[Bug 1176984] [NEW] Automatic apt updates break with python2.7 and update-binfmts

[Penelope Fudd]

Public bug reported:

I have apt set to auto-update with cron (/etc/cron.daily/apt), and I was
dismayed to find out that it hasn't been running for some time; there
were 70 packages that needed updating (apt-get dist-upgrade).

Upon further investigation, it seemed that python2.7-minimal required
update-binfmts (part of binfmt-utils) to be present for installation to
succeed, but binfmt-utils wasn't installed.  And trying to install
binfmt-utils required python2.7 to be installed.

I broke this deadlock by creating a file named '~/bin/update-binfmts'
and making it executable, then installing python2.7-minimal, then
removing ~/bin/update-binfmts.  At that point, apt-get dist-upgrade
worked, although my fix probably means that python2.7 isn't registered
as a bin-fmt yet.

If there's any way to prevent things like this from breaking automatic
apt updates would be appreciated.  Thanks!

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: python2.7-minimal 2.7.3-0ubuntu3.2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-41.66-generic 3.2.42
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-41-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu17.2
Architecture: amd64
Date: Mon May  6 09:04:01 2013
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120425)
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_CA:en
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_CA.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: python2.7
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

** Affects: python2.7 (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug package-from-proposed precise

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1176984

Title:
  Automatic apt updates break with python2.7 and update-binfmts

Status in “python2.7” package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  I have apt set to auto-update with cron (/etc/cron.daily/apt), and I
  was dismayed to find out that it hasn't been running for some time;
  there were 70 packages that needed updating (apt-get dist-upgrade).

  Upon further investigation, it seemed that python2.7-minimal required
  update-binfmts (part of binfmt-utils) to be present for installation
  to succeed, but binfmt-utils wasn't installed.  And trying to install
  binfmt-utils required python2.7 to be installed.

  I broke this deadlock by creating a file named '~/bin/update-binfmts'
  and making it executable, then installing python2.7-minimal, then
  removing ~/bin/update-binfmts.  At that point, apt-get dist-upgrade
  worked, although my fix probably means that python2.7 isn't registered
  as a bin-fmt yet.

  If there's any way to prevent things like this from breaking automatic
  apt updates would be appreciated.  Thanks!

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
  Package: python2.7-minimal 2.7.3-0ubuntu3.2
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-41.66-generic 3.2.42
  Uname: Linux 3.2.0-41-generic x86_64
  NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
  ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu17.2
  Architecture: amd64
  Date: Mon May  6 09:04:01 2013
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120425)
  MarkForUpload: True
  ProcEnviron:
   LANGUAGE=en_CA:en
   TERM=xterm
   PATH=(custom, no user)
   LANG=en_CA.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
  SourcePackage: python2.7
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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