trouble with apt-get upgrade

[Bashing-om]

slgtheindividual; Hi !

In this case, no news is bad news. I have not given up, but I have not found a way to proceed.

this is a process in learning

[ian-weisser]

~$ cat /etc/init/mountkernfs.sh.conf
# mountkernfs.sh - compatibility job for sysvinit dependencies
#
# This job runs once virtual filesystems are mounted, to signal startpar
# that other rcS jobs relying on the historic mountkernfs.sh interface can
# continue.


description    "Signal sysvinit that virtual filesystems are mounted"


start on virtual-filesystems

no, I'm not running a VM or doing anything VM related, just a normal ubuntu desktop 13.10 on my laptop (acer aspire e1-571) dual booting with windows 8 efi, had no problems since I got it until now.

"Virtual" in this case doesn't mean a VM - it means the "virtual" local filesystem interface.
And it's no surprise you can't find the running service - there isn't one.

This particular script is a compatibility tail. Older processes like procps depend on mountkernfs running before they can start. All this file does is emit a signal at the right point in boot that those sysvinit scripts are listening for.

You can emit the same signal two ways:
1) by rebooting
2) with the command sudo initctl emit mountkernfs
3) or you can ignore mountkernfs completely and start procps directly with sudo service procps start

So, if you're willing, try

sudo initctl emit mountkernfs
sudo apt-get --configure -a

or

sudo service procps start
sudo apt-get --configure -a

and see if one of those kickstarts the process.

[Bashing-om]

@ ian-weisser; Thanks !

See it is a process of learning... I learned something here !
Interesting to see what does result .

where there is a will there is a way

[slgtheindividual]

sudo initctl emit mountkernfs
sudo apt-get --configure -a

or

sudo service procps start
sudo apt-get --configure -a

and see if one of those kickstarts the process.

Ok thank you for these suggestions, I tried these but to no avail, my output is beow:

~$ sudo initctl emit mountkernfs
~$ sudo apt-get --configure -a
E: Command line option --configure is not understood

and

~$ sudo service procps start
procps stop/waiting
~$ sudo apt-get --configure -a
E: Command line option --configure is not understood

[Bashing-om]

slgtheindividual; Hey:

Try that command as :

sudo dpkg --configure -a

see what results, and carry forth.

we be try'n

[slgtheindividual]

Ok still no luck I'm afraid:

~$ sudo initctl emit mountkernfs
~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
Setting up procps (1:3.3.4-2) ...
update-rc.d: warning: start and stop actions are no longer supported; falling back to defaults
insserv: Service mountkernfs has to be enabled to start service procps
insserv: exiting now!
update-rc.d: error: insserv rejected the script header
dpkg: error processing procps (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of udev:
 udev depends on procps; however:
  Package procps is not configured yet.


dpkg: error processing udev (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 procps
 udev

and

~$ sudo service procps start
procps stop/waiting
~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
Setting up procps (1:3.3.4-2) ...
update-rc.d: warning: start and stop actions are no longer supported; falling back to defaults
insserv: Service mountkernfs has to be enabled to start service procps
insserv: exiting now!
update-rc.d: error: insserv rejected the script header
dpkg: error processing procps (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of udev:
 udev depends on procps; however:
  Package procps is not configured yet.


dpkg: error processing udev (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 procps
 udev

[Bashing-om]

slgtheindividual; & ian-weisser --

I am still stuck on this. I see it as a corrupted header file - some where.

update-rc.d: warning:

//

Looking for a good reason why mountkernfs is not set by default...seeking a means to determine the initiating script, and once more I am not making much headway. A failure on my part to understand what is going on with upstart (??).

what we have here is a failure to communicate !

[ian-weisser]

Hmmm.
Does the same error occur after a reboot?

[Bashing-om]

Ian, Hello;

I am still mystified that "mountkernfs" will not start, even manually:

~$ sudo initctl emit mountkernfs
~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
Setting up procps (1:3.3.4-2) ...
update-rc.d: warning: start and stop actions are no longer supported; falling back to defaults
insserv: Service mountkernfs has to be enabled to start service procps

Now from "cat /etc/init/mountkernfs.sh.conf" -which appears to be valid
there is:

start on virtual-filesystems

Can we imply that "mountkernfs will not start so long as "virtual-filesystems" is not started ?

and what is this relationship ?

update-rc.d: error: insserv rejected the script header

Which brings me back to the original question ... "What script header" ?? As it does not appear to be "mountkernfs.sh.conf" -> "/etc/insserv.conf" and I do not see a relationship there to either "mountkernfs" or "procps".

as around and round I go

[ian-weisser]

start on virtual-filesystems

When init hears the virtual-filesystems signal (offhand, I don't know which .conf sends it),
then it starts the mountkernfs service. Your assumption that A must run for B to run is usually correct.

Setting up procps (1:3.3.4-2) ...

Hang on, that's a not-current version of procps.
Consider deleting it from the package cache ( sudo apt-get clean procps ) and redownloading ( sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade )

$ rmadison -u ubuntu procps
[...]
    procps | 1:3.3.3-2ubuntu9 | saucy-updates | source, amd64, arm64, armhf, i386, powerpc
[...]