Crash during Inkscape install: now every update gives ubprocess post-installation scr

[bopomofo]

Jaunty recently crashed while installing Inkscape. While trying to reinstall the packages I kept getting an error:

subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2

I finally overcame this with a

sudo apt-get install inkscape

However, now when I'm running the Update Manager, I get a similar error no matter what is being installed. For example:

E: python-lxml: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
E: python-numpy: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
E: python-uniconvertor: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2

However, it "seems" as though the packages are being installed. (They don't show up again in Update Manager).

What gives?

[bopomofo]

After a few more upgrades I've realized that it is always the same three packages that are causing a problem:

python-lxml python-numpy python-uniconvertor

As per this thread: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=863056

Running


sudo dpkg -P python-lxml

outputs


(Reading database ... 204924 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing python-lxml ...
dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute pre-removal script: Exec format error
dpkg: error processing python-lxml (--purge):
subprocess pre-removal script returned error exit status 2
dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute post-installation script: Exec format error
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
python-lxml


That same thread suggests running


dpkg-divert --list

But the packages that are causing problems do not show up in the output of that command.

The same thread suggests editing the file /var/lib/dpkg/info/python-lxml.postrm but that file does not exist. There is only:


python-lxml.list python-lxml.postinst python-lxml.prerm
python-lxml.md5sums python-lxml.preinst


All of these except python-lxml.list are empty.

Any ideas are much appreciated.

[bopomofo]

Since none of the linked-to solution were working for me, I just decided to remove the offending entries manually:


cd /var/lib/dpkg/info/
sudo rm python-lxml.*
sudo rm python-numpy.*
sudo rm python-uniconvertor.*


Then from Synaptic Package Manager I was able to remove/reinstall these three packages. Inkscape is still able to launch. Software Update no longer complains about these three packages.

Advice: Don't let your computer crash during a software install from Add/Remove... :mad: