Bug#301749: exim4 delays 30 sec when installing or removing

[Jason Spiro]

Package: exim4
Version: 4.44-2

I installed sarge using a weekly CD build about a week old. In debian-insta=
ller, I chose the option to leave exim4 unconfigured. (I use a web-based =
e-mail service. Also, I am a home user and do not need sudo(1) to send me=
 occasional e-mails.)

The blue debconf screen soon scrolled up to reveal one black line, "startin=
g mailer: " or something. There was a 30 or 60 second delay. Then exim4 s=
tarted. I don't remember if any additional info came up, but I know exim4=
 was now running because it then printed its name for a split second befo=
re debconf reappeared and refreshed the screen.

Then, when I removed exim4 later (sudo apt-get remove exim4), I experienced=
 the same delay.

I tried to reproduce this bug again today but couldn't. Debconf did not giv=
e me an option to leave exim4 unconfigured, presumably because I made a c=
onscious decision to install it this time.

However, I did get this interesting set of error messages:

--begin log--
eli@debian:~$ sudo apt-get install exim4
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  exim4-base exim4-config exim4-daemon-light
Suggested packages:
  eximon4 exim4-doc-html exim4-doc-info
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  exim4 exim4-base exim4-config exim4-daemon-light
0 upgraded, 4 newly installed, 0 to remove and 5 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/1353kB of archives.
After unpacking 2986kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously deselected package exim4-config.
(Reading database ... 72862 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking exim4-config (from .../exim4-config_4.44-2_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package exim4-base.
Unpacking exim4-base (from .../exim4-base_4.44-2_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package exim4-daemon-light.
Unpacking exim4-daemon-light (from .../exim4-daemon-light_4.44-2_i386.deb) =
...
Selecting previously deselected package exim4.
Unpacking exim4 (from .../e/exim4/exim4_4.44-2_all.deb) ...
Setting up exim4-config (4.44-2) ...

Setting up exim4-base (4.44-2) ...

Setting up exim4-daemon-light (4.44-2) ...
Starting MTA: 2005-03-27 21:48:12 Exim configuration error in line 6 of /va=
r/lib/exim4/config.autogenerated:
  malformed macro definition

Warning! Invalid configuration file for exim4. Exiting.
invoke-rc.d: initscript exim4, action "start" failed.
Reloading exim4 configuration files
2005-03-27 21:48:12 Exim configuration error in line 6 of /var/lib/exim4/co=
nfig.autogenerated:
  malformed macro definition

Warning! Invalid configuration file for exim4. Exiting.
invoke-rc.d: initscript exim4, action "reload" failed.

Setting up exim4 (4.44-2) ...
eli@debian:~$
--end log--

This bug is frustrating because I never wanted exim installed in the first =
place.

Thanks for listening,
js