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dpkg-deb: wait for tar failed: No child processes

Hi

I am doing a apt-get upgrade and suddenly it is not working anymore.

i am getting the error:
dpkg-deb: wait for tar failed: No child processes
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libbz2-dev_1.0.3-6_i386.deb (--unpack):

and as you see at the aatached log, i am getting this for every package

i am using debian
my df shows that my hard disks are not full
server222:/# df
Filesystem 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/hda1 7552700 1492644 5676388 21% /

Code:

server222:/# apt-get upgrade

Reading Package Lists... Done

Building Dependency Tree... Done

You might want to run `apt-get -f install' to correct these.

The following packages have unmet dependencies:

  sysvinit: Depends: e2fsprogs (>= 1.15-1) but it is not installed

E: Unmet dependencies. Try using -f.

server222:/# apt-get -f upgrade

Reading Package Lists... Done

Building Dependency Tree... Done

Correcting dependencies... Done

The following NEW packages will be installed:

  e2fsprogs initscripts sysv-rc

The following packages have been kept back:

  amavisd-new apache apache-common apache2-utils apt apt-file apt-utils ash bc bind9-host bison++ clamav clamav-base clamav-daemon clamav-freshclam

  console-common console-tools courier-authdaemon courier-base courier-imap courier-imap-ssl courier-pop courier-pop-ssl courier-ssl cpp debhelper dnsutils

  docbook docbook-xml flexml fontconfig ftp g++ gcc gdb gdk-imlib1 gettext-el gnome-bin gnome-libs-data gnome-terminal gnupg grep-dctrl groff-base html2text

  iamerican ibritish imagemagick irssi-text ispell kernel-package libapache-db-perl libapache-mod-perl libapache-mod-php4 libauthen-pam-perl

  libc-client2002edebian libcompress-zlib-perl libconvert-uulib-perl libcupsys2-gnutls10 libcurl3 libdbd-mysql-perl libdigest-sha1-perl libfam0c102

  libfontconfig1 libft-perl libgcc1 libgd1 libgd2-xpm libgdbm-ruby libglade-gnome0 libglade0 libglpng libgnome32 libgnomesupport0 libgnomeui32 libgnorba27

  libgnorbagtk0 libhtml-format-perl libhtml-parser-perl libldap2 liblocale-gettext-perl libmagick6 libmail-box-perl libmysql-ruby libnet-server-perl

  libnet-ssleay-perl libpam-modules libperl5.8 libpg-perl librpm4 libruby libsasl2 libsasl2-modules libsasl2-modules-sql libscrollkeeper0 libtext-charwidth-

  libtext-iconv-perl libunix-syslog-perl libzvt2 menu mysql-client mysql-server netbase netkit-ping openssl pciutils perl perl-base perl-modules php4 php4-c

  php4-common php4-curl php4-gd php4-imap php4-mysql postfix postfix-ldap postfix-mysql postfix-pcre proftpd proftpd-common python python-newt reportbug rpm

  ruby samba-common scrollkeeper sgml-data spamassassin spamc ssh tasksel telnet unrar vacation wget whiptail xlibmesa-dev xlibmesa3 xlibs xlibs-dev

The following packages will be upgraded:

  adduser arj autoconf automake base-passwd bash bcc biff bin86 binutils bsdmainutils bsdutils bzip2 cpio cpp-2.95 cron dc dhcp-client dpkg-dev elks-libc

  esound-clients ethtool fdutils findutils finger flex g++-2.95 gawk gcc-2.95 gettext gettext-base grep gzip hdparm hostname ifupdown info iptables joe klog

  less lha libacl1 libart2 libattr1 libbz2-1.0 libbz2-dev libcomerr2 libdb1-compat libdb3 libdb3-dev libdb4.2 libdbi-perl libdps1 libesd0 libexpat1 libfreet

  libfreetype6-dev libgcrypt11 libgdbm3 libglib1.2 libgpg-error0 libgpmg1 libgtk1.2 libidn11 libjpeg62 libjpeg62-dev libkrb53 liblcms1 liblockfile1 libltdl3

  libltdl3-dev liblzo1 libopencdk8 libpam0g libpcre3 libpng12-0 libpng12-dev libpopt0 libssl0.9.7 libstdc++2.10-glibc2.2 libstdc++5 libtar libtiff4 libttf2

  libungif4g libwrap0 libxml1 libxml2 libzzip-0-12 lilo login logrotate lpr lsof m4 make man-db mbr mii-diag mlock modutils mpack mtools mtr-tiny nano

  ncurses-base nvi oidentd passwd patch pkg-config procps psmisc rcs realpath rsync screen setserial strace sudo sysklogd syslinux sysvinit tar tcl8.3 tcl8.

  tcpd tcsh texinfo tk8.3 ucf unzip util-linux util-linux-locales whois xfree86-common xinetd zip zoo

140 upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove and 142 not upgraded.

