package postfix 2.9.3-2~12.04.1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

[Richard White]

This has happened several times during routine Update Manager sessions. As far as I know I am not even using Postfix!

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: postfix 2.9.3-2~12.04.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-27.43-generic 3.2.21
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-27-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu11
AptOrdering:
 skype: Install
 skype-bin: Install
 postfix: Configure
 skype-bin: Configure
 skype: Configure
Architecture: i386
Date: Sun Jul 29 13:02:21 2012
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release i386 (20110427.1)
SourcePackage: postfix
Title: package postfix 2.9.3-2~12.04.1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-05-24 (68 days ago)

[Scott Kitterman (kitterman)]

Try doing the following:

sudo sh /etc/init.d/postfix stop
sudo dpkg-reconfigure postfix

That should clear it up.

[Clint Byrum (clint-fewbar)]

Setting up postfix (2.9.3-2~12.04.1) ...

Postfix configuration was not changed. If you need to make changes, edit
/etc/postfix/main.cf (and others) as needed. To view Postfix configuration
values, see postconf(1).

After modifying main.cf, be sure to run '/etc/init.d/postfix reload'.

Running newaliases
 * Stopping Postfix Mail Transport Agent postfix 
[ OK ]
 * Starting Postfix Mail Transport Agent postfix  postfix/postfix-script: fatal: the Postfix mail system is already running

Does that mean though that the restart action of the init script does not actually make sure postfix is stopped? That seems like a bug. I notice the command does:

        if ! ${CMD} quiet-stop; then
            RET=1
        fi

and a RET of 1 would make it not print [OK], so it seems to me that the quiet-stop command is not actually waiting for postfix to die.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Possibly a duplicate of bug 542307?