCHLD (Child exited) ---
> write(2, "dpkg: error processing sed (--in"..., 108dpkg: error processing sed (--install):
>  subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 139
> ) = 108
> rt_sigaction(SIGQUIT, {SIG_DFL}, NULL, 8) = 0
> rt_sigaction(SIGINT, {SIG_DFL}, NULL, 8) = 0

This strace doesn't help at all.

You have to strace the install-info call and you should probably file
this as bug against install-info.

MfG
        Goswin