typo in prerm file breaks failed-upgrade processing

[Tiziano Faion]

In line 88 of prerm file of package flashplugin-nonfree_9.0.115.0ubuntu5_amd64 there is a typo that makes impossible to remove that package
file is attached

[xtknight (xt-knight)]

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

Is the file attached the one with the error? If so, what is the correction for the typo?

What version of Ubuntu is affected? What error do you get when you try to remove the package, or what are the expected and actual results?

[xtknight (xt-knight)]

This bug will be reopened when the information above is provided.

[Tiziano Faion (tiziano-e-tip)]

The file attachet id the one with error and you can find error at line 80
package version is 9.0.124.0ubuntu1
here i report the error , i think the command should be an echo

 else
   cho "prerm called with argument \`$1'" >&2
   exit 1
  fi
  ;;
 *)

[John Vivirito (gnomefreak)]

Looks like it should be echo not cho.

Can you please install the latest flash package ubuntu version 9.0.124.0ubuntu1 and see if you still see this problem

[Tiziano Faion (tiziano-e-tip)]

 > Can you please install the latest flash package ubuntu version
> 9.0.124.0ubuntu1 and see if you still see this problem

I've tried but i haven't managed to upgrade the package, now i cannot
remove, upgrade reinstall the package.

[xtknight (xt-knight)]

hardy debdiff that should fix the problem

[xtknight (xt-knight)]

Tiziano: for me, I can remove the bugged package fine.

sudo dpkg --purge flashplugin-nonfree
(Reading database ... 186448 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing flashplugin-nonfree ...
Purging configuration files for flashplugin-nonfree ...

What exact message do you get when you try to remove the package?

[Tiziano Faion (tiziano-e-tip)]

Well at this moment i can't paste the error cause it happens in my work office,
Tomorrow i'm posting it.
It says something about a exec format error

[Tiziano Faion (tiziano-e-tip)]

Well at this moment i can't paste the error cause it happens in my work office pc,
Tomorrow i'm posting it.
It says something about a exec format error

[John Vivirito (gnomefreak)]

xtknight,
Thanks for the debdiff can you please ping someone from motu at #ubuntu-motu or mozilla team at
#ubuntu-mozillateam.

[John Vivirito (gnomefreak)]

xtknight,
Are you able to confirm that the newest flash package has same error in prerm?

[Tiziano Faion (tiziano-e-tip)]

xtknight,
here it is the error when trying to reinstall package

tiziano@poseidon:~/Desktop$ sudo dpkg -i flashplugin-nonfree_9.0.115.0ubuntu5_amd64.deb
(Reading database ... 163527 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace flashplugin-nonfree 9.0.115.0ubuntu5 (using flashplugin-nonfree_9.0.115.0ubuntu5_amd64.deb) ...
dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute old pre-removal script: Exec format error
dpkg: warning - old pre-removal script returned error exit status 2
dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ...
prerm called with argument `failed-upgrade'
dpkg: error processing flashplugin-nonfree_9.0.115.0ubuntu5_amd64.deb (--install):
 subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute post-installation script: Exec format error
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
 flashplugin-nonfree_9.0.115.0ubuntu5_amd64.deb
tiziano@poseidon:~/Desktop$

[xtknight (xt-knight)]

Tiziano Faion: thanks. That is the old package. So, does the new one fix the issue?

You should simply be able to type "sudo dpkg -i newpackage.deb". If not, maybe "sudo dpkg -i --force-all newpackage.deb".

Make sure you download the AMD64 Hardy version from here (you're on Hardy, right?) https://launchpad.net/~xt-knight/+archive
Version should be flashplugin-nonfree - 9.0.124.0ubuntu2~ppa1.

John Vivirito: The latest Hardy package (9.0.124.0ubuntu1) has the problem. -ubuntu2 is the debdiff to fix -ubuntu1's problem.

Hardy, Gutsy, Edgy (Flash 9), Dapper (Flash 9) have the problem. Not sure if it's worth an SRU?
Feisty, Edgy (Flash 7), Dapper (Flash 7) do not.

