[wplug] can't get back in my vps :(

[Zach Uram]

I installed some packages an hour ago and then rebooted the remote
system (my VPS system) and now I can no longer ssh back into it! ssh
is my *only* access to my vps server so this is really upsetting. It
isn't ssh problem I think because I checked and my website (which I host on my
vps system) is also now down. For some reason apt needed to update the
initrd image so I am guessing that is causing the system to hang on
boot? I should note the vps runs a virtual server so i am using an
instance of debian testing.

Here is what I did:

debian:~# apt-get install hztty  ttf-arphic-bkai00mp
ttf-arphic-gkai00mp xfonts-intl-chinese  zh-autoconvert  jfbterm
pcmanfm  mlterm  unifont
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
 gamin hal hal-info libdirectfb-extra libfribidi0 libgamin0 libhz0 liblzo2-2
 libsmbios-bin libsmbios2 libsplashy1 libx86-1 mlterm-common mlterm-tools
 pm-utils powermgmt-base radeontool ttf-unifont uswsusp vbetool
 xfonts-unifont xutils
Suggested packages:
 gnome-device-manager libsmbios-doc xfonts-efont-unicode ttf-vlgothic
 ttf-baekmuk ttf-arphic-bsmi00lp ttf-arphic-gbsn00lp ttf-freefont t1-cyrillic
 mlterm-im-uim mlterm-im-m17nlib mlterm-im-scim cpufrequtils x-ttcidfont-conf
 xserver-xfree86 xfs-xtt xfs unifont-bin splashy xfonts-intl-chinese-big
 xfonts-cjk emacs-intl-fonts
The following packages will be REMOVED:
 libfam0
The following NEW packages will be installed:
 gamin hal hal-info hztty jfbterm libdirectfb-extra libfribidi0 libgamin0
 libhz0 liblzo2-2 libsmbios-bin libsmbios2 libsplashy1 libx86-1 mlterm
 mlterm-common mlterm-tools pcmanfm pm-utils powermgmt-base radeontool
 ttf-arphic-bkai00mp ttf-arphic-gkai00mp ttf-unifont unifont uswsusp vbetool
 xfonts-intl-chinese xfonts-unifont xutils zh-autoconvert
0 upgraded, 31 newly installed, 1 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 23.8MB of archives.
After this operation, 58.6MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? Y
Get:1 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main libgamin0 0.1.9-2 [37.8kB]
Get:2 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main gamin 0.1.9-2 [64.0kB]
Get:3 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main libsmbios2
2.0.3.dfsg-1 [204kB]
Get:4 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main hal-info 20090202-1 [150kB]
Get:5 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main powermgmt-base
1.30+nmu1 [11.3kB]
Get:6 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main pm-utils 1.2.4-2 [86.1kB]
Get:7 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main hal 0.5.11-8 [768kB]
Get:8 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main hztty 2.0-6.1 [150kB]
Get:9 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main xfonts-unifont
1:5.1.20080914-1 [947kB]
Get:10 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main ttf-unifont
1:5.1.20080914-1 [3103kB]
Get:11 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main unifont
1:5.1.20080914-1 [1869kB]
Get:12 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main jfbterm 0.4.7-7.2 [55.2kB]
Get:13 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main libdirectfb-extra
1.0.1-11 [28.4kB]
Get:14 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main libfribidi0
0.10.9-1 [42.6kB]Get:15 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main
libhz0 0.3.16-3 [159kB]
Get:16 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main liblzo2-2 2.03-1 [61.5kB]
Get:17 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main libsmbios-bin
2.0.3.dfsg-1 [104kB]
Get:18 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main libsplashy1
0.3.13-3 [43.4kB]Get:19 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main
libx86-1 1.1+ds1-2 [8032B]
Get:20 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main mlterm-common
2.9.4-6 [621kB]Get:21 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main
mlterm 2.9.4-6 [186kB]
Get:22 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main mlterm-tools
2.9.4-6 [63.9kB]Get:23 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main
pcmanfm 0.5-3 [344kB]
Get:24 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main radeontool 1.5-5 [9380B]
Get:25 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main xutils 1:7.3+18 [36.0kB]
Get:26 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main ttf-arphic-bkai00mp
2.10-6.1 [5984kB]
Get:27 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main ttf-arphic-gkai00mp
2.11-6.1 [2699kB]
Get:28 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main uswsusp 0.7-1.2 [151kB]
Get:29 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main vbetool 1.1-2 [10.8kB]
Get:30 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main xfonts-intl-chinese
1.2.1-6 [5763kB]
Get:31 http://ftp-mirror.internap.com testing/main zh-autoconvert
0.3.16-3 [39.9kB]
Fetched 23.8MB in 7s (3056kB/s)
Extracting templates from packages: 100%
Preconfiguring packages ...
dpkg: libfam0: dependency problems, but removing anyway as you request:
 libgnomevfs2-0 depends on libfam0.
 kdelibs4c2a depends on libfam0.
(Reading database ... 153288 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing libfam0 ...
Selecting previously deselected package libgamin0.
(Reading database ... 153280 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking libgamin0 (from .../libgamin0_0.1.9-2_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package gamin.