71 not fully installed or removed.

Need to get 40.1MB/40.9MB of archives.

After unpacking 18.1MB of additional disk space will be used.

Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y



a lot of GET ...



Fetched 40.1MB in 15s (2514kB/s)

Extracting templates from packages: 100%

Preconfiguring packages ...

(Reading database ... 45012 files and directories currently installed.)

Preparing to replace gettext-base 0.14.4-2 (using .../gettext-base_0.16.1-1_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement gettext-base ...

Preparing to replace gettext 0.14.4-2 (using .../gettext_0.16.1-1_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement gettext ...

Preparing to replace libdbi-perl 1.46-6 (using .../libdbi-perl_1.53-1_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement libdbi-perl ...

dpkg-deb: wait for tar failed: No child processes

dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libbz2-dev_1.0.3-6_i386.deb (--unpack):

 subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2

dpkg-deb: wait for tar failed: No child processes

dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libbz2-1.0_1.0.3-6_i386.deb (--unpack):

 subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2

dpkg-deb: wait for tar failed: No child processes

dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libidn11_0.6.5-1_i386.deb (--unpack):

 subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2

Preparing to replace libssl0.9.7 0.9.7e-3sarge4 (using .../libssl0.9.7_0.9.7k-3.1_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement libssl0.9.7 ...

Preparing to replace libpng12-dev 1.2.8rel-1 (using .../libpng12-dev_1.2.15~beta5-1_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement libpng12-dev ...

dpkg-deb: wait for tar failed: No child processes

dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libpng12-0_1.2.15~beta5-1_i386.deb (--unpack):

 subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2

Preparing to replace cpp-2.95 1:2.95.4-22 (using .../cpp-2.95_1%3a2.95.4-27_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement cpp-2.95 ...

Preparing to replace binutils 2.15-6 (using .../binutils_2.17-3_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement binutils ...

dpkg-deb: wait for tar failed: No child processes

dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/gcc-2.95_1%3a2.95.4-27_i386.deb (--unpack):

 subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2

dpkg-deb: wait for tar failed: No child processes

dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/elks-libc_0.16.14-1.4_i386.deb (--unpack):

 subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2

Preparing to replace bcc 0.16.14-1.2 (using .../bcc_0.16.14-1.4_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement bcc ...

Preparing to replace bin86 0.16.14-1.2 (using .../bin86_0.16.14-1.4_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement bin86 ...

Preparing to replace libgpmg1 1.19.6-19sarge1 (using .../libgpmg1_1.19.6-25_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement libgpmg1 ...

Unpacking sysv-rc (from .../sysv-rc_2.86.ds1-38_all.deb) ...

Replacing files in old package sysvinit ...

dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/sysv-rc_2.86.ds1-38_all.deb (--unpack):

 unable to make backup link of `./etc/init.d/rc' before installing new version: Operation not permitted

dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)

Errors were encountered while processing:

 /var/cache/apt/archives/libbz2-dev_1.0.3-6_i386.deb

 /var/cache/apt/archives/libbz2-1.0_1.0.3-6_i386.deb

 /var/cache/apt/archives/libidn11_0.6.5-1_i386.deb

 /var/cache/apt/archives/libpng12-0_1.2.15~beta5-1_i386.deb

 /var/cache/apt/archives/gcc-2.95_1%3a2.95.4-27_i386.deb

 /var/cache/apt/archives/elks-libc_0.16.14-1.4_i386.deb

 /var/cache/apt/archives/sysv-rc_2.86.ds1-38_all.deb

Updating Debian Packages of System Configurations (dpsyco).

E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Your sources.list file does not point to "stable" as opposed to "sarge," does it? Lots of peculiar apt problems have been arising related to that since Sarge and Stable are no longer the same thing.

where can i get an update for my source file?

Unless you want to do a fresh install, read the release notes, and consider an upgrade. People following those instructions carefully have reported near unanimous success.