List of affected packages:

hardy flashplugin-nonfree (9.0.124.0ubuntu1) [multiverse]
gutsy-updates flashplugin-nonfree (9.0.124.0ubuntu1~gutsy1) [multiverse]
gutsy flashplugin-nonfree (9.0.48.0.2+really0ubuntu12) [multiverse]
edgy-backports flashplugin-nonfree (9.0.48.0.0ubuntu11~edgy1) [multiverse]
dapper-backports flashplugin-nonfree (9.0.48.0.0ubuntu11~dapper3) [multiverse]

[Alexander Sack (asac)]

this is only for failed-upgrade cases. still a bug that should be fixed asap.

subscribing motu-release to get hardy exception and ubuntu-universe sponsors to get this on track.

[StefanPotyra (sistpoty)]

sure :).

[Scott Kitterman (kitterman)]

ack if no one else has already.

[Tiziano Faion (tiziano-e-tip)]

xtknight:
the new package don't resolve the problem i'm still unable to install new version... the error is the same: exec format

[xtknight (xt-knight)]

Tiziano: I don't know, this sounds like another problem to me (probably that you can't remove the old package?) The new debs have the fix in them.

You'll probably have to remove the flashplugin-nonfree block from /var/lib/dpkg/status and try again. That's a last resort, though.

[Tiziano Faion (tiziano-e-tip)]

Yes, seems like old package cannot be removed. i'will remove block from /var/lib/dpkg/status and see what happens. that's very frustrating 'cause i cannot install anything

[Daniel Hahler (blueyed)]

Tiziano's error appears to be in postinst: "dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute post-installation script: Exec format error".
Tiziano, please try purging the current package, before fiddling in /var/lib/dpkg/status directly. You only seem to have tried to reinstall it:
$ sudo dpkg -P flashplugin-nonfree

As for the typo, I don't think it makes any difference, the next line would be "exit 1" anyway, so the script fails also for "failed-upgrade", if the typo is fixed.

IMHO the typo should be fixed, but also the "exit 1" changed to "exit 0", but please investigate, if "exit 1" has any special meaning in prerm.

[xtknight (xt-knight)]

I can't reproduce the problem and I'm not sure why Tiziano's system is falling through to "cho" or "exit 1".

                if dpkg --compare-versions "$2" ">>" 9.0.48.0.0ubuntu4 &&
                   dpkg --compare-versions "$2" "<<" 9.0.48.0.0ubuntu8

I think that happens if it detects a Flash between 9.0.48.0.0ubuntu4 and 9.0.48.0.0ubuntu8 on his system, but I don't know why he would have had this version if he had Hardy. His problem should not happen on the release disc or the latest Hardy.

I don't believe the typo would fix the problem either, because "exit 1" would still yield a nonzero error code.

Anyway, he got an exec-format error and this would not be caused by "cho" as far as I can tell. Tiziano, I think that your /bin/sh may be broken. I'm not sure why this would be, but if removing it from status doesn't fix your problem, and you still can't install other packages, then something else is probably messed up with your system.

[xtknight (xt-knight)]

Actually you might hold off on removing it from dpkg/status if anyone else has suggestions. I'd still be interested to see the Package: flashplugin-nonfree block on status if you still have it.

[Tiziano Faion (tiziano-e-tip)]

i've investigated a little more and tried to execute postinst file manually,
that's what i get
update-alternatives: error or eof reading /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives/iceape-flashplugin for update_mode ()

(i hope the translation is correct)

[Andrea Colangelo (warp10)]

Unsubscribing u-u-s, since I don't see any valid debdiff attached.

[Daniel Hahler (blueyed)]

Tiziano: just for info, to get the original message, just set LANG=C, e.g.:
LANG=C sudo /path/to/postinst

[opsilos (pick2005)]

try this command for remove:

sudo dpkg --remove --force-remove-reinstreq flashplugin-installer