Unpacking gamin (from .../gamin_0.1.9-2_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libsmbios2.
Unpacking libsmbios2 (from .../libsmbios2_2.0.3.dfsg-1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package hal-info.
Unpacking hal-info (from .../hal-info_20090202-1_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package powermgmt-base.
Unpacking powermgmt-base (from .../powermgmt-base_1.30+nmu1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package pm-utils.
Unpacking pm-utils (from .../pm-utils_1.2.4-2_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package hal.
Unpacking hal (from .../archives/hal_0.5.11-8_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package hztty.
Unpacking hztty (from .../hztty_2.0-6.1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package xfonts-unifont.
Unpacking xfonts-unifont (from
.../xfonts-unifont_1%3a5.1.20080914-1_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package ttf-unifont.
Unpacking ttf-unifont (from .../ttf-unifont_1%3a5.1.20080914-1_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package unifont.
Unpacking unifont (from .../unifont_1%3a5.1.20080914-1_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package jfbterm.
Unpacking jfbterm (from .../jfbterm_0.4.7-7.2_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libdirectfb-extra.
Unpacking libdirectfb-extra (from .../libdirectfb-extra_1.0.1-11_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libfribidi0.
Unpacking libfribidi0 (from .../libfribidi0_0.10.9-1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libhz0.
Unpacking libhz0 (from .../libhz0_0.3.16-3_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package liblzo2-2.
Unpacking liblzo2-2 (from .../liblzo2-2_2.03-1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libsmbios-bin.
Unpacking libsmbios-bin (from .../libsmbios-bin_2.0.3.dfsg-1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libsplashy1.
Unpacking libsplashy1 (from .../libsplashy1_0.3.13-3_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libx86-1.
Unpacking libx86-1 (from .../libx86-1_1.1+ds1-2_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package mlterm-common.
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Unpacking mlterm (from .../mlterm_2.9.4-6_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package mlterm-tools.
Unpacking mlterm-tools (from .../mlterm-tools_2.9.4-6_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package pcmanfm.
Unpacking pcmanfm (from .../pcmanfm_0.5-3_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package radeontool.
Unpacking radeontool (from .../radeontool_1.5-5_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package xutils.
Unpacking xutils (from .../xutils_1%3a7.3+18_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package ttf-arphic-bkai00mp.
Unpacking ttf-arphic-bkai00mp (from
.../ttf-arphic-bkai00mp_2.10-6.1_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package ttf-arphic-gkai00mp.
Unpacking ttf-arphic-gkai00mp (from
.../ttf-arphic-gkai00mp_2.11-6.1_all.deb) ...
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Unpacking uswsusp (from .../uswsusp_0.7-1.2_i386.deb) ...
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Unpacking vbetool (from .../vbetool_1.1-2_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package xfonts-intl-chinese.
Unpacking xfonts-intl-chinese (from
.../xfonts-intl-chinese_1.2.1-6_all.deb) ...Selecting previously
deselected package zh-autoconvert.
Unpacking zh-autoconvert (from .../zh-autoconvert_0.3.16-3_i386.deb) ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Processing triggers for menu ...
Setting up libsmbios2 (2.0.3.dfsg-1) ...
Setting up hal-info (20090202-1) ...
Setting up powermgmt-base (1.30+nmu1) ...
udev active, devices will be created in /dev/.static/dev/
create apm_bios c 10 134 root:root 0660
Setting up pm-utils (1.2.4-2) ...
Setting up hal (0.5.11-8) ...
Reloading system message bus config...done.
Starting Hardware abstraction layer: hald.
Setting up hztty (2.0-6.1) ...
Setting up xfonts-unifont (1:5.1.20080914-1) ...
Setting up ttf-unifont (1:5.1.20080914-1) ...
Updating fontconfig cache for /usr/share/fonts/truetype/unifont
Setting up unifont (1:5.1.20080914-1) ...
Setting up jfbterm (0.4.7-7.2) ...
Setting up libdirectfb-extra (1.0.1-11) ...
Setting up libfribidi0 (0.10.9-1) ...
Setting up libhz0 (0.3.16-3) ...
Setting up liblzo2-2 (2.03-1) ...
Setting up libsmbios-bin (2.0.3.dfsg-1) ...
Setting up libsplashy1 (0.3.13-3) ...
Setting up libx86-1 (1.1+ds1-2) ...
Setting up mlterm-common (2.9.4-6) ...
Setting up mlterm (2.9.4-6) ...
Setting up mlterm-tools (2.9.4-6) ...
Setting up radeontool (1.5-5) ...
Setting up xutils (1:7.3+18) ...
Setting up ttf-arphic-bkai00mp (2.10-6.1) ...
Updating fontconfig cache for /usr/share/fonts/truetype/arphic
No CIDSupplement specified for ZenKai-Medium, defaulting to 0.
Setting up ttf-arphic-gkai00mp (2.11-6.1) ...
Updating fontconfig cache for /usr/share/fonts/truetype/arphic
No CIDSupplement specified for GBZenKai-Medium, defaulting to 0.
No CIDSupplement specified for ZenKai-Medium, defaulting to 0.
Setting up uswsusp (0.7-1.2) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Setting up vbetool (1.1-2) ...
Setting up xfonts-intl-chinese (1.2.1-6) ...
Setting up zh-autoconvert (0.3.16-3) ...
Setting up gamin (0.1.9-2) ...
Setting up libgamin0 (0.1.9-2) ...
Setting up pcmanfm (0.5-3) ...
Processing triggers for menu ...
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.26-1-686

