If it is a bug, it is a bug of the corresponding package and not synaptic. But to be honest I think it's your failure. You cannot expect that everything works correctly if you do not mount the full fs tree.
By the way if you don't mount boot you don't get any kernel updates. ** Changed in: synaptic (Ubuntu) Sourcepackagename: synaptic => linux-restricted-modules-2.6.15 ** Changed in: linux-restricted-modules-2.6.15 (Ubuntu) Status: Unconfirmed => Rejected -- synaptic fails to check whether /boot is mounted https://launchpad.net/bugs/59683 -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs