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I was upgrading an Ubuntu server (using the do-release-upgrade) command over SSH (I know it's a bad idea, but it was the only choice; I don't have physical access to the server). It seemed to go fine and was going thru the 'setting up package name' part when it froze on the line

Installing new version of config file /etc/mysql/debian-start ...

The SSH connection appears to be still active, as pressing the up arrow echoes back ^[[A, and so on. When I log in on another SSH connection I can log in fine, but the ** system needs restart ** message shows up. Is it safe to ^C the release-upgrade command, or try to reboot the server? Should I ^C the upgrade and try it again? Anything else I could try?

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You've got bigger balls than me, I'll say that. – Tom O'Connor Oct 15 '11 at 9:48
General advice; Start the upgrade inside a screen next time. At least that way you can reattach to the session if it's the ssh-connection that messes up. – Kvisle Oct 20 '11 at 19:47
do-release-upgrade already starts itself in a screen session. – Giovanni Toraldo Oct 20 '11 at 20:59
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I'm having the exact same problem.

I'm not sure if it's a fix, or the right way of going about it....

but I Ctrl+C the process, then.

sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock sudo dpkg --configure -a (you'll probably get some errors) sudo apt-get remove mysql-server # we can fix this later. I'm mainly concerned with getting the OS to boot properly

Once that was complete, I ran apt-get dist-upgrade I think I'll end up having to do the dpkg --configure -a and dist-upgrade several times before all the bugs get ironed out.

Not perfect, and messy.. but a suggestion?

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Great thanks! I ctrl-C'd it and did dpkg-configure -a, rebooted and it seems to be ok! my hang was pretty late into the upgrade so it was almost finished, so I guess you'd have more bugs, or totally kill the system, if it happened earlier. From what I saw after ctrl-C, the actual do-release-upgrade hung, not the ssh session. Anyway thanks for the help! Lifesaver! – Chris Oct 21 '11 at 20:21
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