Public bug reported:
On a Ubuntu 24.04 VMware guest, when unattended-upgrades installs a
systemd point-release, needrestart's /etc/needrestart/restart.d/systemd-
manager issues systemctl daemon-reexec. The re-execed PID1 fails to
build its generator sandbox (Failed to fork off sandboxing environment
for executing generators: Protocol error) and freezes (Freezing
execution). The system boots fine on the same binary — the failure is
specific to the runtime re-exec. Has recurred on two dated occasions.
After unattended-upgrades installs a systemd point-release on this host,
needrestart (/etc/needrestart/restart.d/systemd-manager) issues systemctl
daemon-reexec. The re-executed PID 1 then fails to set up its generator sandbox
and freezes:systemd[1]: Failed to fork off sandboxing environment for executing
generators: Protocol error
systemd[1]: Freezing execution.After the freeze, every subsequent
systemctl/dbus call times out with Failed to activate service
'org.freedesktop.systemd1': timed out (service_start_timeout=25000ms), and
/proc/1/stack shows PID 1 parked in do_wait. The dpkg run blocks on the frozen
re-exec — systemd:amd64 did not reach status installed until ~75s after the
freeze. Existing services keep running on open sockets, so the box looks
superficially alive (sshd still forks sessions), but no new login or unit
operation can complete until a hard reboot.The system boots cleanly on the
exact same systemd binary and runs for days. The failure is specific to the
runtime daemon-reexec, not boot. A manual systemctl daemon-reexec on a freshly
booted system does not reproduce it; the freeze has only occurred when the
re-exec follows a systemd package upgrade.Reproduced on two occasions:
2026-06-03
2026-06-09 (06:41:36 configure systemd 255.4-1ubuntu8.16 → needrestart
systemd-manager re-exec → 06:43:06 freeze)
Environment:
Ubuntu 24.04, systemd 255.4-1ubuntu8.16, kernel 6.8.0-generic
VMware guest (systemd-detect-virt = vmware)
Two NFSv4 mounts (hard, defaults) present in the mount table at re-exec time
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 24.04
Package: systemd 255.4-1ubuntu8.16
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.8.0-124.124-generic 6.8.12
Uname: Linux 6.8.0-124-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.28.1-0ubuntu3.8
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CloudArchitecture: x86_64
CloudID: none
CloudName: none
CloudPlatform: none
CloudSubPlatform: config
CurrentDmesg: Error: command ['dmesg'] failed with exit code 1: dmesg: read
kernel buffer failed: Operation not permitted
Date: Tue Jun 9 13:46:55 2026
InstallationDate: Installed on 2023-11-02 (950 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Server 22.04 LTS "Jammy Jellyfish" - Release amd64
(20220421)
Lsusb: Error: command ['lsusb'] failed with exit code 1:
Lsusb-t:
Lsusb-v: Error: command ['lsusb', '-v'] failed with exit code 1:
MachineType: VMware, Inc. VMware Virtual Platform
ProcEnviron:
LANG=en_US.UTF-8
PATH=(custom, no user)
SHELL=/bin/bash
TERM=xterm-256color
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-6.8.0-124-generic
root=/dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-ubuntu--lv ro ipv6.disable=1
SourcePackage: systemd
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to noble on 2024-08-16 (662 days ago)
acpidump:
dmi.bios.date: 11/12/2020
dmi.bios.release: 4.6
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies LTD
dmi.bios.version: 6.00
dmi.board.name: 440BX Desktop Reference Platform
dmi.board.vendor: Intel Corporation
dmi.board.version: None
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 1
dmi.chassis.vendor: No Enclosure
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.ec.firmware.release: 0.0
dmi.modalias:
dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologiesLTD:bvr6.00:bd11/12/2020:br4.6:efr0.0:svnVMware,Inc.:pnVMwareVirtualPlatform:pvrNone:rvnIntelCorporation:rn440BXDesktopReferencePlatform:rvrNone:cvnNoEnclosure:ct1:cvrN/A:sku:
dmi.product.name: VMware Virtual Platform
dmi.product.version: None
dmi.sys.vendor: VMware, Inc.
** Affects: systemd (Ubuntu)
Importance: Undecided
Status: New
** Tags: amd64 apport-bug noble
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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2156232
Title:
systemd 255.4-1ubuntu8.16: PID1 freezes on daemon-reexec after systemd
point-release upgrade (generator sandbox fork fails, EPROTO)
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