package libavformat57:amd64 7:3.0.2-1ubuntu3 failed to install/upgrade: package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should reinstall it before attempting configuration

[abassi]

Hello
I was trying to install CHROMIUM through Ubuntu software center on a recent installation of Yaketty Yak 16.10.

1rst step I clicked as usual on the INSTALL button, inserted my password and saw message "INstallation In Progress"
After a while, got back in front of my screen, and realized nothing was done as if I've never clicked the button INSTALL.

I had a look among installed programs in the start menu, and there was no CHROMIUM installed at all.

Then I repeated the process until the third time when it finally worked.

Firefox, Skype connected, and Clementine were running while trying to install.

ANOTHER INDEPENDANT ISSUE
I can't get VLC installed as I'm systematically asked to identify with my SSO account.
My SSO works when I need to authentify uunder Ubuntu web site, but not under SOFTWARE CENTER.

Thx a lot for your feedback on the latter issue.
Have a good day
Abassi

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.10
Package: libavformat57:amd64 7:3.0.2-1ubuntu3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.8.0-22.24-generic 4.8.0
Uname: Linux 4.8.0-22-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.3-0ubuntu8.2
AptOrdering:
 chromium-browser:amd64: Install
 chromium-browser-l10n:amd64: Install
 NULL: ConfigurePending
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue Dec 27 11:53:18 2016
DuplicateSignature:
 package:libavformat57:amd64:7:3.0.2-1ubuntu3
 Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.15-1) ...
 dpkg: error processing package libavformat57:amd64 (--configure):
  package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should
ErrorMessage: package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should reinstall it before attempting configuration
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-12-24 (2 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-GNOME 16.10 "Yakkety Yak" - Release amd64 (20161012.1)
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.18.10ubuntu1
 apt 1.3.3
SourcePackage: ffmpeg
Title: package libavformat57:amd64 7:3.0.2-1ubuntu3 failed to install/upgrade: package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should reinstall it before attempting configuration
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Andreas Cadhalpun (andreas-cadhalpun)]

Your logs show that while you were trying to install chromium, unattended-upgrades was running in the background and that failed, so the failure is unrelated to chromium.
The unattended-upgrades update was also tried on the preceding days and also failed, but unfortunately it is not clear from the logs what the actual problem was.

Please provide (the relevant part of) /var/log/apt/term.log, so that this can be debugged further.

In general, it is a bad idea to report multiple problems in one bug report, because it makes tracking the bugs (and their fixes) much more complicated.
Thus please open a separate against ubuntu-software bug about your second problem.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for ffmpeg (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]