package openssh-server 1:6.9p1-2ubuntu0.1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

[James Boylan]

This error manifested in the post-install process on a default upgrade of the system.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 15.10
Package: openssh-server 1:6.9p1-2ubuntu0.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.2.0-23.28-generic 4.2.6
Uname: Linux 4.2.0-23-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.19.1-0ubuntu5
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue Jan 19 12:53:42 2016
DuplicateSignature: package:openssh-server:1:6.9p1-2ubuntu0.1:subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-12-11 (38 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 15.10 "Wily Werewolf" - Release amd64 (20151021)
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.18.2ubuntu5.1
 apt 1.0.10.2ubuntu1
SourcePackage: openssh
Title: package openssh-server 1:6.9p1-2ubuntu0.1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Robie Basak (racb)]

From log:

insserv: There is a loop between service smfpd and dns-clean if started
insserv: loop involving service dns-clean at depth 1
insserv: Starting smfpd depends on rc.local and therefore on system facility `$all' which can not be true!
insserv: exiting now without changing boot order!
update-rc.d: error: insserv rejected the script header
dpkg: error processing package openssh-server (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

[Robie Basak (racb)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better.

Since it seems likely to me that this is a local configuration problem, rather than a bug in Ubuntu, I'm marking this bug as Incomplete.

If indeed this is a local configuration problem, you can find pointers to get help for this sort of problem here: http://www.ubuntu.com/support/community

Or if you believe that this is really a bug, then you may find it helpful to read "How to report bugs effectively" http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/bugs.html. We'd be grateful if you would then provide a more complete description of the problem, explain why you believe this is a bug in Ubuntu rather than a problem specific to your system, and then change the bug status back to New.

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

Specifically, the local configuration problem here is in the LSB header of /etc/init.d/smfpd. This file isn't shipped by Ubuntu, so you will have to work out how to correct it locally or refer to whoever maintains the package containing it.

It's unfortunate that this takes out unrelated packages, but that's insserv for you. :-(