Turns out this happened because of some build exclusive flags in a dkms conf:
/var/lib/dkms/oem-audio-hda-daily/0.201408221216~ubuntu14.04.1/build/dkms.conf BUILD_EXCLUSIVE_KERNEL="^3.13.*" (I do think the whole error reporting should be improved so it becomes quickly clear what went wrong and why, but that's another story) ** Changed in: initramfs-tools (Ubuntu) Status: New => Invalid -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Touch seeded packages, which is subscribed to initramfs-tools in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1464703 Title: package linux-image-generic 3.16.0.39.40 failed to install/upgrade: run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1 Status in initramfs-tools package in Ubuntu: Invalid Bug description: Happened on my Dell M3800 DE after trying to update from 14.04 LTS to 14.10. ProblemType: Package DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.10 Package: linux-image-generic 3.16.0.39.40 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-54.91-generic 3.13.11-ckt20 Uname: Linux 3.13.0-54-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.14.7-0ubuntu8.5 Architecture: amd64 AudioDevicesInUse: USER PID ACCESS COMMAND /dev/snd/controlC1: bachi 23196 F.... pulseaudio /dev/snd/controlC0: bachi 23196 F.... pulseaudio Date: Fri Jun 12 16:53:20 2015 DistributionChannelDescriptor: # This is a distribution channel descriptor # For more information see http://wiki.ubuntu.com/DistributionChannelDescriptor canonical-oem-somerville-trusty-amd64-20140620-0 DuplicateSignature: package:linux-image-generic:3.16.0.39.40:run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1 ErrorMessage: run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1 HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=a2aafb86-6cb8-40bf-8cab-43ca52776ab3 InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-04-23 (50 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 "Trusty" - Build amd64 LIVE Binary 20140620-04:25 MachineType: Dell Inc. Dell Precision M3800 ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-54-generic root=UUID=fa404e6a-6499-4a7e-b58c-41e3d57d5bdb ro quiet splash pcie_aspm=force radeon.modeset=0 nouveau.modeset=0 vt.handoff=7 PulseList: Error: command ['pacmd', 'list'] failed with exit code 1: No PulseAudio daemon running, or not running as session daemon. RelatedPackageVersions: grub-pc N/A SourcePackage: initramfs-tools Title: package linux-image-generic 3.16.0.39.40 failed to install/upgrade: run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1 UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to utopic on 2015-06-12 (0 days ago) dmi.bios.date: 01/08/2015 dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.bios.version: A09 dmi.board.name: Dell Precision M3800 dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.board.version: A09 dmi.chassis.type: 8 dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.chassis.version: Not Specified dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA09:bd01/08/2015:svnDellInc.:pnDellPrecisionM3800:pvrA09:rvnDellInc.:rnDellPrecisionM3800:rvrA09:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvrNotSpecified: dmi.product.name: Dell Precision M3800 dmi.product.version: A09 dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc. To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/initramfs-tools/+bug/1464703/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages Post to : touch-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp