Ubuntu – Upgrading from 14.04 to 14.10: Error! The dkms.conf for this module includes a BUILD_EXCLUSIVE directive which does not match this kernel/arch.

I got a Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition today that shipped with 14.04. I am trying to upgrade to 15.04 in order to solve some trackpad issues, and it seems I need to go to 14.10 and then to 15.04.

When I run the upgrade it stops about 3/4 of the way through installing with the following error:

System Error: E:sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

After some googling I came across a recommendation to run dpkg --configure -a. The output of that command is the following.

nate@nate-XPS-13-9343:~$ sudo !!
sudo dpkg --configure -a
Setting up initramfs-tools (0.103ubuntu8) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Setting up linux-image-3.16.0-38-generic (3.16.0-38.52) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: deferring update (hook will be called later)
The link /initrd.img is a dangling linkto /boot/initrd.img-3.16.0-38-generic
vmlinuz(/boot/vmlinuz-3.16.0-38-generic
) points to /boot/vmlinuz-3.16.0-38-generic
 (/boot/vmlinuz-3.16.0-38-generic) -- doing nothing at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-3.16.0-38-generic.postinst line 491.
Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 3.16.0-38-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.16.0-38-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 3.16.0-38-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.16.0-38-generic
Error!  The dkms.conf for this module includes a BUILD_EXCLUSIVE directive which
does not match this kernel/arch.  This indicates that it should not be built.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 3.16.0-38-generic /boot/vmlinuz-3.16.0-38-generic
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.16.0-38-generic
E: /usr/share/initramfs-tools/hooks/casper-memdisk failed with return 1.
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-3.16.0-38-generic with 1.
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools exited with return code 1
Failed to process /etc/kernel/postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-3.16.0-38-generic.postinst line 1025.
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-3.16.0-38-generic (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-extra-3.16.0-38-generic:
 linux-image-extra-3.16.0-38-generic depends on linux-image-3.16.0-38-generic; however:
  Package linux-image-3.16.0-38-generic is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package linux-image-extra-3.16.0-38-generic (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-generic:
 linux-image-generic depends on linux-image-3.16.0-38-generic; however:
  Package linux-image-3.16.0-38-generic is not configured yet.
 linux-image-generic depends on linux-image-extra-3.16.0-38-generic; however:
  Package linux-image-extra-3.16.0-38-generic is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package linux-image-generic (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-generic:
 linux-generic depends on linux-image-generic (= 3.16.0.38.39); however:
  Package linux-image-generic is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package linux-generic (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.103ubuntu8) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-53-generic
E: /usr/share/initramfs-tools/hooks/casper-memdisk failed with return 1.
update-initramfs: failed for /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-53-generic with 1.
dpkg: error processing package initramfs-tools (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-image-3.16.0-38-generic
 linux-image-extra-3.16.0-38-generic
 linux-image-generic
 linux-generic
 initramfs-tools
nate@nate-XPS-13-9343:~$ 

The last time I did this, and rebooted, the system would hang on the boot screen. I was eventually able to reach a Dell restore boot screen which kicked me back to the working 14.04 installation.

I am a relative novice with Ubuntu under-the-hood. Does anyone have any idea how I can resolve this issue and get to 14.10 or jump straight to 15.04?

Thanks.