Ubuntu 11.10 linux 3.0.0-13 has stopped booting

[sdd]

Please Help. I am having problems booting in to Ubuntu 11.10 with the 3.0.0-13 Linux kernel

It booted fine last night. Now I get two flashing lights (caps lock and the one next to it) almost immediately after selection in grub.

The rescue option does the same thing!

There is nothing on the console. The screen just stays purple. Hitting ESC has no effect.

I can boot using the previous version of the kernel 3.0.0-12. This boots normally.

I used synaptic to re-install linux* where the version is 3.0.0-13 but this failed to complete with dependency errors.

How do I UN-install 3.0.0-13 and then RE-install.

Is there a repair option.

If I wait will 3.0.0-14 come alone and make all this unnecessary?

SDD

[darkod]

You completely remove with:

sudo apt-get --purge remove 'package name'

You install with:

sudo apt-get install 'package name'

although I have never tried installing kernels like that.

Yes, if you are willing to wait long enough (not sure how long but not long), a new kernel will come along.

So it's up to you whether you want to continue booting -12 until a new one comes without even trying to fix/reinstall -13.

[sdd]

I don't think I will try:

sudo apt-get --purge remove linux*

I do not know the correct package names and I am a bit of a coward:(

I will wait unless someone has another option!

Bit irritating though. It was fine last night!

Thanks for the advice:D

[darkod]

You definitely DO NOT use remove linux*, that will remove all of them. :)

If I'm not wrong, the exact kernel name is:
linux-image-3.0.0-13-generic

All the kernels are installed in /boot (I think) and you can check what is there with:

ls /boot

[bluexrider]

Please Help. I am having problems booting in to Ubuntu 11.10 with the 3.0.0-13 Linux kernel

It booted fine last night. Now I get two flashing lights (caps lock and the one next to it) almost immediately after selection in grub.

The rescue option does the same thing!

There is nothing on the console. The screen just stays purple. Hitting ESC has no effect.

I can boot using the previous version of the kernel 3.0.0-12. This boots normally.

I used synaptic to re-install linux* where the version is 3.0.0-13 but this failed to complete with dependency errors.

How do I UN-install 3.0.0-13 and then RE-install.



Is there a repair option.

If I wait will 3.0.0-14 come alone and make all this unnecessary?

SDD

Find your exact kernel, in terminal

sudo dpkg --get-selections | grep linux-image

Then
To remove the kernel
sudo apt-get purge linux-image-3.0.0-13-generic

reboot

[sdd]

Thanks to all who have responded.

I will take a backup of my stuff and then do a purge...

Regards

SDD

[SchneiderIS]

I have EXACTLY the same problem. It came though right from the upgrade.

[SchneiderIS]

I think I have gotten past the issue. Booting into -12 I then installed the recommended nvidia driver and all the other updates. After a reboot everything processed through as it should.

The next thing I did was moved back to a gnome classic theme. That though was not required.

[sdd]

OK

3.0.0-13 still not working...
3.0.0-12 boots OK
Update manager says update to 3.0.0-14 :D

Fails to complete installation :( with a package error. No change to Grub!

Synaptic show 3.0.0-14 headers only so I remove them using synaptic. Start with clean slate!

sudo apt-get purge linux-image-3.0.0-13-generic

Reboot. Grub shows only 3.0.0-12 in boot menu.

Install 3.0.0-14

sudo apt-get install linux-image-3.0.0-14-generic

Also install 3.0.0-14 headers using Synaptic.

Reboot. Grub shows 3.0.0-14 and 3.0.0-12 in boot menu.

Boot from 3.0.0-14 - Same as 3.0.0-13. Kernel Panic!

Please don't close this issue it is a REAL problem!

Has anyone found a cure for this. It is driving me mad!

SDD:(

[fibster]

show us your

ls /boot

does it look like this?

abi-3.0.0-12-generic memtest86+.bin
abi-3.0.0-13-generic memtest86+_multiboot.bin
config-3.0.0-12-generic System.map-3.0.0-12-generic
config-3.0.0-13-generic System.map-3.0.0-13-generic
grub vmcoreinfo-3.0.0-12-generic
initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic vmcoreinfo-3.0.0-13-generic
initrd.img-3.0.0-13-generic vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic
lost+found vmlinuz-3.0.0-13-generic



I imagine yours is missing the initrd for -13


good luck,

fibster

[sdd]

That is correct for 3.0.0-13. I did not look at 3.0.0-14 just got fed up and kicked it out!

Also my grub config did not use the uuid for the boot drive.

Does any one know how to the the update manager to relode 3.0.0.14 again. It updated, failed but would not update again. It says I am up to date even though I have purged 3.0.0-13 and 3.0.0-14.

Or should I use synaptic. If so does any one know what are ALL the packages I should install.

