package openssh-client 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.2 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2

[Kevin Walton]

System froze during previous upgrade of a number of packages. dpkg.log of that upgrade:

2008-05-17 09:04:48 status half-configured openssl-blacklist 0.1-0ubuntu0.8.04.1
2008-05-17 09:04:49 status unpacked openssl-blacklist 0.1-0ubuntu0.8.04.1
2008-05-17 09:04:49 status half-installed openssl-blacklist 0.1-0ubuntu0.8.04.1
2008-05-17 09:04:50 status half-installed openssl-blacklist 0.1-0ubuntu0.8.04.1
2008-05-17 09:04:50 status unpacked openssl-blacklist 0.1-0ubuntu0.8.04.2
2008-05-17 09:04:50 status unpacked openssl-blacklist 0.1-0ubuntu0.8.04.2
2008-05-17 09:04:50 upgrade friendly-recovery 0.1 0.1.2
2008-05-17 09:04:50 status half-configured friendly-recovery 0.1
2008-05-17 09:04:50 status unpacked friendly-recovery 0.1
2008-05-17 09:04:50 status half-installed friendly-recovery 0.1
2008-05-17 09:04:50 status half-installed friendly-recovery 0.1
2008-05-17 09:04:50 status unpacked friendly-recovery 0.1.2
2008-05-17 09:04:50 status unpacked friendly-recovery 0.1.2
2008-05-17 09:04:51 upgrade openssh-server 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.1 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.2
2008-05-17 09:04:51 status half-configured openssh-server 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.1
2008-05-17 09:04:51 status unpacked openssh-server 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.1
2008-05-17 09:04:51 status half-installed openssh-server 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.1
2008-05-17 09:09:12 startup packages configure
2008-05-17 09:09:12 configure openssl-blacklist 0.1-0ubuntu0.8.04.2 0.1-0ubuntu0.8.04.1
2008-05-17 09:09:12 status unpacked openssl-blacklist 0.1-0ubuntu0.8.04.2
2008-05-17 09:09:12 status half-configured openssl-blacklist 0.1-0ubuntu0.8.04.2
2008-05-17 09:09:12 status installed openssl-blacklist 0.1-0ubuntu0.8.04.2
2008-05-17 09:09:12 configure ssl-cert 1.0.14-0ubuntu2.1 1.0.14-0ubuntu2.1
2008-05-17 09:09:12 status half-configured ssl-cert 1.0.14-0ubuntu2.1
2008-05-17 09:09:17 status installed ssl-cert 1.0.14-0ubuntu2.1
2008-05-17 09:09:17 configure libgtk2.0-common 2.12.9-3ubuntu4 2.12.9-3ubuntu3
2008-05-17 09:09:17 status unpacked libgtk2.0-common 2.12.9-3ubuntu4
2008-05-17 09:09:17 status half-configured libgtk2.0-common 2.12.9-3ubuntu4
2008-05-17 09:09:17 status installed libgtk2.0-common 2.12.9-3ubuntu4
2008-05-17 09:09:17 configure friendly-recovery 0.1.2 0.1
2008-05-17 09:09:17 status unpacked friendly-recovery 0.1.2
2008-05-17 09:09:17 status half-configured friendly-recovery 0.1.2
2008-05-17 09:09:17 status installed friendly-recovery 0.1.2
2008-05-17 09:09:17 configure openssh-client 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.2 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.1
2008-05-17 09:09:17 status unpacked openssh-client 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.2
2008-05-17 09:09:17 status half-configured openssh-client 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.2
2008-05-17 09:09:17 configure libglib2.0-0 2.16.3-1ubuntu1 2.16.3-1
2008-05-17 09:09:17 status unpacked libglib2.0-0 2.16.3-1ubuntu1
2008-05-17 09:09:17 status half-configured libglib2.0-0 2.16.3-1ubuntu1

If I tried again following this freeze, dpkg.log would contain these additions:
2008-05-17 09:31:25 status half-configured openssh-client 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.2
2008-05-17 09:31:25 configure libglib2.0-0 2.16.3-1ubuntu1 2.16.3-1
2008-05-17 09:31:25 status half-configured libglib2.0-0 2.16.3-1ubuntu1
2008-05-17 09:31:43 startup packages configure
2008-05-17 09:31:43 configure openssh-client 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.2 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.1.

If I try reinstallation of openssh-client in Synaptic, I get the following:
E: openssh-client: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
E: libglib2.0-0: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
E: libgtk2.0-0: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
E: gksu: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
E: gdm: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
E: gtk2-engines-pixbuf: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
E: libglib2.0-cil: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
E: libgtk2.0-bin: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
E: libnautilus-extension1: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
E: libtotem-plparser10: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
E: nautilus: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
E: openssh-server: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
E: ssh: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
E: ssh-askpass-gnome: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

If I try "sudo dpkg-reconfigure openssh-client", I get
/usr/sbin/dpkg-reconfigure: openssh-client is broken or not fully installed

I then tried something I saw on the forums:
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get install -f

At this time (not sure if it was related), I got the system crash indication.

Further info:
Release: 8.04
Processor: Athlon 64 X2 3800+

kevin@marzipan:/var/log$ sudo apt-cache policy openssh-client
openssh-client:
  Installed: 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.2
  Candidate: 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.2
  Version table:
 *** 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.2 0
        500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/main Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com hardy-security/main Packages
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1 0
        500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/main Packages

ProblemType: Package
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sat May 17 09:26:07 2008
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 8.04
ErrorMessage: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
Package: gdm 2.20.6-0ubuntu1
PackageArchitecture: amd64
SourcePackage: gdm
Title: package gdm 2.20.6-0ubuntu1 failed to install/upgrade: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Uname: Linux 2.6.24-16-generic x86_64

ProblemType: Package
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sat May 17 09:26:07 2008
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 8.04
ErrorMessage: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
Package: openssh-client 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.2
PackageArchitecture: amd64
SourcePackage: openssh
Title: package openssh-client 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.2 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Uname: Linux 2.6.24-16-generic x86_64

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. You reported this bug a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering is this still an issue for you? Can you try with latest Ubuntu release? Thanks in advance.

[Kevin Walton (kezington)]

I still did have this issue - subsequent package upgrades would work, but it would always complain about openssh-client. I recently had a HD failure, so I've reinstalled with a new drive and therefore won't be able to provide further info unfortunately.

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

Thanks for following up. I'm closing this report because you've reinstalled the system and it's not reproducible with this one and we haven't seen recent duplicates. Don't hesitate to reopen if you're facing the same issue again. Thank you for your help to make Ubuntu better.