If you would rather not upgrade, and you think there is a problem with your sources.list file (/etc/apt/sources.list), post it here, and someone will advise you.

thanks so far. I will consider the upgrade. but i would appreciate the help with the source.list meanwhile

Code:

deb http://security.debian.org/ stable/updates main contrib non-free



deb ftp://ftp.freenet.de/pub/ftp.debian.org/debian/ stable main non-free contrib

deb-src ftp://ftp.freenet.de/pub/ftp.debian.org/debian/ stable main non-free contrib

deb http://non-us.debian.org/debian-non-US stable/non-US main contrib non-free

deb-src http://non-us.debian.org/debian-non-US stable/non-US main contrib non-free

Just change all occurences of "stable" to "sarge" and do ...
# apt-get update
# apt-get upgrade

You could delete the lines about non-US repos. They don't exist any more.

hm it's not getting better

Code:

server222:/home/xena# apt-get -f install

Reading Package Lists... Done

Building Dependency Tree... Done

Correcting dependencies... Done

The following extra packages will be installed:

  sysv-rc

Suggested packages:

  sysv-rc-conf

The following packages will be REMOVED:

  console-tools elks-libc kernel-image-2.4.20-bf2.4 libpng12-dev modconf modutils sysvinit

The following NEW packages will be installed:

  sysv-rc

WARNING: The following essential packages will be removed

This should NOT be done unless you know exactly what you are doing!

  sysvinit

0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 7 to remove and 74 not upgraded.

81 not fully installed or removed.

Need to get 35.3kB of archives.

After unpacking 25.1MB disk space will be freed.

You are about to do something potentially harmful

To continue type in the phrase 'Yes, do as I say!'

 ?] Yes, do as I say!

Get:1 ftp://ftp.freenet.de sarge/main sysv-rc 2.86.ds1-1 [35.3kB]

Fetched 35.3kB in 0s (308kB/s)

(Reading database ... 45050 files and directories currently installed.)

Removing libpng12-dev ...

Removing modconf ...

Removing elks-libc ...

Removing console-tools ...

Document `lct' is not installed, cannot remove.

Removing kernel-image-2.4.20-bf2.4 ...

Removing modutils ...

WARNING: Kernel was compiled with modules support!

Removing the modutils package could result in an unusable

system if you use modules. Remove this package only if you

are really sure of what you are doing.



If you really want to remove modutils type 'yes': n

Aborting removal of modutils package

dpkg: error processing modutils (--remove):

 subprocess pre-removal script returned error exit status 1

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg - warning, overriding problem because --force enabled:

 This is an essential package - it should not be removed.

dpkg: sysvinit: dependency problems, but removing anyway as you request:

 modutils depends on sysvinit (>= 2.71-2).

Removing sysvinit ...

dpkg - warning: while removing sysvinit, unable to remove directory `/etc/init.d/rc': Operation not permitted - directory may be a mount point ?

Errors were encountered while processing:

 modutils

Updating Debian Packages of System Configurations (dpsyco).

E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

server222:/home/xena#

Quote:

You are about to do something potentially harmful
To continue type in the phrase 'Yes, do as I say!'
?] Yes, do as I say!

You are getting in very very deep.

The original upgrade from "stable" tried but failed to install some packages that were incompatible with Sarge. Although you told me you did not want that, you have insisted to Apt that it clear the way for those packages to be installed.

You should have used dpkg -P to clear those partial installs instead.

If you still have a working system, I assume you are frantically backing up any critical data.

i don't know how, but the system is still running..
there is no real critical data on that system. :)

what can I try?

I have to leave right now, but my advice would be to start working on getting it upgraded to Etch, the new Stable. Read thru the Release notes, and start upgrading per the instructions there. Since there is not critical data, the worst that could happen is a fresh install.

Take your time. Maybe someone else will be able to provide some good advice about saving your current system.

Quote:

dpkg - warning: while removing sysvinit, unable to remove directory `/etc/init.d/rc': Operation not permitted - directory may be a mount point ?

Can you explain this?
what gives
mount -l

I guess you got back sysvinit? Otherwise, you won't boot anymore.

It's quite a mess on your machine ;)

Code:

/dev/hda1 on / type ext3 (rw,errors=remount-ro)

proc on /proc type proc (rw)

i am not so sure. i didn't reboot for a long time. i guess i shouldn't ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by snudel

Code:

/dev/hda1 on / type ext3 (rw,errors=remount-ro)

proc on /proc type proc (rw)

i am not so sure. i didn't reboot for a long time. i guess i shouldn't ;)

Try :D
Before, check if you have /sbin/init ;)

I wonder what kernel you are running (uname -r), if any :D :

Quote:

Removing kernel-image-2.4.20-bf2.4 ...

And then check if you still have any other kernel in /boot
Without a kernel, it's always harder to boot ;)

2.4.25.2

i will just reinstall - once i have time
rebboting i'll better skip as the file is not there anymore :)

i wonder how that could happen...

Quote:

Originally Posted by snudel

i wonder how that could happen...

Have you been in holidays the last months? :)
Debian changed stable from sarge to etch.