Ubuntu LaunchPad bug #1335391 (Quoting the LaunchPad bug below, but I have experienced this issue in an identical manner.)
I have configured etckeeper to use git. It works fine if I use apt-get or synaptic packet manager.
But when the update-manger install new packet versions it ends with an "installation failed" message. When I check the status of the git repository in the etc directory, some changes are not committed, e.g.:
On branch master
Changes to be committed:
(use "git reset HEAD <file>..." to unstage)
modified: apt/apt.conf.d/01autoremove-kernels
modified: init.d/resolvconf
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: etckeeper 1.9ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-29.53-generic 3.13.11.2
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-29-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: wl tbs6982fe tbs6680fe tbs6923fe tbs6985se tbs6928se tbs6982se tbs6991fe tbs6618fe tbs6922fe tbs6928fe tbs6991se
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.2
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Sat Jun 28 09:42:13 2014
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-03-30 (89 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Daily amd64 (20140329)
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: etckeeper
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
mtime.conffile..etc.etckeeper.etckeeper.conf: 2014-03-30T16:33:03.109833
With etckeeper installed in Ubuntu using git as its VCS, using the Ubuntu Software Center fails with errors
Correct this by adding the following file, /etc/etckeeper/pre-install.d/20setenv:
Also, ensure that the root account's git environment is properly initialized:
user.email and user.name are set by etckeeper to sane fallback defaults. ubuntu has a seriously ancient version of etckeeper, which predates that.
I've added a default for HOME.