package mail-stack-delivery (not installed) failed to install/upgrade: subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1

[Christopher]

I cringe each time there's a dovecot update, as I know it will cause problems. This from the error report from the update manager.

installArchives() failed: (Reading database ...
(Reading database ... 5%
(Reading database ... 10%
(Reading database ... 15%
(Reading database ... 20%
(Reading database ... 25%
(Reading database ... 30%
(Reading database ... 35%
(Reading database ... 40%
(Reading database ... 45%
(Reading database ... 50%
(Reading database ... 55%
(Reading database ... 60%
(Reading database ... 65%
(Reading database ... 70%
(Reading database ... 75%
(Reading database ... 80%
(Reading database ... 85%
(Reading database ... 90%
(Reading database ... 95%
(Reading database ... 100%
(Reading database ... 220990 files and directories currently installed.)

Preparing to replace module-init-tools 3.12-1ubuntu1 (using .../module-init-tools_3.12-1ubuntu2_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement module-init-tools ...

Preparing to replace dovecot-imapd 1:1.2.12-1ubuntu6 (using .../dovecot-imapd_1%3a1.2.12-1ubuntu7_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement dovecot-imapd ...

Preparing to replace dovecot-pop3d 1:1.2.12-1ubuntu6 (using .../dovecot-pop3d_1%3a1.2.12-1ubuntu7_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement dovecot-pop3d ...

Preparing to replace dovecot-common 1:1.2.12-1ubuntu6 (using .../dovecot-common_1%3a1.2.12-1ubuntu7_i386.deb) ...

dovecot stop/waiting

Unpacking replacement dovecot-common ...

Selecting previously deselected package mail-stack-delivery.

Unpacking mail-stack-delivery (from .../mail-stack-delivery_1%3a1.2.12-1ubuntu7_all.deb) ...

/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/preinst: 74: /etc/dovecot/conf.d/01-dovecot-postfix.conf: Permission denied

/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/preinst: 74: /etc/dovecot/conf.d/01-dovecot-postfix.conf: Permission denied

/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/preinst: 74: /etc/dovecot/auth.d/01-dovecot-postfix.auth: Permission denied

/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/preinst: 74: /etc/dovecot/auth.d/01-dovecot-postfix.auth: Permission denied

rmdir: failed to remove `/var/backups/dovecot-postfix/': Directory not empty

dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/mail-stack-delivery_1%3a1.2.12-1ubuntu7_all.deb (--unpack):

 subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1

Preparing to replace dovecot-postfix 1:1.2.11-1ubuntu1 (using .../dovecot-postfix_1%3a1.2.12-1ubuntu7_all.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement dovecot-postfix ...

dpkg: warning: unable to delete old directory '/var/backups/dovecot-postfix': Directory not empty

Preparing to replace liblash3 0.6.0~rc2-1ubuntu1 (using .../liblash3_0.6.0~rc2-1ubuntu2_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement liblash3 ...

Preparing to replace libfluidsynth1 1.1.2-1build1 (using .../libfluidsynth1_1.1.2-2_i386.deb) ...

Unpacking replacement libfluidsynth1 ...

Processing triggers for man-db ...

Processing triggers for ureadahead ...

ureadahead will be reprofiled on next reboot

Processing triggers for ufw ...

Errors were encountered while processing:

 /var/cache/apt/archives/mail-stack-delivery_1%3a1.2.12-1ubuntu7_all.deb

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of dovecot-postfix:

 dovecot-postfix depends on mail-stack-delivery; however:

  Package mail-stack-delivery is not installed.

dpkg: error processing dovecot-postfix (--configure):

 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

Setting up module-init-tools (3.12-1ubuntu2) ...

Setting up dovecot-common (1:1.2.12-1ubuntu7) ...

You already have ssl certs for dovecot.

dovecot start/running, process 4788

Setting up dovecot-pop3d (1:1.2.12-1ubuntu7) ...

Setting up liblash3 (0.6.0~rc2-1ubuntu2) ...

Setting up dovecot-imapd (1:1.2.12-1ubuntu7) ...

Setting up libfluidsynth1 (1.1.2-2) ...

Processing triggers for libc-bin ...

ldconfig deferred processing now taking place

Why do I need dovecot? I'd just as soon dump it entirely, but I can't seem to do so.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: mail-stack-delivery (not installed)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-22.33-generic 2.6.35.4
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-22-generic i686
Architecture: i386
Date: Fri Oct 1 13:29:48 2010
ErrorMessage: subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" - Alpha i386 (20091225)
SourcePackage: dovecot
Title: package mail-stack-delivery (not installed) failed to install/upgrade: subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1

[Dave Walker (davewalker)]

Thanks for reporting this issue. Can you provide some history of the system, for example:
 * Is this an upgrade from Lucid or clean install?
 * What changes have been made in regards to the default install.

I was able to install a vanilla *1ubuntu6* and upgrade to *1ubuntu7* (essentially what you did) without this issue, the only difference was that i did it on amd64 rather than i386. I will try and reproduce this soon, unless somebody beats me to it.

Bouncing back to Incomplete status.. Thanks!