Bug#696332: lsb-release: release/codename depend on a successful apt-get

Control: found -1 9.20160629

Hi Didier,

Didier 'OdyX' Raboud wrote:
> > If an apt-get update fails (i.e. no internet connection), the lsb
> > codename will change to "n/a", which shouldn't happen. Release changes
> > to "testing/unstable".

I just ran into this on a uptodate Debian Sid system, but the reason
seems a different one than varacanero has. The issue only happens for me
if I run "lsb_release -a" as non-privileged user.

It's also easier to reproduce for me:

As normal user:

→ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Debian
Description:    Debian GNU/Linux unstable (sid)
Release:        unstable
Codename:       sid

So far everything looks fine.

Then use dpkg (not apt/apt-get/aptitude) to install a debian package
which is either not yet installed or already installed with a
different version:

# dpkg -i some.deb

(Reinstalling a package at the same version does not seem to trigger
this issue.)

Now the output looks like this for any unprivileged user:

→ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Debian
Description:    Debian GNU/Linux testing/unstable
Release:        testing/unstable
Codename:       n/a

> How does your /etc/debian_version look like ? And what is the output
> of `apt-cache policy` ?

→ cat /etc/debian_version
stretch/sid
→ apt-cache policy
E: Problem renaming the file /var/cache/apt/pkgcache.bin.JkcuIW to
/var/cache/apt/pkgcache.bin - rename (1: Operation not permitted)
W: You may want to run apt-get update to correct these problems
E: The package cache file is corrupted

The latter output is very likely the reason for this issue.

To "fix" this, run _any_ command which causes a regeneration of apt's
package list cache as root. E.g. running "lsb_release -a" as root
already suffices and then it also works again for any unprivileged
user again. But of course "apt update" (without network issues) also
fixes this.

Hope this helps and contains enough information to allow the removal
of the "moreinfo" tag.

		Regards, Axel