Can not upgrade - root device does not exist

Question

While using apt-get to upgrade my kernel from 3.10 to 4.2 on 14.04 the upgrade stopped after getting an error message. The same error message comes when running:

$ sudo apt-get upgrade

This is the error:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following package was automatically installed and is no longer required:
busybox-static
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove it.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Setting up initramfs-tools (0.103ubuntu4.6) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.103ubuntu4.6) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-42-generic
Warning: root device  does not exist

Press Ctrl-C to abort build, or Enter to continue

Unsupported platform.
run-parts: /etc/initramfs/post-update.d//flash-kernel exited with return code 1
dpkg: error processing package initramfs-tools (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 initramfs-tools
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Edit: I still have full use of my system and it boots up normally. The problem seems to be with a failed upgrade to 4.2, and now I can't run apt-get upgrade without it telling me that the root device does not exist

Edit: Trying to remove packages:

$ sudo apt-get --purge autoremove
E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'sudo dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem. 

$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
Setting up initramfs-tools (0.103ubuntu4.6) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.103ubuntu4.6) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-41-generic
Warning: root device  does not exist

Running:

 $ sudo update-initramfs -c -k 4.2.0-41-generic
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-41-generic
Warning: root device  does not exist

Possible duplicate of Cannot find root device after latest kernel upgrade — FatalMerlin, Jan 18 '17 at 14:32
@FatalMerlin thank you for linking that! I took a look but I am not sure that I am having the same problem. My system says it is still running the original kernel (3.10.40) and I'm not having any problems booting up my device — boomboomdead, Jan 18 '17 at 14:54
Yes I have no problems, it just seems that the upgrade to 4.2 didn't happen/didn't happen properly — boomboomdead, Jan 18 '17 at 15:02
I guess the solution of removing unnecessary packages (read: kernels) and reinstalling the latest might help — FatalMerlin, Jan 18 '17 at 15:03
Maybe sudo apt-get --purge autoremove can help beforehand? — FatalMerlin, Jan 18 '17 at 15:09
I was unfortunately unable to remove the unnecessary packages: I will add the error to my post — boomboomdead, Jan 18 '17 at 15:13
Might to join me in Chat? Comments shouldn't be this extended. Click here :) — FatalMerlin, Jan 18 '17 at 15:32
Is there a way for me to join? It says I don't have the required reputation — boomboomdead, Jan 18 '17 at 15:34
Anyway: can you try running update-initramfs -c -k 4.2.0-41-generic manually? — FatalMerlin, Jan 18 '17 at 16:06
@FatalMerlin I can restore the system to its state before the upgrade, should I try that? — boomboomdead, Jan 18 '17 at 16:43
That would be a good idea! sorry, I'm all out of ideas here. After the restore, make sure to autoremove all old kernels and packages :) — FatalMerlin, Jan 18 '17 at 16:47

Can not upgrade - root device does not exist

0 Answers0