Bug#279134: Obscure error from main-menu after grub-installer has run

[Frans Pop]

On Monday 01 November 2004 16:49, Joey Hess wrote:
> I've seen this message, it seems to be harmless and seemed to be coming
> from the grub-install script being run in the chroot. It probably is a
> bug, it's just that grub-install is not set -e so the problem doesn't
> crash it.

Hmmm. I very much doubt that grub-install being chrooted is the cause.

I can reproduce the error by running 
  udpkg --configure --force-configure grub-installer
from vt2 and, as you can see from the attached 'script' file, the error 
happens right at the beginning.
(I used <go back> from the first debconf screen.)

Hmmmm again.
I think the '36' refers to line 36 of the postinst. This would mean that 
the error is in:
<snip>
get_serial_console() {
    local defconsole=$(sed -e 's/.*console=/console=/' /proc/cmdline);
    if echo "${defconsole}" | grep -q console=ttyS; then
        local PORT=$(echo "${defconsole}" | \
            sed -e 's%^console=ttyS%%' -e 's%,.*%%')
        local SPEED=$(echo "${defconsole}" | \
            sed -e 's%^console=ttyS[0-9]\+,%%' -e 's% .*%%')
        local SERIAL="${PORT},${SPEED}"
        echo "console=$SERIAL"
    fi
}

serial="$(get_serial_console)"            # <--- This is line 36
</snip>

This is not unlikely as /proc/cmdline does contain '--'.
I will try to narrow this down further (and maybe even patch?) tomorrow.

/me is very happy he was able to track this down (logs should be clean!)

Script started on Mon Nov  1 23:12:47 2004


BusyBox v1.00-pre10 (Debian 20040623-1) Built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.

/var/lib/cdebconf # udpkg --configure --force-configure grub-installer
(Reading database...)
(process:2375): [?25l[?1c[?25h[?0c
(process:2375): 

(process:2375): local: 36: 
(process:2375): --: bad variable name
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): [?25l[?1c                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
(process:2375):                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
(process:2375):                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ���������������������Ĵ Installing GRUB boot loader ���������������������Ŀ�                                                                         � � 0%[14
(process:2375): ;76H � �                                                                         � �                                                                         � �                                                                         � ���������������������������������������������������������������������������                                                                            
(process:2375): Installing the 'grub' package...
(process:2375):            16
(process:2375): Looking for other operating systems...
(process:2375):             33
(process:2375): Determining GRUB boot device...       
(process:2375): ��������������Ĵ [!] Configuring grub-installer.postinst ��������������Ŀ�                                                                       � � It seems that this installation of Debian is the only operating       � � system on this computer. If so, it should be safe to install the GRUB � � boot loader to the master boot record of your first hard drive.       � �� � Warning: If the installer failed to detect another operating system   � [
(process:2375): 0;10m� that is present on your computer, modifying the master boot record    � � will make that operating system temporarily unbootable, though GRUB   � � can be manually configured later to boot it.� �                                                                       � � Install the GRUB boot loader to the master boot record?               ��                                                                       � �     <Go Back>                                     
(process:2375):   <Yes>    <No>     � �                                                                       � �������������������������������������������������������������������������                                                                          
(process:2375): <Yes>    <No>
(process:2375): <Go Back><No>
(process:2375):                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ��������������������Ĵ Installing GRUB boot loader ���������������������Ŀ  �                                   33%                                   �                                                                         � Determining GRUB boot device...                                         �                                               [30
(process:2375): m���������������������������������������������������������������������������                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
(process:2375):                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
(process:2375): [?25h[?0c
(process:2375): 

(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
(process:2375): 
grub-installer's postinst exited with status 10
(Updating database...)
/var/lib/cdebconf # exit
Script done on Mon Nov  1 23:13:25 2004