dpkg, apt-get, and update manager (partial upgrade) lock up when updating initramfs-tools

here is the text of the bug when i run sudo dpkg --configure -a :

larry@larry-server:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
[sudo] password for larry:
Setting up initramfs-tools (0.96.1ubuntu4) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-6-generic-pae

and there it locks up.

Thanks for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Could you please add the log files from '/var/log/dist-upgrade/' to this bug report as separate attachments? Thanks in advance

Unnecessary, the logs he provides are sufficient. This seems more of a problem with update-initramfs hanging, than an update-manager problem.

I'm having this problem too. By running 'ps aux | grep modprobe' I can see the process that is hanging update-initramfs. If I kill them then the process finishes:
modprobe --set-version=2.6.35-22-generic --ignore-install --quiet --show-depends usbhid
modprobe --set-version=2.6.35-22-generic --ignore-install --quiet --show-depends hid_logitech
modprobe --set-version=2.6.35-22-generic --ignore-install --quiet --show-depends hid_pl
modprobe --set-version=2.6.35-22-generic --ignore-install --quiet --show-depends hid_tmff
modprobe --set-version=2.6.35-22-generic --ignore-install --quiet --show-depends hid_zpff

hello Tim

please post the output of such a modprobe command:
sudo modprobe --set-version=2.6.35-22-generic --ignore-install --quiet --show-depends usbhid

also it would be helpfull to have mkinitramfs debug output:
sh -x /usr/sbin/mkinitramfs -o /tmp/foo

thank you.

[Expired for initramfs-tools (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

I'mhaving this problem.

#update-initramfs -uv -k all
Availableversions: 2.6.32-23-generic-pae
Execute:/usr/sbin/update-initramfs -u -k "2.6.32-23-generic-pae" -b /boot -v -t
Keeping/boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-23-generic-pae.dpkg-bak
update-initramfs:Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-23-generic-pae
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/usbhid/usbhid.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/usb/host/xhci.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-apple.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-microsoft.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-a4tech.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-belkin.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-cherry.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-chicony.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-cypress.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-ezkey.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-gyration.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/input/ff-memless.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-logitech.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-monterey.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-petalynx.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-pl.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-samsung.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-sony.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-sunplus.ko
Addingmodule /lib/modules/2.6.32-23-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/hid/hid-tmf...

Sorry about the stripped spaces :-/

The last successful initrd I got was 2010-12-30 initrd.img-2.6.32-23-generic-pae

I'm guessing this is the same problem as bug #706413. Rebooting clears the locked processes, and allows update-initramfs to work.