debian:~# dpkg-reconfigure locales
Generating locales (this might take a while)...
 en_US.UTF-8... done
 de_DE.ISO-8859-1... done
 de_DE.UTF-8... done
 en_US.ISO-8859-1... done
 en_US.ISO-8859-15... done
 fr_FR.ISO-8859-1... done
 fr_FR.UTF-8... done
 ru_RU.ISO-8859-5... done
 ru_RU.CP1251... done
 ru_RU.KOI8-R... done
 ru_RU.UTF-8... done
 zh_CN.GB2312... done
 zh_CN.GB18030... done
 zh_CN.GBK... done
 zh_CN.UTF-8... done
 zh_HK.BIG5-HKSCS... done
 zh_HK.UTF-8... done
 zh_TW.BIG5... done
 zh_TW.EUC-TW... done
 zh_TW.UTF-8... done
Generation complete.

Next I rebooted it:
debian:~# shutdown -r now

Broadcast message from root at debian (pts/0) (Wed Mar 11 09:21:36 2009):

The system is going down for reboot NOW!

Then I waited 20 minutes and now when I try to ssh in it times out:

ubuntu at ubuntu:~$ ssh -v root at 74.124.206.171
OpenSSH_4.2p1 Debian-7ubuntu3, OpenSSL 0.9.8a 11 Oct 2005
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
debug1: Applying options for *
debug1: Connecting to 74.124.206.171 [74.124.206.171] port 22.
debug1: connect to address 74.124.206.171 port 22: Connection timed out
ssh: connect to host 74.124.206.171 port 22: Connection timed out

Zach