Broken packages on Ubuntu 12.04

[GVRV]

G'Day everyone,

I've got a few broken packages on my system that I cannot seem to fix.

Output from dpkg

gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
Setting up man-db (2.6.1-2) ...
dpkg: error processing man-db (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Setting up byobu (5.17-0ubuntu1) ...
dpkg: error processing byobu (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 man-db
 byobu

If I try to autoremove them, I get

gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo apt-get autoremove
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 33 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Setting up man-db (2.6.1-2) ...
dpkg: error processing man-db (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Setting up byobu (5.17-0ubuntu1) ...
dpkg: error processing byobu (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 man-db
 byobu
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Can anyone tell me how I can fix this? I don't want to risk upgrading to 12.10 before I can. Thanks!

[grahammechanical]

Installing 12.10 most likely would fix this problem because 12.10 uses a different set of repositories to 12.10 but that is not the way to fix problems. Is it?

The issue seems to be with byobu. Have you tried re-installing byobu? Why do you have it installed? It is not installed by default on my 12.10 Ubuntu. Which version of Ubuntu are you using?

Regards.

[raja.genupula]

do this

sudo dpkg -r man-db
sudo dpkg -r byobu
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install -f

[GVRV]

No, byobu is the problem because I recently tried to install juju using apt-get. The problems started with man-db and flashplugin-installer. I removed flashplugin-installer, and I temporarily removed man-db as well. But now when I try to install man-db it still remains broken.

The output of the whole process, if it helps.

gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo apt-get remove man-db
[sudo] password for gaurav: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  man-db
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 33 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 1,790 kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? 
(Reading database ... 366233 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing man-db ...
Processing triggers for doc-base ...
Processing 1 removed doc-base file...
Setting up byobu (5.17-0ubuntu1) ...
dpkg: error processing byobu (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 byobu
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo apt-get remove byobu
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  byobu
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 33 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 428 kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? 
(Reading database ... 366080 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing byobu ...
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme ...
Processing triggers for bamfdaemon ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/bamf.index...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus ...
gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo apt-get install man-db
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Suggested packages:
  groff
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  man-db
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 33 not upgraded.
Need to get 756 kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,790 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main man-db amd64 2.6.1-2 [756 kB]
Fetched 756 kB in 7s (101 kB/s)                                                
Preconfiguring packages ...
man-db failed to preconfigure, with exit status 1
Selecting previously unselected package man-db.
(Reading database ... 365946 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking man-db (from .../man-db_2.6.1-2_amd64.deb) ...
Processing triggers for doc-base ...
Processing 1 added doc-base file...
Setting up man-db (2.6.1-2) ...
dpkg: error processing man-db (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 man-db
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

[GVRV]

do this

sudo dpkg -r man-db
sudo dpkg -r byobu
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install -f

Tried doing what you suggested. Got errors when upgrading.

gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo dpkg -r man-db
(Reading database ... 366098 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing man-db ...
Processing triggers for doc-base ...
Processing 1 removed doc-base file...
gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo apt-get upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be upgraded:
  apparmor apport apport-gtk coreutils libc-bin libc-dev-bin libc6 libc6:i386
  libc6-dev libc6-i386 libgl1-mesa-dri libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 libgl1-mesa-glx
  libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 libglapi-mesa libglapi-mesa:i386 libglu1-mesa
  libglu1-mesa:i386 libparted0debian1 libxatracker1 login multiarch-support
  onboard parted passwd python-apport python-problem-report sessioninstaller
  update-notifier update-notifier-common wpasupplicant x11-utils
  xserver-xorg-video-intel
33 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 29.9 MB of archives.
After this operation, 76.8 kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? 
Get:1 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main coreutils amd64 8.13-3ubuntu3.1 [2,216 kB]
Get:2 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main login amd64 1:4.1.4.2+svn3283-3ubuntu5.1 [291 kB]
Get:3 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libc-bin amd64 2.15-0ubuntu10.3 [1,181 kB]
Get:4 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libc6-i386 amd64 2.15-0ubuntu10.3 [3,993 kB]
Get:5 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libc-dev-bin amd64 2.15-0ubuntu10.3 [84.5 kB]
Get:6 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libc6-dev amd64 2.15-0ubuntu10.3 [2,945 kB]
Get:7 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libc6 i386 2.15-0ubuntu10.3 [3,940 kB]
Get:8 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libc6 amd64 2.15-0ubuntu10.3 [4,653 kB]
Get:9 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main apparmor amd64 2.7.102-0ubuntu3.2 [357 kB]
Get:10 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libparted0debian1 amd64 2.3-8ubuntu5.1 [240 kB]
Get:11 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libgl1-mesa-dri amd64 8.0.4-0ubuntu0.1 [3,056 kB]
Get:12 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libgl1-mesa-dri i386 8.0.4-0ubuntu0.1 [3,098 kB]
Get:13 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libgl1-mesa-glx i386 8.0.4-0ubuntu0.1 [103 kB]
Get:14 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libgl1-mesa-glx amd64 8.0.4-0ubuntu0.1 [104 kB]
Get:15 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libglapi-mesa amd64 8.0.4-0ubuntu0.1 [21.1 kB]
Get:16 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libglapi-mesa i386 8.0.4-0ubuntu0.1 [21.1 kB]
Get:17 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libxatracker1 amd64 8.0.4-0ubuntu0.1 [351 kB]
Get:18 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main update-notifier amd64 0.119ubuntu8.6 [57.3 kB]
Get:19 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main update-notifier-common all 0.119ubuntu8.6 [222 kB]
Get:20 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libglu1-mesa i386 8.0.4-0ubuntu0.1 [165 kB]
Get:21 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libglu1-mesa amd64 8.0.4-0ubuntu0.1 [161 kB]
Get:22 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main multiarch-support amd64 2.15-0ubuntu10.3 [4,480 B]
Get:23 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main passwd amd64 1:4.1.4.2+svn3283-3ubuntu5.1 [959 kB]
Get:24 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main parted amd64 2.3-8ubuntu5.1 [52.4 kB]
Get:25 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main python-problem-report all 2.0.1-0ubuntu14 [9,882 B]
Get:26 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main python-apport all 2.0.1-0ubuntu14 [79.6 kB]
Get:27 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main apport all 2.0.1-0ubuntu14 [145 kB]
Get:28 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main apport-gtk all 2.0.1-0ubuntu14 [9,224 B]
Get:29 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main onboard amd64 0.97.0-0ubuntu4 [406 kB]
Get:30 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main wpasupplicant amd64 0.7.3-6ubuntu2.1 [490 kB]
Get:31 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main x11-utils amd64 7.6+4ubuntu0.1 [230 kB]
Get:32 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main xserver-xorg-video-intel amd64 2:2.17.0-1ubuntu4.2 [238 kB]
Get:33 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main sessioninstaller all 0.20+bzr128-0ubuntu1.2 [29.7 kB]
Fetched 29.9 MB in 1min 37s (307 kB/s)                                         
Extracting templates from packages: 100%
Preconfiguring packages ...
apparmor failed to preconfigure, with exit status 1
(Reading database ... 365946 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace coreutils 8.13-3ubuntu3 (using .../coreutils_8.13-3ubuntu3.1_amd64.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement coreutils ...
Processing triggers for install-info ...
Setting up coreutils (8.13-3ubuntu3.1) ...
(Reading database ... 365946 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace login 1:4.1.4.2+svn3283-3ubuntu5 (using .../login_1%3a4.1.4.2+svn3283-3ubuntu5.1_amd64.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement login ...
Setting up login (1:4.1.4.2+svn3283-3ubuntu5.1) ...
(Reading database ... 365946 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace libc-bin 2.15-0ubuntu10.2 (using .../libc-bin_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libc-bin ...
Setting up libc-bin (2.15-0ubuntu10.3) ...
(Reading database ... 365946 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace libc6-i386 2.15-0ubuntu10.2 (using .../libc6-i386_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libc6-i386 ...
Replaced by files in installed package libc6:i386 ...
Preparing to replace libc-dev-bin 2.15-0ubuntu10.2 (using .../libc-dev-bin_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libc-dev-bin ...
Preparing to replace libc6-dev 2.15-0ubuntu10.2 (using .../libc6-dev_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libc6-dev ...
Preparing to replace libc6 2.15-0ubuntu10.2 (using .../libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb) ...
De-configuring libc6:i386 ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
Preparing to replace libc6:i386 2.15-0ubuntu10.2 (using .../libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_i386.deb) ...
De-configuring libc6 ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_i386.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb
 /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo apt-get install -f
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  libc6 libc6:i386
Suggested packages:
  glibc-doc glibc-doc:i386 locales:i386
The following packages will be upgraded:
  libc6 libc6:i386
2 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 25 not upgraded.
3 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/8,593 kB of archives.
After this operation, 8,192 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? 
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 365946 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace libc6 2.15-0ubuntu10.2 (using .../libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb) ...
De-configuring libc6:i386 ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
Preparing to replace libc6:i386 2.15-0ubuntu10.2 (using .../libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_i386.deb) ...
De-configuring libc6 ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_i386.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb
 /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

[raja.genupula]

Ok do this

sudo rm -rf /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb 
sudo rm -rf  /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_i386.deb

then

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

[GVRV]

Ok do this

sudo rm -rf /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb 
sudo rm -rf  /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_i386.deb

then

Still ends up where we started.

gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo rm -rf /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb 
gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo rm -rf /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_i386.deb 
gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo apt-get update
Ign http://dl.google.com stable InRelease                                      
Ign http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise InRelease                             
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Ign http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports InRelease                   
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security InRelease                      
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Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main TranslationIndex                          
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Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Sources                              
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Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main TranslationIndex                     
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Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Sources                              
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main amd64 Packages                       
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main i386 Packages                        
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main TranslationIndex                     
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Get:4 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports Release [49.6 kB]         
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/universe Translation-en        
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en_IN                         
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Hit http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted Sources                    
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Hit http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise/main amd64 Packages                   
Hit http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted amd64 Packages             
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Hit http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise/main i386 Packages           
Hit http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted i386 Packages     
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Hit http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise/multiverse i386 Packages     
Hit http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise/main TranslationIndex        
Hit http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise/multiverse TranslationIndex
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Hit http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe TranslationIndex    
Get:5 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted Sources [4,395 B]
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Get:7 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse Sources [4,745 B]
Get:8 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe Sources [60.2 kB]  
Get:9 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main amd64 Packages [405 kB]
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com precise/main Translation-en_IN                    
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Get:10 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted amd64 Packages [8,215 B]
Get:11 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe amd64 Packages [149 kB]
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Translation-en_IN                    
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Translation-en                       
Get:12 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse amd64 Packages [8,948 B]
Get:13 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main i386 Packages [410 kB]
Get:14 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted i386 Packages [8,218 B]
Get:15 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe i386 Packages [149 kB]
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Hit http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main TranslationIndex         
Hit http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse TranslationIndex   
Hit http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted TranslationIndex   
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Get:17 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/main Sources [2,422 B]   
Get:18 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/restricted Sources [14 B]
Get:19 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/universe Sources [15.8 kB]
Get:20 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/multiverse Sources [2,669 B]
Get:21 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/main amd64 Packages [1,945 B]
Get:22 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/restricted amd64 Packages [14 B]
Get:23 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/universe amd64 Packages [14.5 kB]
Get:24 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/multiverse amd64 Packages [2,489 B]
Get:25 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/main i386 Packages [1,941 B]
Get:26 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/restricted i386 Packages [14 B]
Get:27 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/universe i386 Packages [14.5 kB]
Get:28 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/multiverse i386 Packages [2,504 B]
Hit http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/main TranslationIndex       
Hit http://in.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/multiverse TranslationIndex 
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Fetched 1,553 kB in 16s (91.7 kB/s)                                            
Reading package lists... Done
gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo apt-get upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 libc6 : Depends: libc-bin (= 2.15-0ubuntu10.2)
 libc6:i386 : Depends: libc-bin:i386 (= 2.15-0ubuntu10.2)
 libc6-dev : Depends: libc6 (= 2.15-0ubuntu10.3) but 2.15-0ubuntu10.2 is installed
 libc6-i386 : Depends: libc6 (= 2.15-0ubuntu10.3) but 2.15-0ubuntu10.2 is installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try using -f.
gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo apt-get install -f
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  libc6 libc6:i386
Suggested packages:
  glibc-doc glibc-doc:i386 locales:i386
The following packages will be upgraded:
  libc6 libc6:i386
2 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 25 not upgraded.
3 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 8,593 kB of archives.
After this operation, 8,192 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? 
Get:1 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libc6 i386 2.15-0ubuntu10.3 [3,940 kB]
Get:2 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libc6 amd64 2.15-0ubuntu10.3 [4,653 kB]
Fetched 8,593 kB in 1min 7s (127 kB/s)                                         
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 365946 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace libc6 2.15-0ubuntu10.2 (using .../libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb) ...
De-configuring libc6:i386 ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
Preparing to replace libc6:i386 2.15-0ubuntu10.2 (using .../libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_i386.deb) ...
De-configuring libc6 ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_i386.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb
 /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

What would be the reason behind

dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.15-0ubuntu10.3_amd64.deb (--unpack):
subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1

I get the same error for all of my broken packages. If I try to re-install `man-db`, I get the same error. What can be causing this? Even if I run `dpkg --configure -a --debug 777` I get no further detail why the pre-installation script is failing for them.

More information:

gaurav@gaurav-gamma:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a 
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libc6-dev:
 libc6-dev depends on libc6 (= 2.15-0ubuntu10.3); however:
  Version of libc6 on system is 2.15-0ubuntu10.2.
dpkg: error processing libc6-dev (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up libc-dev-bin (2.15-0ubuntu10.3) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libc6-i386:
 libc6-i386 depends on libc6 (= 2.15-0ubuntu10.3); however:
  Version of libc6 on system is 2.15-0ubuntu10.2.
dpkg: error processing libc6-i386 (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 libc6-dev
 libc6-i386

Should I re-install the libc package?

[AlexDudko]

You've got libc6 version 2.15-0ubuntu10.2 installed, but it should be 2.15-0ubuntu10.3. Try to download and force upgrade them first (mind that you've got both i386 and amd64 architectures). After that repeat the update normally.
It would be better to disable all additional repositories (ppa's, backports and the rest) so that it was easier to trace the problem.

[GVRV]

You've got libc6 version 2.15-0ubuntu10.2 installed, but it should be 2.15-0ubuntu10.3. Try to download and force upgrade them first (mind that you've got both i386 and amd64 architectures). After that repeat the update normally.
It would be better to disable all additional repositories (ppa's, backports and the rest) so that it was easier to trace the problem.

Can you please tell me how I should go about it? I cannot apt-get remove libc6, and install -f gives me the errors I posted above. How can I correct them? Thanks.

[raja.genupula]

do the same

dpkg -r

for the above two packages and follow the remaining instructions .