[LONG] Re: "Exec format error" bugs

[Raphael Hertzog]

Package: dpkg
Version: 1.15.5.6
Severity: important

[ For debian-dpkg, see
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/dpkg/+bug/512096 for a
description of the problem, basically a configuration script is empty
/broken due to data loss and the recovery needs manual intervention ]

Le mardi 26 janvier 2010, Jean-Baptiste Lallement a écrit :
> What could be done ? Some suggestions:
>  - package manager : try to unpack the archive again in order to
> overwrite the faulty files, if it's not found fetch then unpack the
> archive, and try performing the requested operation again. If that
> fails, then really cancel the installation. But the package manager
> need to know it's an "exec format error" and that's not easy due to
> the comments above. Another option could be to ask to the user if he
> wants to try the workaround.
>  - dpkg : add a 'force' option to 'vanish' the package if the removal
> script fails during a removal and/or configuration purging ( with a
> BIG RED warning that it can seriously damage the user's installation)
> instead of running abort-remove or leaving the package half-installed.
> But I don't know the dpkg internals to know if it's a valid option.

I would suggest that dpkg detects the error and brings back the
package state to half-installed forcing the package manager to
unpack it again.

It seems to me that the error code ENOEXEC is sufficiently specific (and it
could be associated to a check of the file length if needed) for this to
be reasonable.

BTW, I think it would have been wise to include the upstream dpkg
maintainers in the discussion from the start, you're lucky that I'm
following ubuntu-devel...

We would also be glad if some people could volunteer to triage dpkg bugs
on launchpad and make sure we have everything filed in the Debian BTS.

Cheers,
-- 
Raphaël Hertzog -+- http://www.ouaza.com

Freexian : des développeurs Debian au service des entreprises
http://www.freexian.com