package dovecot-core (not installed) failed to install/upgrade: trying to overwrite '/etc/init.d/dovecot', which is also in package dovecot-common 1:2.0.19-0ubuntu2

[Marlon Cartel]

Cannot install and uninstall sofware using ubuntu software center

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: dovecot-core (not installed)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-43.97-generic-pae 2.6.32.59+drm33.24
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-43-generic-pae i686
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu13
Architecture: i386
Date: Fri Oct 12 07:54:12 2012
DuplicateSignature:
 Unpacking replacement default-jre-headless ...
 dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/default-jre-headless_1%3a1.6-43ubuntu2_i386.deb (--unpack):
  trying to overwrite '/usr/lib/jvm/java-1.6.0-openjdk', which is also in package openjdk-6-jre-headless 6b24-1.11.4-1ubuntu0.10.04.1
ErrorMessage: trying to overwrite '/etc/init.d/dovecot', which is also in package dovecot-common 1:2.0.19-0ubuntu2
SourcePackage: dovecot
Title: package dovecot-core (not installed) failed to install/upgrade: trying to overwrite '/etc/init.d/dovecot', which is also in package dovecot-common 1:2.0.19-0ubuntu2
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-10-11 (0 days ago)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[pokoli (pokoli)]

I solved it by removing the offending packages:

apt-get install dovecot-common dovecot-imapd dovecot-pop3d

And then manually installing them:

apt-get install dovecot-imapd dovecot-pop3d

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Closing per the last comment, that user was able to resolve the installation issue manually.