dmsetup and libdevmapper1.02.1 fail to install, depend on each other

There is a whole chain of failures:

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of systemd:
 systemd depends on libcryptsetup4 (>= 2:1.4.3); however:
  Package libcryptsetup4 is not configured yet.

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libcryptsetup4:
 libcryptsetup4 depends on libdevmapper1.02.1 (>= 2:1.02.90); however:
  Package libdevmapper1.02.1:amd64 is not configured yet.

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libdevmapper1.02.1:amd64:
 libdevmapper1.02.1:amd64 depends on dmsetup (>= 2:1.02.90-2ubuntu1); however:
  Package dmsetup is not configured yet.

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of dmsetup:
 dmsetup depends on libdevmapper1.02.1 (>= 2:1.02.90); however:
  Package libdevmapper1.02.1:amd64 is not configured yet.

So this is a cyclic dependency between dmsetup and libdevmapper1.02.1.

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

"Update aborted. Your system may be left in an unworkable state"

The setting for "dictionaries-common/default-wordlist" is missing, but packages providing candidates are installed: "miscfiles, wamerican, wbritish".

This may be due to corruption in the debconf database. See "/usr/share/doc/dictionaries-common/README.problems" on "Debconf database corruption".

In this case, running "/usr/share/debconf/fix_db.pl" can help to put the debconf database in a consistent state.

Some questions are likely to be asked after this message in order to leave the dictionaries system in a (provisionally) working state.

Could not install '/var/cache/apt/archives/init_1.22ubuntu11_amd64.deb'

The upgrade will continue but the '/var/cache/apt/archives/init_1.22ubuntu11_amd64.deb' package may not be in a working state. Please consider submitting a bug report about it.

no package named `init' is installed, cannot configure

TRASHED!

Cyclic dependencies should be handled properly by apt already. Seems like in this case it should pass both libdevmapper1.02.1 and dmsetup to dpkg --configure in this case. It's something apt should already be able to do, but here we seem to be hitting some edge case. Reassigning to apt.

This bug hit me today upgrading from 14.04 LTS. The output of apt-get install -f was complaining about init scripts with errors. The main culprits were two scripts added by vmware. After I deleted those two scripts, apt-get install -f was able to move forward. After that, I ran apt-get upgrade and then apt-get autoremove. Then I rebooted, and it worked!

What scripts might that be?

Why incomplete? Based on the original bug filing and Martin Pitt's follow up in comment #2 the problem is (or was) dmsetup and libdevmapper depending on each other. Has that dependency issue been addressed? I'm not complaining, just curious.

Circular dependencies between packages (especially between two packages with postinst scripts) should be avoided wherever possible. Unfortunately in this case it's not possible. So it does appear to be a bug that's only fixable in apt.

Hello Willy, or anyone else affected,

Accepted apt into trusty-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/1.0.1ubuntu2.11 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 installed the version of apt from trusty-proposed as seen in /var/log/dist-upgrade/apt-term.log:

Preparing to unpack .../apt_1.0.9.7ubuntu4.2_amd64.deb ...^M
Unpacking apt (1.0.9.7ubuntu4.2) over (1.0.1ubuntu2.11) ...^M
Processing triggers for man-db (2.6.7.1-1ubuntu1) ...^M

The upgrade from Trusty to Vivid proceeded without error. From /var/log/dist-upgrade/main.log:

2016-01-12 14:22:18,584 DEBUG Finish checking for obsolete pkgs
2016-01-12 14:22:18,614 DEBUG The following packages are marked for removal: friends-twitter libcdr-0.0-0 xserver-xorg-video-neomagic-lts-vivid gir1.2-messagingmenu-1.0 libplist1 libcrypt-passwdmd5-perl libsystemd-login0 libgdata13 xserver-xorg-input-mouse-lts-vivid xserver-xorg-video-sisusb-lts-vivid libgles1-mesa-lts-vivid xserver-xorg-input-synaptics-lts-vivid xserver-xorg-video-nouveau-lts-vivid xserver-xorg-video-all-lts-vivid libmbim-glib0 libexiv2-12 friends-facebook friends xserver-xorg-input-vmmouse-lts-vivid unity-lens-friends xserver-xorg-input-wacom-lts-vivid libboost-date-time1.54.0 libboost-system1.54.0 xserver-xorg-video-radeon-lts-vivid python-notify libmspub-0.0-0 xserver-xorg-video-r128-lts-vivid libwpg-0.2-2 libcolorhug1 xserver-xorg-video-tdfx-lts-vivid python-pexpect qtdeclarative5-privatewidgets-plugin gir1.2-edataserver-1.2 libgnome-desktop-3-7 liborcus-0.6-0 libvte-2.90-9 python-renderpm libsystemd-daemon0 gir1.2-vte-2.90 xserver-xorg-video-mach64-lts-vivid libvisio-0.0-0 libfriends0 gir1.2-ebook-1.2 libcmis-0.4-4 libprotobuf8 linux-image-extra-3.19.0-25-generic friends-dispatcher linux-image-generic-lts-vivid python-libxml2 linux-image-3.19.0-25-generic libpoppler44 libelfg0 libreoffice-presentation-minimizer python-ibus python-reportlab-accel libthumbnailer0 librtmp0 xserver-xorg-video-siliconmotion-lts-vivid libwnck-common xserver-xorg-video-savage-lts-vivid python-reportlab libvte-2.90-common xserver-xorg-input-all-lts-vivid xserver-xorg-video-vmware-lts-vivid xserver-xorg-video-ati-lts-vivid libparted0debian1 linux-headers-generic-lts-vivid linux-headers-3.19.0-25-generic libgles2-mesa-lts-vivid libcamel-1.2-45 libwps-0.2-2 libwpd-0.9-9 libvncserver0 libgtop2-7 python-gnomekeyring gtk3-engines-unico libgrip0 xserver-xorg-video-intel-lts-vivid libt1-5 libsystemd-journal0 libcolord1 gir1.2-ebookcontacts-1.2 linux-generic-lts-vivid python-gconf libqmi-glib0 xserver-xorg-video-vesa-lts-vivid python-smbc libplymouth2 xserver-xorg-video-trident-lts-vivid libgnutls26 libwnck22 gir1.2-gconf-2.0 ubuntu-extras-keyring xserver-xorg-video-mga-lts-vivid python-requests qtdeclarative5-ubuntu-ui-extras-browser-plugin-assets libgnome-media-profiles-3.0-0 libraw9 xserver-xorg-video-openchrome-lts-vivid xserver-xorg-video-cirrus-lts-vivid account-plugin-twitter libxatracker2-lts-vivid xserver-xorg-video-fbdev-lts-vivid gir1.2-networkmanager-1.0 libminiupnpc8 linux-headers-3.19.0-25 libqt5webkit5-qmlwebkitplugin libupower-glib1 libqt5sensors5
2016-01-12 14:34:44,786 INFO cache.commit()
2016-01-12 14:34:57,948 DEBUG plugins for condition 'PostCleanup' are '[]'
2016-01-12 14:34:57,948 DEBUG plugins for condition 'vividPostCleanup' are '[]'
2016-01-12 14:34:57,948 DEBUG plugins for condition 'from_trusty...

Hello Adam,

Sorry, somewhere I guess i messed up. What I did was:

      * a Virtual box image with 14.04 comepltely up to date
      * did the things in the "EnableProposed"
      * ran software updater and chose upgrade
      * then I get this:
      *

Did I mess up to reproduce .. ?

With kind regards, Willy Schulte.

On di, 2016-01-12 at 20:12 +0000, Adam Conrad wrote:

> Hello Willy, or anyone else affected,
>
> Accepted apt into trusty-proposed. The package will build now and be
> available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apt/1.0.1ubuntu2.11 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!
>
> ** Changed in: apt (Ubuntu Trusty)
> Status: In Progress => Fix Committed
>
> ** Tags added: verification-needed
>

@ Willy, under Software & Updates > Updates tab did you have Notify me of a new Ubuntu version set to For LTS only or For any new release? If it's still set for LTS only that may explain the failure.

@Willy - "/var/log/dist-upgrade/main.log" would be helpful in determining why the upgrade path could not be calculated. Additionally, it'd be best to only install apt and libapt-pkg4.12 from trusty-proposed instead of everything.

This bug was fixed in the package apt - 1.0.1ubuntu2.11

---------------
apt (1.0.1ubuntu2.11) trusty; urgency=medium

  * apt-pkg/packagemanager.cc:
    - fix incorrect configure ordering in the SmartConfigure step by skipping
      packages that do not need immediate action. (LP: #1347721, #1497688)

 -- Brian Murray <email address hidden> Fri, 08 Jan 2016 16:09:22 -0800

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 regressions.