[SOLVED] Recent Mint 21 Update Was Very Strange

[JTJersey]

When Mint 21 came out I did a clean install on a new SSD. While I was configuring it over a period of time, I was using my Mint 20.3 system to get things done. Couple of days ago I decided to shut down that system and start using Mint 21 full time. During the time I was migrating my files and folders to this new Mint 21 I made sure to keep it updated. While finalizing my move to 21 I noticed there were updates available. OK, no problem. That update took 40 minutes on a 1000 Mb/s internet connection and at one point a window popped up asking me where I wanted to install Grub. I’ve never seen anything like this from Mint before. I’ve installed the whole OS in less time. Anybody know what happened here? Is this a prep for Mint 21.1? I haven't noticed anything malicious going on and all this came from the official Mint sources, but I'm still a bit concerned.

[mikeflan]

That update took 40 minutes on a 1000 Mb/s internet connection . . . . Anybody know what happened here?

No, I don't know. But if you would, please post the output of this in a terminal:

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cat /var/log/dpkg.log

At least for the timeperiod that you did that update.

[JTJersey]

Boy, that's a lot of data. Not quite sure how I should post that.

[t42]

Boy, that's a lot of data. Not quite sure how I should post that.

Just open a log in the text editor, such as xed, at examine at the end of it a relevant date.

[mikeflan]

Boy, that's a lot of data. Not quite sure how I should post that.

Well, you should copy and paste, using "Code" tags for sure. The button that inserts these tags is marked </>, which is in the mini toolbar above the edit box where you type your reply.
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=364929

[JTJersey]

The forum limits wouldn't let me print the entire log and told me the file size was too large to attach. If I were to print the entire log file it would be 53 pages long. This is just the tail end of it if. Hope this helps. Thanks.

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2022-11-25 22:45:06 startup packages configure
2022-11-25 22:45:06 trigproc desktop-file-utils:amd64 0.26+mint1+vanessa <none>
2022-11-25 22:45:06 status half-configured desktop-file-utils:amd64 0.26+mint1+vanessa
2022-11-25 22:45:06 status installed desktop-file-utils:amd64 0.26+mint1+vanessa
2022-11-25 22:45:06 trigproc hicolor-icon-theme:all 0.17-2 <none>
2022-11-25 22:45:06 status half-configured hicolor-icon-theme:all 0.17-2
2022-11-25 22:45:06 status installed hicolor-icon-theme:all 0.17-2
2022-11-25 22:45:06 trigproc mintsystem:all 8.5.4 <none>
2022-11-25 22:45:06 status half-configured mintsystem:all 8.5.4
2022-11-25 22:45:06 status installed mintsystem:all 8.5.4
2022-11-25 22:45:06 trigproc mailcap:all 3.70+nmu1ubuntu1 <none>
2022-11-25 22:45:06 status half-configured mailcap:all 3.70+nmu1ubuntu1
2022-11-25 22:45:06 status installed mailcap:all 3.70+nmu1ubuntu1
2022-11-25 22:45:06 trigproc bamfdaemon:amd64 0.5.6+22.04.20220217-0ubuntu1 <none>
2022-11-25 22:45:06 status half-configured bamfdaemon:amd64 0.5.6+22.04.20220217-0ubuntu1
2022-11-25 22:45:06 status installed bamfdaemon:amd64 0.5.6+22.04.20220217-0ubuntu1
2022-11-25 22:46:00 startup archives unpack
2022-11-25 22:46:01 install firefox:amd64 <none> 107.0+linuxmint1+vanessa
2022-11-25 22:46:01 status half-installed firefox:amd64 107.0+linuxmint1+vanessa
2022-11-25 22:46:01 status triggers-pending mintsystem:all 8.5.4
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status triggers-pending bamfdaemon:amd64 0.5.6+22.04.20220217-0ubuntu1
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status triggers-pending desktop-file-utils:amd64 0.26+mint1+vanessa
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status triggers-pending mailcap:all 3.70+nmu1ubuntu1
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status triggers-pending hicolor-icon-theme:all 0.17-2
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status unpacked firefox:amd64 107.0+linuxmint1+vanessa
2022-11-25 22:46:03 startup packages configure
2022-11-25 22:46:03 configure firefox:amd64 107.0+linuxmint1+vanessa <none>
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status unpacked firefox:amd64 107.0+linuxmint1+vanessa
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status half-configured firefox:amd64 107.0+linuxmint1+vanessa
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status installed firefox:amd64 107.0+linuxmint1+vanessa
2022-11-25 22:46:03 trigproc mailcap:all 3.70+nmu1ubuntu1 <none>
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status half-configured mailcap:all 3.70+nmu1ubuntu1
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status installed mailcap:all 3.70+nmu1ubuntu1
2022-11-25 22:46:03 trigproc bamfdaemon:amd64 0.5.6+22.04.20220217-0ubuntu1 <none>
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status half-configured bamfdaemon:amd64 0.5.6+22.04.20220217-0ubuntu1
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status installed bamfdaemon:amd64 0.5.6+22.04.20220217-0ubuntu1
2022-11-25 22:46:03 trigproc desktop-file-utils:amd64 0.26+mint1+vanessa <none>
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status half-configured desktop-file-utils:amd64 0.26+mint1+vanessa
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status installed desktop-file-utils:amd64 0.26+mint1+vanessa
2022-11-25 22:46:03 trigproc hicolor-icon-theme:all 0.17-2 <none>
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status half-configured hicolor-icon-theme:all 0.17-2
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status installed hicolor-icon-theme:all 0.17-2
2022-11-25 22:46:03 trigproc mintsystem:all 8.5.4 <none>
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status half-configured mintsystem:all 8.5.4
2022-11-25 22:46:03 status installed mintsystem:all 8.5.4

