Bug#390756: mdadm failure during base-installer installation step

[Mark Rustad]

Package: mdadm
Version: 2.5.3.git200608202239-6

While doing an install of testing (etch) onto an x86_64 SMP system,  
with software RAID 1 configured on two drives, the mdadm post- 
installation script fails during the base-installer step, preventing  
the installation from completing. This system was being installed  
with "C" localization, in case that makes a difference. The actual  
messages I found in the log are:

Preconfiguring packages ...
mdadm failed to preconfigure, with exit status 1
Fetched 196kB in 0s (10.0MB/s)
Selecting previously deselected package mdadm.
(Reading database ...
7179 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking mdadm (from .../mdadm_2.5.3.git200608202239-6_amd64.deb) ...
Setting up mdadm (2.5.3.git200608202239-6) ...
dpkg: error processing mdadm (--configure):
  subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
  mdadm
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
WARNING **: Configuring 'base-installer' failed with error code 1
WARNING **: Menu item 'base-installer' failed.

I am new to Debian, but quite experienced with Linux.

-- 
Mark Rustad, MRustad at mac.com