package libapt-pkg5.0 1.6.3 failed to install/upgrade: dpkg-deb --control subprocess returned error exit status 2

[Meiram Zhimailov]

I don't know exactly what is broken.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: libapt-pkg5.0 1.6.3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-29.31-generic 4.15.18
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-29-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.2
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sun Dec 16 12:20:50 2018
DpkgTerminalLog:
 dpkg-deb: error: '/var/cache/apt/archives/libapt-pkg5.0_1.6.3ubuntu0.1_amd64.deb' is not a Debian format archive
 dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/libapt-pkg5.0_1.6.3ubuntu0.1_amd64.deb (--unpack):
  dpkg-deb --control subprocess returned error exit status 2
ErrorMessage: dpkg-deb --control subprocess returned error exit status 2
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-12-15 (1 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180725)
Python3Details: /usr/bin/python3.6, Python 3.6.5, python3-minimal, 3.6.5-3ubuntu1
PythonDetails: N/A
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.19.0.5ubuntu2
 apt 1.6.3
SourcePackage: apt
Title: package libapt-pkg5.0 1.6.3 failed to install/upgrade: dpkg-deb --control subprocess returned error exit status 2
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Kai Kasurinen (kai-kasurinen)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. It seems that there was an error on your system when trying to install a particular package. Please execute the following command, as it will clear your package cache, in a terminal:

sudo apt-get clean

Then try performing the update again. This will likely resolve your issue, but the failure could be caused by filesystem or memory corruption. So please also run a fsck on your filesystem(s) and a memory test. Thanks in advance!