[Bug 1710579] Re: package snmpd 5.7.3+dfsg-1ubuntu4 failed to install error exit status 1

[Andreas Hasenack]

The postinst script has guards against adding the user if it exists already:
    if [ ! `getent passwd snmp >/dev/null` ]; then

      if [ ! `getent group snmp >/dev/null` ]; then
         # no snmp user & group
         adduser --quiet --system --group --home $SNMPDIR \
                 --shell /usr/sbin/nologin snmp
      else
         # no snmp user, but snmp group exists
         adduser --quiet --system --ingroup snmp --home $SNMPDIR \
                 --shell /usr/sbin/nologin snmp
      fi

    elif [ ! `getent group snmp >/dev/null` ]; then

      # snmp user exists but no snmp group
      addgroup --quiet --system snmp

      # if user is local system user (not LDAP or so), then exec usermod
      # see https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=482041#25
      if [ ! `getent passwd snmp | cut -d':' -f3` -ge 1000 ]; then
        mkdir -p $SNMPDIR || true
        usermod -d $SNMPDIR -m -g snmp -s /usr/sbin/nologin snmp
      fi

    fi


It specifically uses getent to check for an existing user or group, in case it's in a remote (networked) database like ldap.

That being said, looks like it's not working:
root at xenial-snmpd-1710579:~# ./postinst.sh 
+ set -e
+ SNMPDIR=/var/lib/snmp
+ getent passwd snmp
+ [ ! ]
+ getent group snmp
+ [ ! ]
+ echo no snmp user and group
no snmp user and group
+ adduser --quiet --system --group --home /var/lib/snmp --shell /usr/sbin/nologin snmp


That adduser call doesn't fail, though:
root at xenial-snmpd-1710579:~# adduser --quiet --system --group --home /var/lib/snmp --shell /usr/sbin/nologin snmp
root at xenial-snmpd-1710579:~# echo $?
0

Removing --quiet:
root at xenial-snmpd-1710579:~# adduser  --system --group --home /var/lib/snmp --shell /usr/sbin/nologin snmp
Warning: The home dir /var/lib/snmp you specified already exists.
The system user `snmp' already exists. Exiting.
root at xenial-snmpd-1710579:~# echo $?
0


This warrants further debugging.

** Bug watch added: Debian Bug tracker #482041
   https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=482041

** Tags added: server-next

** Changed in: net-snmp (Ubuntu)
   Importance: Undecided => Medium

** Changed in: net-snmp (Ubuntu)
       Status: New => Triaged

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Server Team, which is subscribed to net-snmp in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1710579

Title:
  package snmpd 5.7.3+dfsg-1ubuntu4 failed to install error exit status
  1

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/net-snmp/+bug/1710579/+subscriptions