13.10 -> 14.04 upgrade failed: initramfs failed to ugprade, udev is not configured yet

Thanks for your report.

From apt-term.log

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of initramfs-tools:
 initramfs-tools depends on udev (>= 147~-5); however:
  Package udev is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package initramfs-tools (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up libplymouth2:amd64 (0.8.8-0ubuntu15) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of plymouth:
 plymouth depends on initramfs-tools; however:
  Package initramfs-tools is not configured yet.
 plymouth depends on upstart (>= 1.11-0ubuntu3); however:
  Package upstart is not configured yet.
 plymouth depends on udev (>= 166-0ubuntu4); however:
  Package udev is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package plymouth (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of mountall:
 mountall depends on udev; however:
  Package udev is not configured yet.
 mountall depends on plymouth; however:
  Package plymouth is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package mountall (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of ifupdown:
 ifupdown depends on initscripts (>= 2.88dsf-25); however:
  Package initscripts is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package ifupdown (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.19-0ubuntu2) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 initramfs-tools
 plymouth
 mountall
 ifupdown

I tried using apt-clone to restore the system state of the reporter's system using the apt-clone file enclosed in the attachment and this failed. There were many error messages about from the pkgProblemResolver regarding held packages.

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

Looks like i've got the same issue.
Although, i must admit, package manager did a hell of a job recovering - not only i got working system, i got _actually updated_ system.

Most people experiencing this bug seem to be running Kubuntu.

I reproduced this issue with the apt-clone from the OP.

@Brian, you have to enable multi-arch with "dpkg --add-architecture i386" before restoring the clone, otherwise some packages are not installable.

Fwiw, I can reproduce this with:
"""
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libqt4-declarative:amd64:^M
 libqt4-declarative:amd64 depends on libqtgui4 (= 4:4.8.5+git192-g085f851+dfsg
-2ubuntu4); however:^M
  Package libqtgui4:amd64 is not configured yet.^M
^M
dpkg: error processing package libqt4-declarative:amd64 (--configure):^M
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured^M
"""

This is a instace of the apt debian bug #740843, I will cherry pick the fix for this.
Unfortunately we need to SRU it.

Here is the debdiff for upstream commit http://anonscm.debian.org/gitweb/?p=apt/apt.git;a=commit;h=0caa5a4c6472d1b74444c4f38ced6c3b89fa50fe

Its not entirely without risk as the change is relatively recent and hasn't yet got that much testing inside debian.

I confirmed that when installing the libapt-pkg4.12 1.0 (from debian/unstable) prior to the upgrade the bug is no longer triggered.

Fwiw, the upgrade works with the attached debdiff in my test-system.

This bug was fixed in the package apt - 0.9.15.4ubuntu4

---------------
apt (0.9.15.4ubuntu4) trusty; urgency=low

  Cherry pick fixes from the apt 1.0 branch:

  [ Michael Vogt ]
  * add sun-java{5,6}-jdk to breaks/replaces as that provided a "apt"
    binary as well

  [ David Kalnischkies ]
  * ensure proper teardown in dpkg error cases (Closes: 738969)
  * use the pretty fullname of a pkg as download desciption
  * cmdline parsing: apt-config is not apt-cdrom
  * do not configure already unpacked packages needlessly (Closes: 740843)
    LP: #1286161

  [ Julian Andres Klode ]
  * Promote xz-utils from apt Suggests to libapt-pkg Depends
 -- Michael Vogt <email address hidden> Fri, 04 Apr 2014 09:08:51 +0200

Hello Darren, or anyone else affected,

Accepted apt into saucy-proposed. The package will build now and be available at http://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/0.9.9.1~ubuntu3.1 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, and change the tag from verification-needed to verification-done. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed. In either case, details of your testing will help us make a better decision.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance!

I was able to successfully complete an upgrade using the apt-clone file mentioned in the test case and apt version 0.9.9.1~ubuntu3.1 from saucy-proposed.

Strangely looking at main.log it shows the wrong version of apt being used but installed packages in the apt-clone file shows the correct version. Testing what the release upgrader uses exhibits the same behaviour.

Setting up apt (0.9.9.1~ubuntu3.1) ...
gpg: key 437D05B5: "Ubuntu Archive Automatic Signing Key <email address hidden>" not changed
gpg: key FBB75451: "Ubuntu CD Image Automatic Signing Key <email address hidden>" not changed
gpg: key C0B21F32: "Ubuntu Archive Automatic Signing Key (2012) <email address hidden>" not changed
gpg: key EFE21092: "Ubuntu CD Image Automatic Signing Key (2012) <email address hidden>" not changed
gpg: Total number processed: 4
gpg: unchanged: 4
(saucy-amd64)root@impulse:/home/bdmurray# python -c 'import apt; print apt.apt_pkg.VERSION'
0.9.9.1~ubuntu1

This bug was fixed in the package apt - 0.9.9.1~ubuntu3.1

---------------
apt (0.9.9.1~ubuntu3.1) saucy-proposed; urgency=low

  * cherry pick upstream commit 0caa5a4c to fix multiarch upgrade
    bug LP: #1286161
 -- Michael Vogt <email address hidden> Thu, 03 Apr 2014 12:49:08 +0200

The verification of the Stable Release Update for apt has completed successfully and the package has now been released to -updates. Subsequently, the Ubuntu Stable Release Updates Team is being unsubscribed and will not receive messages about this bug report. In the event that you encounter a regression using the package from -updates please report a new bug using ubuntu-bug and tag the bug report regression-update so we can easily find any regresssions.