SDD

[Joshun]

Hi,
If you want to update to the latest kernel image available, do

sudo apt-get install linux-imageTo update the initrd image, do:

sudo update-initramfs -uIf for some reason, that still doesn't work, do:

sudo update-initramfs -c -k 3.0.0-14-genericJoshua

[Joshun]

If none of those work, what is the output of these commands:

file /usr/sbin/update-initramfs
file /usr/sbin/update-initramfs.distribIn some cases, you have to link /usr/sbin/update-initramfs.distrib to /usr/sbin/update-initramfs.

If your output of 'file /usr/sbin/update-initramfs' is
/usr/sbin/update-initramfs: symbolic link to `/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.distrib'and the output of file /usr/sbin/update-initramfs.distrib is
/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.distrib: POSIX shell script text executablethen do:


sudo rm /usr/sbin/update-initramfs
sudo ln -s /usr/sbin/update-initramfs.distrib /usr/sbin/update-initramfsThen run the commands mentioned in the previous post again (sudo update-initramfs -c -k 3.0.0-14-generic and then sudo update-initramfs -u).

[sdd]

Joshua Still no luck
(however the story has a happy ending. please read on)

After installing as instructed the grub dir looks like this:

drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 12288 2011-12-10 23:29 grub
drwxr-xr-x 25 root root 4096 2011-12-10 23:20 ..
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 2011-12-10 23:20 .
-rw------- 1 root root 1367 2011-11-21 21:30 vmcoreinfo-3.0.0-14-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 730770 2011-11-21 21:29 abi-3.0.0-14-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 135131 2011-11-21 21:29 config-3.0.0-14-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 2696015 2011-11-21 21:29 System.map-3.0.0-14-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 4660944 2011-11-21 21:29 vmlinuz-3.0.0-14-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 13740675 2011-10-13 18:49 initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4658096 2011-10-12 15:34 vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 1367 2011-10-07 21:08 vmcoreinfo-3.0.0-12-generic
-rw------- 1 root root 2694177 2011-10-07 21:02 System.map-3.0.0-12-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 730503 2011-10-07 21:02 abi-3.0.0-12-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 134754 2011-10-07 21:02 config-3.0.0-12-generic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 176764 2011-05-03 00:07 memtest86+.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 178944 2011-05-03 00:07 memtest86+_multiboot.bin

As you can see there is no initrd.img-3.0.0-14-generic

file initrd.img
--> initrd.img: broken symbolic link to `/boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-14-generic'

file /usr/sbin/update-initramfs
--> /usr/sbin/update-initramfs: symbolic link to `/bin/true'

file /usr/sbin/update-initramfs.distrib
-->/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.distrib: POSIX shell script text executable

So I did the following:
root@stuart-VPCF11Z1EI:~# sudo rm /usr/sbin/update-initramfs
root@stuart-VPCF11Z1EI:~# sudo ln -s /usr/sbin/update-initramfs.distrib /usr/sbin/update-initramfs
root@stuart-VPCF11Z1EI:~# sudo update-initramfs -u
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic
root@stuart-VPCF11Z1EI:~# sudo update-initramfs -c -k 3.0.0-14-generic
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-14-generic

I can now see initrd.img-3.0.0-14-generic in the /boot path and file initrd.img returns:
-->initrd.img: symbolic link to `/boot/initrd.img-3.0.0-14-generic'

However the problem STILL persisted....

I then went back to my grub.cfg to update it fixing the root=UUID stuff and adding the initrd - but then I thought lets let grub do it so I did an update-grub.

When I checked the grub.cfg it was all fixed :D

I tried again an I can now BOOT to 3.0.0-14 :popcorn:

That is brilliant thanks so much.

Do you have any idea what the root cause is. It would be nice to think that it would be fixed for 3.0.0-15. At least I now have a path to fixing it even if it remains broken.

Once again Joshua a big thanks.

[Joshun]

I'm pleased its fixed, I know how frustrating it is when an otherwise brilliant operating system stops working. I think, in theory, a new kernel should be fine since update-grub is usually called automatically after an update. As for the cause, your file /usr/sbin/update-initramfs was a symlink to /bin/true, so the system thought the update-initramfs script was run successfully but in reality it did nothing (just ran dummy exe /bin/true). Now that you have linked update-initramfs to the proper file, in this case update-initramfs.distrib, the problem should be solved :)

[ppeterb]

The answer goes further back. Installers ubiquity and aptitude (and perhaps more) invoke a filtering process dpkg-divert. This looks at files coming in and can divert them to another location, rename them, or a bunch of other really ugly things. Do a man dpkg-divert for more information on the process. Use the command dpkg-divert --list to see how it affects your system

update-initramfs was diverted to update-initramfs.distrib in my system but I cannot find out why. The whole scheme is an amateurish undocumented crop of patches.

Copy or rename /usr/sbin/update-initramfs.distrib to remove .distrib to keep updates and installs operating. Use a dpkg-divert command (this is not easy, see the man) to implement a real fix - but be alert to the problem returning.