[Bug 1788241] [NEW] dpkg: warning: version '/etc/lsb-release' has bad syntax: version number does not start with digit

Tue Aug 21 16:42:10 UTC 2018

Public bug reported:

I have noticed this while upgrade

sudo apt upgrade -y
[sudo] password for nisankh: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages will be upgraded:
  base-files
1 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 58.2 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 base-files amd64 10.1ubuntu2.2 [58.2 kB]
Fetched 58.2 kB in 2s (28.2 kB/s)     
(Reading database ... 351419 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../base-files_10.1ubuntu2.2_amd64.deb ...
Warning: Stopping motd-news.service, but it can still be activated by:
  motd-news.timer
Unpacking base-files (10.1ubuntu2.2) over (10.1ubuntu2.1) ...
Setting up base-files (10.1ubuntu2.2) ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news ...
motd-news.service is a disabled or a static unit, not starting it.
Processing triggers for install-info (6.5.0.dfsg.1-2) ...
Processing triggers for plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text (0.9.3-1ubuntu7) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for cracklib-runtime (2.9.2-5build1) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.8.3-2) ...
Processing triggers for plymouth-theme-kubuntu-text (1:18.04ubuntu11) ...
dpkg: warning: version '/etc/lsb-release' has bad syntax: version number does not start with digit
rmdir: failed to remove '/lib/plymouth/': No such file or directory
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.130ubuntu3.1) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-32-generic

Than i tried to reinstall the same package :

sudo apt-get install --reinstall base-files
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 58.2 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 base-files amd64 10.1ubuntu2.2 [58.2 kB]
Fetched 58.2 kB in 3s (23.0 kB/s)     
(Reading database ... 351419 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../base-files_10.1ubuntu2.2_amd64.deb ...
Warning: Stopping motd-news.service, but it can still be activated by:
  motd-news.timer
Unpacking base-files (10.1ubuntu2.2) over (10.1ubuntu2.2) ...
Setting up base-files (10.1ubuntu2.2) ...
motd-news.service is a disabled or a static unit, not starting it.
Processing triggers for install-info (6.5.0.dfsg.1-2) ...
Processing triggers for plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text (0.9.3-1ubuntu7) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for cracklib-runtime (2.9.2-5build1) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.8.3-2) ...
Processing triggers for plymouth-theme-kubuntu-text (1:18.04ubuntu11) ...
dpkg: warning: version '/etc/lsb-release' has bad syntax: version number does not start with digit
rmdir: failed to remove '/lib/plymouth/': No such file or directory
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.130ubuntu3.1) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-32-generic

Again it shows the same warning " dpkg: warning: version '/etc/lsb-release' has bad syntax: version number does not start with digit "

and the contents of /etc/lsb-release is as follows

cat /etc/lsb-release
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=18.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=bionic
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS"

** Affects: dpkg
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

** Affects: base-files (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

** Affects: dpkg (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

** Tags: dpkg

** Attachment added: "Log"
   https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1788241/+attachment/5178771/+files/term.log

** Also affects: base-files (Ubuntu)
   Importance: Undecided
       Status: New

** Also affects: dpkg
   Importance: Undecided
       Status: New

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to dpkg in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1788241

Title:
  dpkg: warning: version '/etc/lsb-release' has bad syntax: version
  number does not start with digit

Status in dpkg:
  New
Status in base-files package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in dpkg package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  I have noticed this while upgrade

  sudo apt upgrade -y
  [sudo] password for nisankh: 
  Reading package lists... Done
  Building dependency tree       
  Reading state information... Done
  Calculating upgrade... Done
  The following packages will be upgraded:
    base-files
  1 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
  Need to get 58.2 kB of archives.
  After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
  Get:1 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 base-files amd64 10.1ubuntu2.2 [58.2 kB]
  Fetched 58.2 kB in 2s (28.2 kB/s)     
  (Reading database ... 351419 files and directories currently installed.)
  Preparing to unpack .../base-files_10.1ubuntu2.2_amd64.deb ...
  Warning: Stopping motd-news.service, but it can still be activated by:
    motd-news.timer
  Unpacking base-files (10.1ubuntu2.2) over (10.1ubuntu2.1) ...
  Setting up base-files (10.1ubuntu2.2) ...
  Installing new version of config file /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news ...
  motd-news.service is a disabled or a static unit, not starting it.
  Processing triggers for install-info (6.5.0.dfsg.1-2) ...
  Processing triggers for plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text (0.9.3-1ubuntu7) ...
  update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
  Processing triggers for cracklib-runtime (2.9.2-5build1) ...
  Processing triggers for man-db (2.8.3-2) ...
  Processing triggers for plymouth-theme-kubuntu-text (1:18.04ubuntu11) ...
  dpkg: warning: version '/etc/lsb-release' has bad syntax: version number does not start with digit
  rmdir: failed to remove '/lib/plymouth/': No such file or directory
  update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
  Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.130ubuntu3.1) ...
  update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-32-generic

  Than i tried to reinstall the same package :

  sudo apt-get install --reinstall base-files
  Reading package lists... Done
  Building dependency tree       
  Reading state information... Done
  0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
  Need to get 58.2 kB of archives.
  After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
  Get:1 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 base-files amd64 10.1ubuntu2.2 [58.2 kB]
  Fetched 58.2 kB in 3s (23.0 kB/s)     
  (Reading database ... 351419 files and directories currently installed.)
  Preparing to unpack .../base-files_10.1ubuntu2.2_amd64.deb ...
  Warning: Stopping motd-news.service, but it can still be activated by:
    motd-news.timer
  Unpacking base-files (10.1ubuntu2.2) over (10.1ubuntu2.2) ...
  Setting up base-files (10.1ubuntu2.2) ...
  motd-news.service is a disabled or a static unit, not starting it.
  Processing triggers for install-info (6.5.0.dfsg.1-2) ...
  Processing triggers for plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text (0.9.3-1ubuntu7) ...
  update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
  Processing triggers for cracklib-runtime (2.9.2-5build1) ...
  Processing triggers for man-db (2.8.3-2) ...
  Processing triggers for plymouth-theme-kubuntu-text (1:18.04ubuntu11) ...
  dpkg: warning: version '/etc/lsb-release' has bad syntax: version number does not start with digit
  rmdir: failed to remove '/lib/plymouth/': No such file or directory
  update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
  Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.130ubuntu3.1) ...
  update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-32-generic

  Again it shows the same warning " dpkg: warning: version '/etc/lsb-release' has bad syntax: version number does not start with digit "

  and the contents of /etc/lsb-release is as follows

  cat /etc/lsb-release
  DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
  DISTRIB_RELEASE=18.04
  DISTRIB_CODENAME=bionic
  DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS"

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/dpkg/+bug/1788241/+subscriptions