[Schultz]

. . . and at one point a window popped up asking me where I wanted to install Grub. I’ve never seen anything like this from Mint before.

Asking where to install Grub is quite common after an update. Surprised you've never seen this before.

[JTJersey]

Asking where to install Grub is quite common after an update. Surprised you've never seen this before.

Agreed, if I were doing an install of Mint I've seen it before, but I was expecting a routine update of a few pieces of software which generally takes a few seconds. Even if a kernel update is included the whole thing typically takes a minute or two and I've never been asked to reposition existing Grub before. Nobody else seems to have experienced this rather massive "update", not even my other 4 Mint Mate systems and it leaves me suspicious of the entire OS now. Unless, of course, anybody thinks I'm way off base and this update was legit.

[Moem]

Asking where to install Grub is quite common after an update. Surprised you've never seen this before.

You're going to be surprised again: I have never seen it either. During installation, yes; after an update, never.

[t42]

This is just the tail end of it if. Hope this helps.

It's not. Did you presented all log lines dated 2022-11-25 related to the session in question?

[mikeflan]

Did you presented all log lines dated 2022-11-25 related to the session in question?

Most likely he did not. I am on LM 20.3. Notice my 12 minute span after mintsystem:all install:

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2022-11-18 06:54:29 trigproc man-db:amd64 2.9.1-1 <none>
2022-11-18 06:54:29 status half-configured man-db:amd64 2.9.1-1
2022-11-18 06:54:33 status installed man-db:amd64 2.9.1-1
2022-11-18 06:54:33 trigproc mintsystem:all 8.5.3 <none>
2022-11-18 06:54:33 status half-configured mintsystem:all 8.5.3
2022-11-18 06:54:33 status installed mintsystem:all 8.5.3
2022-11-18 07:06:06 startup archives unpack
2022-11-18 07:06:06 upgrade libexpat1:amd64 2.2.9-1ubuntu0.4 2.2.9-1ubuntu0.5
2022-11-18 07:06:06 status triggers-pending libc-bin:amd64 2.31-0ubuntu9.9
2022-11-18 07:06:06 status half-configured libexpat1:amd64 2.2.9-1ubuntu0.4
2022-11-18 07:06:06 status unpacked libexpat1:amd64 2.2.9-1ubuntu0.4
2022-11-18 07:06:06 status half-configured libexpat1:i386 2.2.9-1ubuntu0.4
2022-11-18 07:06:06 status half-installed libexpat1:amd64 2.2.9-1ubuntu0.4
2022-11-18 07:06:06 status unpacked libexpat1:amd64 2.2.9-1ubuntu0.5
2022-11-18 07:06:06 upgrade libexpat1:i386 2.2.9-1ubuntu0.4 2.2.9-1ubuntu0.5

[JTJersey]

This is just the tail end of it if. Hope this helps.

It's not. Did you presented all log lines dated 2022-11-25 related to the session in question?

No. It spanned a 45+ minute period and is too large to post here. I tried multiple ways.

[JTJersey]

I went ahead and reinstalled from an .iso that's been verified and restored everything from backups. A nuisance, but I'll never be comfortable with that update. I'll mark this as solved.