dpkg --auto-deconfigure does not deconfigure dependencies

[Brian Kelley]

Binary package hint: dpkg

When attempting to uninstall openssh-client, I came across a dependency problem: openssh-server depends on openssh-client. I need to remove it so I figured I would use the -B (--auto-deconfigure) argument and everything would uninstall. It does not.

There is no difference between the output of `dpkg -r openssh-client` and `dpkg -Br openssh-client` (or `dpkg --auto-deconfigure -r openssh-client`).

Here is the output of dpkg:

dpkg: dependency problems prevent removal of openssh-client:
 openssh-server depends on openssh-client (= 1:4.7p1-8ubuntu1.2).
dpkg: error processing openssh-client (--remove):
 dependency problems - not removing
Errors were encountered while processing:
 openssh-client

I am able to remove both packages with the following command: `dpkg -r openssh-server openssh-client`

I have the same results on Ubuntu Desktop 8.04 and Ubuntu Server 8.04 on separate machines.

Ubuntu 8.04.3 LTS (server)
Ubuntu 8.04.1 (desktop)
dpkg version: 1.14.16.6ubuntu4 (both)

From the dpkg manual:

       -B|--auto-deconfigure
       When a package is removed, there is a possibility that
       another installed package depended on the removed pack-
       age. Specifying this option will cause automatic decon-
       figuration of the package which depended on the removed
       package.

[Raphaël Hertzog (hertzog)]

This is true but it's not clear that -B has been meant for this case. It's used when there are Breaks involved, when a package is temporarily dropped because it's replaced.