[Bug 1041881] [NEW] Reinstalling a large server (without formatting) appears to hang during 'Cleaning up' due to updatedb.mlocate

[James Troup]

Public bug reported:

I've just reinstalled a server for a 3rd party using Ubuntu 12.04.1
Server AMD64. I did so non-destructively, i.e. chroot'ed into what
would become /target, did 'mkdir old-machine; mv -iv * old-machine/'
and then had the partitioner re-use the partition as / without
formatting it.

After installing packages, the install seemed to hang at 97% saying it
was 'Cleaning up'.  When I logged in on another console, I discovered
it was running updatedb.mlocate, presumably across the entire disk,
including the original contents.  After about 20 minutes, it
eventually finished and the install continued.

I'd suggest either:

 a) not running updatedb.mlocate unless all partitions are due to be
    formatted

or

 b) improving the dialog/progress indicator to make it clear what's
    happening and that it may take some time if you had a lot of
    pre-existing data.

** Affects: debian-installer (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1041881

Title:
  Reinstalling a large server (without formatting) appears to hang
  during 'Cleaning up' due to updatedb.mlocate

Status in “debian-installer” package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  I've just reinstalled a server for a 3rd party using Ubuntu 12.04.1
  Server AMD64. I did so non-destructively, i.e. chroot'ed into what
  would become /target, did 'mkdir old-machine; mv -iv * old-machine/'
  and then had the partitioner re-use the partition as / without
  formatting it.

  After installing packages, the install seemed to hang at 97% saying it
  was 'Cleaning up'.  When I logged in on another console, I discovered
  it was running updatedb.mlocate, presumably across the entire disk,
  including the original contents.  After about 20 minutes, it
  eventually finished and the install continued.

  I'd suggest either:

   a) not running updatedb.mlocate unless all partitions are due to be
      formatted

  or

   b) improving the dialog/progress indicator to make it clear what's
      happening and that it may take some time if you had a lot of
      pre-existing data.

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