Fonts unable to be downloaded due to privileges error

[Cerin]

Attempting to install MS TTF fonts fails:

    $ sudo dpkg -P ttf-mscorefonts-installer
    (Reading database ... 449542 files and directories currently installed.)
    Removing ttf-mscorefonts-installer (3.4+nmu1ubuntu2) ...
    Purging configuration files for ttf-mscorefonts-installer (3.4+nmu1ubuntu2) ...
    Processing triggers for update-notifier-common (3.168.2) ...
    $ sudo apt-get install ttf-mscorefonts-installer
    Reading package lists... Done
    Building dependency tree
    Reading state information... Done
    The following NEW packages will be installed:
      ttf-mscorefonts-installer
    0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 115 not upgraded.
    Need to get 29.5 kB of archives.
    After this operation, 134 kB of additional disk space will be used.
    Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/multiverse amd64 ttf-mscorefonts-installer all 3.4+nmu1ubuntu2 [29.5 kB]
    Fetched 29.5 kB in 0s (207 kB/s)
    Preconfiguring packages ...
    Selecting previously unselected package ttf-mscorefonts-installer.
    (Reading database ... 449535 files and directories currently installed.)
    Preparing to unpack .../ttf-mscorefonts-installer_3.4+nmu1ubuntu2_all.deb ...
    Unpacking ttf-mscorefonts-installer (3.4+nmu1ubuntu2) ...
    Processing triggers for fontconfig (2.11.94-0ubuntu1.1) ...
    Processing triggers for update-notifier-common (3.168.2) ...
    ttf-mscorefonts-installer: processing...
    ttf-mscorefonts-installer: downloading http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/andale32.exe
    Get:1 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/andale32.exe [969 B]
    Err:1 http://downloads.sourceforge.net/corefonts/andale32.exe
      Hash Sum mismatch
    Fetched 969 B in 0s (2035 B/s)
    W: Can't drop privileges for downloading as file '/var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial/andale32.exe' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
    E: Failed to fetch http://downloads.sourceforge.net/mirrorproblem?failedmirror=pilotfiber.dl.sourceforge.net Hash Sum mismatch

    E: Download Failed
    Setting up ttf-mscorefonts-installer (3.4+nmu1ubuntu2) ...

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: ttf-mscorefonts-installer 3.4+nmu1ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-45.66-generic 4.4.21
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-45-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: GNOME
Date: Wed Nov 16 11:09:18 2016
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-10-20 (392 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.3 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Beta amd64 (20150805)
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: msttcorefonts
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2016-09-16 (61 days ago)

[paulscottrobson (paulscottrobson)]

I had this same problem, the first fix here, from xyphos, fixed the problem. his or her suggestion involving partial downloads

http://askubuntu.com/questions/463754/how-to-make-ttf-mscorefonts-installer-package-download-fonts-after-it-says-it-i

Solution:

sudo dpkg -P ttf-mscorefonts-installer
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloads/partial/*
sudo apt-get --purge --reinstall install ttf-mscorefonts-installer

[dino99 (9d9)]

This is a false positive and harmless problem (see lp:1522675 )

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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