Update package failed to load, causes broken software manager program

[Greg Russell]

package compiz-plugins-default 1:0.9.8.4+bzr3407-0ubuntu1 failed to install/upgrade: cannot copy extracted data for './usr/share/compiz/expo.xml' to '/usr/share/compiz/expo.xml.dpkg-new': unexpected end of file or stream

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: compiz-plugins-default 1:0.9.8.4+bzr3412-0ubuntu0.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-19.30-generic 3.5.7
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-19-generic x86_64
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.6.1-0ubuntu6
AptOrdering:
 compiz-plugins-default: Install
 compiz-plugins-default: Configure
 compiz-gnome: Configure
 compiz: Configure
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Thu Dec 6 21:14:16 2012
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: quantal
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus: virtualbox, 4.1.18: added
ErrorMessage: cannot copy extracted data for './usr/share/compiz/expo.xml' to '/usr/share/compiz/expo.xml.dpkg-new': unexpected end of file or stream
GraphicsCard:
 NVIDIA Corporation G86 [GeForce 8500 GT] [10de:0421] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: XFX Pine Group Inc. Device [1682:230b]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2012-11-24 (12 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" - Release amd64 (20121017.5)
MachineType: System manufacturer System Product Name
MarkForUpload: True
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-19-generic root=UUID=a00f9f53-32f0-45a2-a515-a96704a3dd5a ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: compiz
Title: package compiz-plugins-default 1:0.9.8.4+bzr3407-0ubuntu1 failed to install/upgrade: cannot copy extracted data for './usr/share/compiz/expo.xml' to '/usr/share/compiz/expo.xml.dpkg-new': unexpected end of file or stream
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 10/02/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
dmi.bios.version: ASUS M2N-SLI DELUXE ACPI BIOS Revision 1701
dmi.board.name: M2N-SLI DELUXE
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: 1.XX
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 123456789000
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologies,LTD:bvrASUSM2N-SLIDELUXEACPIBIOSRevision1701:bd10/02/2008:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnM2N-SLIDELUXE:rvr1.XX:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.8.4+bzr3412-0ubuntu0.1
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.39-0ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 9.0-0ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 9.0-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.13.0-0ubuntu6.1
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.7.3-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.99.99~git20120913.8637f772-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.20.9-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.2-0ubuntu3

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Quinta Helmer (qhelmer)]

I get the 'unexpected end of file or stream' on various packages when trying to update. On a freshly installed OS.

[Stephen M. Webb (bregma)]

A corrupt installation package in Ubuntu can occur because of network or hardware problems, either at the archive mirror from which you download the packages or on your local machine. This is not a problem in the Compiz package itself and certainly not a problem in the Compiz package if it's happening on various packages when you're trying to update.

Some tips on recovering from corrupt installation packages can be found at [1] or in the forums.

[1] https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingInstallationIssues

[Quinta Helmer (qhelmer)]

@Stephen: you were right. Additional problems led me to do another reinstall, which did not boot because of a bad sector in the vmlinuz. So I think I need to buy a new harddisk.