On Wed, 7 Aug 2019 17:13:50 +1000
"Ralph Ronnquist \(rrq\) via Dng" <dng@???> wrote:

> terryc wrote on 7/8/19 4:39 pm:
> > In the midst of removing a package that frequently crashes* and
> > attempting a general package update/upgrade, somehow the package
> > upgrade system has borked something.
> >
> > Specifically it seems to have come about following a
> > sudo apt autoremove where a depreciated image was listed to go.
> >
> > Now I am at a state where I can do nothing package wise
> >
> > ..........Error Message........
> > Removing linux-image-4.9.0-6-amd64
> > (4.9.88-1+deb9u1) ... /etc/kernel/postrm.d/initramfs-tools:
> > update-initramfs:
> > Deleting /boot/initrd.img-4.9.0-6-amd64 /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub: /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig:
> > 32: /etc/default/grub: Syntax error: EOF in backquote substitution
> > run-parts: /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub exited with return
> > code 2 dpkg: error processing package linux-image-4.9.0-6-amd64
> > (--remove):
>
> Maybe there's a spurious back-quote in /etc/default/grub ?

If that is the case, then it has been placed there by a recent package
as I've never touched it and the two other Devuan Ascii boxen have no
problem. And line #32 of that file is actually a comment.

I thought it might have referred to Line #32 of /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig
which s a reference to the contents of "$rootdatadir" but that is
defined a few lines above as /usr/share. Plus it is identical(eyeball
compare) on the affected and non-effected machine.

Both the two non-effected machines have just today removed the
linux-image-4.9.0-6-amd64
from their boot options without trouble.
And as webfu hasn't turned up any pointer, I'm a little stumped ATM.