Package: dpkg Version: 1.15.8.10 1.16.0.3 Severity: important File: /usr/bin/update-alternatives Tags: squeeze sid
I just managed to corrupt the alternatives database using the update-alternatives command, see http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=631496 The following small script does the job reproducible: ===== corrupt-alternatives.sh ===== #!/bin/sh #set -e set -x master=${1:-master} touch /tmp/lo /tmp/hi /tmp/slave1 /tmp/slave2 update-alternatives --install /tmp/$master $master /tmp/lo 1 --slave /tmp/$master-slave slave1 /tmp/slave1 update-alternatives --install /tmp/$master $master /tmp/hi 2 --slave /tmp/$master-slave slave2 /tmp/slave2 update-alternatives --display $master update-alternatives --remove $master /tmp/lo update-alternatives --remove $master /tmp/hi update-alternatives --display $master update-alternatives --remove-all $master update-alternatives --display $master ========== # ./corrupt-alternatives.sh test1 + master=test1 + touch /tmp/lo /tmp/hi /tmp/slave1 /tmp/slave2 + update-alternatives --install /tmp/test1 test1 /tmp/lo 1 --slave /tmp/test1-slave slave1 /tmp/slave1 update-alternatives: using /tmp/lo to provide /tmp/test1 (test1) in auto mode. + update-alternatives --install /tmp/test1 test1 /tmp/hi 2 --slave /tmp/test1-slave slave2 /tmp/slave2 update-alternatives: using /tmp/hi to provide /tmp/test1 (test1) in auto mode. + update-alternatives --display test1 update-alternatives: error: /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives/test1 corrupt: duplicate slave link /tmp/test1-slave + update-alternatives --remove test1 /tmp/lo update-alternatives: error: /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives/test1 corrupt: duplicate slave link /tmp/test1-slave + update-alternatives --remove test1 /tmp/hi update-alternatives: error: /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives/test1 corrupt: duplicate slave link /tmp/test1-slave + update-alternatives --display test1 update-alternatives: error: /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives/test1 corrupt: duplicate slave link /tmp/test1-slave + update-alternatives --remove-all test1 update-alternatives: error: /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives/test1 corrupt: duplicate slave link /tmp/test1-slave + update-alternatives --display test1 update-alternatives: error: /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives/test1 corrupt: duplicate slave link /tmp/test1-slave The problem is that the "duplicate slave" is inserted into the database without proper checking and any further operation on this alternative fails. The database it not recoverable by 'update-alternatives --remove-all <broken-alternative>' The problem is reproducible in sid and squeeze, but not in lenny (which had the perl implementation of update-alternatives) - the duplicate is detected before inserting it into the database. Andreas -- System Information: Debian Release: 6.0.1 APT prefers stable APT policy: (800, 'stable'), (700, 'testing'), (600, 'unstable'), (500, 'stable-updates'), (130, 'experimental') Architecture: amd64 (x86_64) Kernel: Linux 2.6.32-5-amd64 (SMP w/4 CPU cores) Locale: LANG=C, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8) Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash Versions of packages dpkg depends on: ii coreutils 8.5-1 GNU core utilities ii libbz2-1.0 1.0.5-6 high-quality block-sorting file co ii libc6 2.13-7 Embedded GNU C Library: Shared lib ii libselinux1 2.0.96-1 SELinux runtime shared libraries ii xz-utils 5.0.0-2 XZ-format compression utilities ii zlib1g 1:1.2.3.4.dfsg-3 compression library - runtime dpkg recommends no packages. Versions of packages dpkg suggests: ii apt 0.8.10.3 Advanced front-end for dpkg -- no debconf information -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
