/lib/init/upstart-job does not handle lucid->precise upgrade scenario

This upgrade scenario handling issue is probably also the cause of bug 984474.

= Impact =

If this fix is not applied to Precise, users upgrading from lucid will see errors relating to bug 984474 ("initctl crashed with SIGABRT in nih_error_clear()") as the installer proceeds to upgrade packages containing Upstart services. These services will not be restarted as they should be once the new package version is installed. However, the services will be restarted on reboot.

Users on Oneiric should not experience this issue (since 'initctl show-config' is available on oneiric).

= Development Fix =

The bug has been addressed by modifying /lib/init/upstart-job to only consider a service disabled if both of the following are true:

1) The version of Upstart currently running supports querying of a jobs 'start on' condition (via the 'initctl show-config' command).

2) Upstart reports that no 'start on' condition exists for the job.

Links to the script /lib/init/upstart-job are installed in /etc/init.d/ such that administrators are able to manipulate Upstart jobs as if they were SystemV services (using for example "/etc/init.d/foo restart" or even "service restart").

= Stable Fix =

A patch to /lib/init/upstart-job is attached.

Note that this patch also includes a fix to correct restart handling in lucid: it now stops and then starts the Upstart job rather than just calling "restart" which does *not* reload the job configuration.

= Test Case =

To observe the bug on a lucid system:

1) Check that your Upstart jobs are running (a good example is 'cron'):
   ('/etc/init.d/cron' status, or 'status cron')
2) Upgrade lucid to precise using update-manager(8) or do-release-upgrade(8).
3) Observe errors relating to the initctl(8) command either on-screen or in the installer logs under /var/log/installer/.
4) After the upgrade has completed, observe that your services are no longer running
   ('/etc/init.d/cron' status, or 'status cron').

To be convinced the bug is fixed on a lucid system, a new version of /lib/init/upstart-job is required. Once installed:

1) Check that your Upstart jobs are running (a good example is 'cron'):
   ('/etc/init.d/cron' status, or 'status cron')
2) Upgrade lucid to precise using update-manager(8) or do-release-upgrade(8).
3) There should be no errors relating to the initctl(8) command either on-screen or in the installer logs under /var/log/installer/.
4) After the upgrade has completed, observe that your services are still running as expected
   ('/etc/init.d/cron' status, or 'status cron').

= Regression Potential =

No regression potential.

The attachment "patch to /lib/init/upstart-job for a lucid system to bring it up-to-date with the precise version." of this bug report has been identified as being a patch. The ubuntu-reviewers team has been subscribed to the bug report so that they can review the patch. In the event that this is in fact not a patch you can resolve this situation by removing the tag 'patch' from the bug report and editing the attachment so that it is not flagged as a patch. Additionally, if you are member of the ubuntu-reviewers team please also unsubscribe the team from this bug report.

[This is an automated message performed by a Launchpad user owned by Brian Murray. Please contact him regarding any issues with the action taken in this bug report.]

Hello James, or anyone else affected,

Accepted upstart into precise-proposed. The package will build now and be available in a few hours. Please test and give feedback here. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed. Thank you in advance!

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

This bug was fixed in the package upstart - 1.5-0ubuntu7

---------------
upstart (1.5-0ubuntu7) precise-proposed; urgency=low

  * Correct a build failure from the previous upload.

upstart (1.5-0ubuntu6) precise-proposed; urgency=low

  * debian/upstart.logrotate: don't create empty files after rotation;
    upstart will automatically create new log files for jobs as needed.
  * init/main.c: restore the fix for bug #540256; we know the console setup
    is taken care of by plymouth in Ubuntu, so upstart changing the console
    settings just makes trouble (such as turning echo back on when it
    shouldn't be). LP: #876626.

  [ James Hunt ]
  * debian/upstart-job: Only attempt to handle disabled jobs if the running
    version of Upstart supports such a query (LP: #985755, #984474).
  * debian/manpages/upstart-events.7: Fixed typo and corrected reference to
    'kill signal' stanza.
 -- Steve Langasek <email address hidden> Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:48:17 -0700