Score:2

How to fix interrupted ubuntu-upgrade (from 18.04 to 20.04)?

ph flag

I tried to upgrade my system from ubuntu 18.04 to 20.04 (running on a HP Zbook 15u) but the upgrade got interrupted. Now I am not able to start Ubuntu properly. Do you know how to fix the broken installation?

Here are more details:

  1. I used the Software Updater to upgrade from 18.04 to 20.04 LTS. During the “installing upgrades”-phase, the system shut down (first the screen froze, then it went black. CRTL + ALT + F1didn't do anything, so the only option I had, was to restart the system).
  2. I tried to boot in recovery mode (Grub shows three different kernels:
  • Ubuntu, with Linux 5.4.0-77-generic
  • Ubuntu, with Linux 4.15.0-147-generic
  • Ubuntu, with Linux 4.15.0-135-generic

The following happens:

  • with 5.4.0 I get a Kernel panic
  • with both 4.15.0-versions I can enter the safe mode
  1. in safe mode (with both 4.15.0-kernels)
  • I ran dpkg, but got an error
  • commands like apt-get update --fix-missing prompt me to run dpkg manually, so I did:
  1. I dropped to root and ran dpkg —configure -a (as suggested in various other posts). However, that doesn’t fix anything and I get the following output
Failed to create symlink to vmlinuz-4.15.0-147-generic: Operation not permitted at /usr/bin/linux-update-symlinks line 64.
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-5.4.0-77-generic (--configure): installed linux-image-5.4.0-77-gneneric package post-installation script subprocess return error code exit status 1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-generic: however: package linux-mage-5.4.0-77-generic is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package linux-image-generic (--configure): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-generic: linux-generic depends on linux-image-generic (= 5.4.0.77.80); however: package linux-image-generic is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package linux-generic (--configure): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up liux-firmware (1.187.15)...
ln: failed to create hard link '/boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-147-generic.dpkg-bak' => '/boot/initrd.mg-4.15.0-147-generic': Operation not permitted
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-147-generic
Error 24: write error: cannot write compressed block
E: mkinitramfs failure cpio 141 lz4 -9 -1 24
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-4.150-147-generic with 1.
dpkg: error processing package linux-firmware (--configure):
installed linux-firmware package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Setting up friendly-recovery (0.2.41ubuntu0-
.20.04.1) ...
Sourcing file `/etc/default/grub`
Sourcing file `/etc/default/grub.d/40_oem-add-missing-default.cfg``
Sourcing file `/etc/default/grub.d/50_oem-kernel-cmdline.cfg`
Sourcing file `/etc/default/grub.d/51_oem-grub-recovery-title.cfg`
Sourcing file `/etc/default/grub.d/init-select.cfg`
Generating grub configuration file ...
Warning: Setting GRUB_TIMEOUT to a non-yero value when GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT is set is no longer supported.
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.4.0-77-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-147-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-147-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-135-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-135-generic
Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.elf
Found memtest86+ image: /memtest86+.bin
done

Please let me know if I need to provide additional information!

Shubhang Kakkar avatar
us flag
if you just install the ubuntu so you can just reinstall it by liveusb
user535733 avatar
cn flag
Your output suggests that your system is seriously damaged. Release-upgrades are not designed to be interrupted, and doing so risks a spectrum of possible damage from none at all up to destroying your system. Maybe the damage can be fixed, maybe not. Advice: Create a new Ubuntu 20.04 LiveUSB installer on some other system. Boot the installer. Use the installer's "Try Ubuntu" environment to backup your data. Then use the installer to reinstall Ubuntu. This is likely to be faster and more reliable than mucking about with troubleshooting.
Score:1
ph flag

I followed the recommendation of user535733 to solve the problem. Thus, I created a bootable USB with Ubuntu 20.04, booted from it in Try Out-Mode and did a back up of my data. Then I reinstalled Ubuntu 20.04 from the USB. Worked out great so far.

Thereby, I followed the following instructions:

mangohost

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