fglrx fails to purge due to existing /etc/init.d/atieventsd

[Alistair Buxton]

fglrx is non-functional after upgrading. After a failed install I attemped to purge it, got this crash. It seems to be in a strange half-installed state.

The error is:
update-rc.d: /etc/init.d/atieventsd exists during rc.d purge (use -f to force)

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: fglrx (not installed)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-6.12-generic 3.2.0-rc6
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-6-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
.tmp.unity.support.test.1:

ApportVersion: 1.90-0ubuntu1
AptOrdering: fglrx: Purge
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: None
Date: Mon Dec 26 00:57:19 2011
DistUpgraded: Log time: 2011-12-25 19:32:53.703515
DistroCodename: precise
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 fglrx-updates, 8.911, 3.2.0-6-generic, x86_64: installed
 nvidia-current, 285.05.09, 3.0.0-14-generic, x86_64: installed
 nvidia-current, 285.05.09, 3.2.0-6-generic, x86_64: installed
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-removal script returned error exit status 1
GraphicsCard:
 ATI Technologies Inc Cypress XT [Radeon HD 5870] [1002:6898] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: XFX Pine Group Inc. Device [1682:2961]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release amd64 (20110426)
JockeyStatus:
 xorg:fglrx_updates - ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX graphics driver (post-release updates) (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
 xorg:fglrx - ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX graphics driver (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
MachineType: System manufacturer System Product Name
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-6-generic root=UUID=63aec30c-31b9-4e94-81ff-0a24baa66ba7 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: fglrx-installer
Title: package fglrx (not installed) failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-removal script returned error exit status 1
UnitySupportTest: Error: command ['/usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test', '-p', '-f'] failed with exit code 127: /usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test: error while loading shared libraries: libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2011-12-25 (0 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 01/26/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 0702
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: M4N68T-M-LE-V2
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev X.0x
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0702:bd01/26/2011:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnM4N68T-M-LE-V2:rvrRevX.0x:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu8
version.fglrx-installer: fglrx-installer N/A
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu32
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.27-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.11-0ubuntu4
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.11-0ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.10.4-1ubuntu6
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.6.0-1ubuntu13
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20110811.g93fc084-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.15.901-1ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20111201+b5534a1-1