package systemd 229-4ubuntu17 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1

[Jarvis L. Benjamin]

Teamviewer failed to install

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: systemd 229-4ubuntu17
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.8.0-56.61~16.04.1-generic 4.8.17
Uname: Linux 4.8.0-56-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.6
Architecture: amd64
Date: Wed Aug 9 14:04:07 2017
DpkgTerminalLog:
 Removing systemd (229-4ubuntu17) ...
 systemd is the active init system, please switch to another before removing systemd.
 dpkg: error processing package systemd (--purge):
  subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
DuplicateSignature:
 package:systemd:229-4ubuntu17
 Removing systemd (229-4ubuntu17) ...
 systemd is the active init system, please switch to another before removing systemd.
 dpkg: error processing package systemd (--purge):
  subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2017-04-29 (101 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20170215.2)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Inspiron 3646
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.8.0-56-generic root=UUID=2a8d6b85-2950-47ff-bac6-29533c928095 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7 init=/lib/systemd/systemd
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.18.4ubuntu1.2
 apt 1.2.20
SourcePackage: systemd
SystemdDelta:
 [EXTENDED] /lib/systemd/system/rc-local.service → /lib/systemd/system/rc-local.service.d/debian.conf
 [EXTENDED] /etc/systemd/system/display-manager.service → /lib/systemd/system/display-manager.service.d/xdiagnose.conf
 [EXTENDED] /lib/systemd/system/systemd-timesyncd.service → /lib/systemd/system/systemd-timesyncd.service.d/disable-with-time-daemon.conf

 3 overridden configuration files found.
Title: package systemd 229-4ubuntu17 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 08/17/2015
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A09
dmi.board.name: 0KXN37
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: A09
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA09:bd08/17/2015:svnDellInc.:pnInspiron3646:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0KXN37:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct3:cvrA09:
dmi.product.name: Inspiron 3646
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

The error message is correct, systemd is always the active init system and it will break your system to remove this package. It is not a bug in systemd that it prevents you from breaking your system and rendering it unbootable.