Bug#394288: apt segfaults when "Reading packages lists..."

[Helge Hafting <helgehaf@aitel.hist.no>]

Package: apt
Version: 0.6.46.2
Severity: normal


First, apt-get dist-upgrade started failing due to unwriteable /usr, and
I killed it with CTRL+C

Then I remounted /usr, but now apt-get never get further than
"Reading package lists..." and then it segfaults.
Some actions also manages to print "0%" before segfaulting.
The segfault message comes on top of "Reading package lists..."
making it hard to read.

I installed the newest apt using "dpkg", this did not help.
dselect failed too because it uses apt.

I guess the package database has become corrupted somehow,
it'd be helpful if apt at least would point out the
bad file before dying. :-( No more apt for me it seems.

-- Package-specific info:

-- /etc/apt/preferences --

Package:*
Pin: release a=stable
Pin-Priority:800

Package: *
Pin: release a=testing
Pin-Priority: 900

Package: *
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 800

Package: *
Pin: release a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 700

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian
Pin-Priority: -10

-- (/etc/apt/sources.list present, but not submitted) --


-- System Information:
Debian Release: testing/unstable
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Shell:  /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash
Kernel: Linux 2.6.19-rc1
Locale: LANG=nb_NO.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=nb_NO.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)

Versions of packages apt depends on:
ii  debian-archive-keyring       2006.01.18  GnuPG archive keys of the Debian a
ii  libc6                        2.3.6.ds1-4 GNU C Library: Shared libraries
ii  libgcc1                      1:4.1.1-13  GCC support library
ii  libstdc++6                   4.1.1-13    The GNU Standard C++ Library v3

apt recommends no packages.

-- debconf-show failed