[Bug 2141741] Re: 55-initrd.install silently exits 0 when initrd missing causing undetectable kernel panic on NVMe systems

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users. ** Changed in: grub2 (Ubuntu) Status: New => Confirmed -- You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to linux in Ubuntu. Matching subscriptions: Bgg, Bmail, Nb https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2141741 Title: 55-initrd.install silently exits 0 when initrd missing causing undetectable kernel panic on NVMe systems Status in grub2 package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Status in linux package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Status in systemd package in Ubuntu: Invalid Bug description: ENVIRONMENT: - Ubuntu 24.04 Noble (HWE kernel) - systemd version: 255 (255.4-1ubuntu8.10) - Kernel: 6.17.0-14-generic - Storage: NVMe SSD - File: /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/55-initrd.install - Package owner: systemd (confirmed via dpkg -S) BUG: When initrd generation fails or is skipped during kernel installation, 55-initrd.install detects the missing initrd but exits 0 (success) instead of exit 1 (failure). Relevant code in 55-initrd.install (line 26): if [ -e "$INITRD_SRC" ]; then ln -fs "$INITRD_SRC" "$KERNEL_INSTALL_STAGING_AREA" else echo "$INITRD_SRC does not exist, not installing an initrd" fi exit 0 ← BUG IS HERE This silent success causes GRUB to write a boot entry for a kernel with no initrd, with zero warning to the user. HOW THIS CAUSES KERNEL PANIC: Ubuntu's kernel config has CONFIG_BLK_DEV_NVME=m meaning the NVMe storage driver exists ONLY as a module inside initramfs. Without initramfs: - NVMe driver never loads - Kernel cannot see any storage device - Results in: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0) - KERNEL PANIC on every boot — silent, no warning given HOW I TRIGGERED THIS: virtualbox-dkms 7.0.16 (dfsg) fails to build for kernel 6.17 due to missing VBox/cdefs.h header. DKMS exits code 11. run-parts stops alphabetically — 'd' (dkms) runs before 'i' (initramfs-tools) — so initramfs is never generated. 55-initrd.install then silently exits 0 → GRUB creates unbootable boot entry → KERNEL PANIC on reboot. This failed silently 3 days in a row (Feb 11, 12, 13 2026) confirmed in /var/log/dpkg.log and /var/log/apt/term.log. PROPOSED FIX: Change line 26 of 55-initrd.install from: exit 0 to: exit 1 When initrd is missing, this should be a HARD FAILURE not a silent warning. This would cause apt to report the error visibly and prevent GRUB from creating an unbootable boot entry. RELATED BUG: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/virtualbox/+bug/2136499 (virtualbox-dkms FTBFS triggers this silent failure) To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/2141741/+subscriptions