package flashplugin-installer 11.2.202.228ubuntu2 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2

[Cem Simsek]

Following the error with the flash installer included in the initial OS installation I reverted to installing Precise without the flash plugin. Installed OS fine - yet no flash plugin with Firefox as of yet.
When trying to install updates, again flash failed to install - returning the error listed in the summary.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: flashplugin-installer 11.2.202.228ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-20.33-generic-pae 3.2.12
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-20-generic-pae i686
ApportVersion: 2.0-0ubuntu4
Architecture: i386
Date: Sat Apr 7 13:19:37 2012
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Beta i386 (20120328)
SourcePackage: flashplugin-nonfree
Title: package flashplugin-installer 11.2.202.228ubuntu2 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Phil Wieland (launchpad-philwieland)]

I think I have the same problem. In my case install of the flashplugin-installer 11.2.202.228ubuntu3 locks up in the following processes:

root 8599 8598 0 08:53 pts/1 00:00:00 apt-get install flashplugin-installer
root 8618 8599 0 08:53 pts/2 00:00:00 /usr/bin/dpkg --status-fd 47 --unpack --auto-deconfigure /var/cache/apt/archives/flashplugin-installer_11.2.202.228ubuntu3_i386.deb
root 8628 8618 0 08:53 pts/2 00:00:00 /bin/sh /var/lib/dpkg/info/update-notifier-common.postinst triggered /usr/share/package-data-downloads
root 8629 8628 0 08:53 pts/2 00:00:00 /usr/bin/python /usr/lib/update-notifier/package-data-downloader

If I kill the last process, the installation then completes as follows:

The following NEW packages will be installed
  flashplugin-installer
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/8,320 B of archives.
After this operation, 146 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously unselected package flashplugin-installer.
(Reading database ... 199296 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking flashplugin-installer (from .../flashplugin-installer_11.2.202.228ubuntu3_i386.deb) ...
Processing triggers for update-notifier-common ...
http://archive.canonical.com/pool/partner/a/adobe-flashplugin/adobe-flashplugin_11.2.202.228.orig.tar.gz
Terminated
dpkg: error processing update-notifier-common (--unpack):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 143
No apport report written because MaxReports has already been reached
                                                                    Errors were encountered while processing:
 update-notifier-common
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Hope the above helps.

[Phil Wieland (launchpad-philwieland)]

AHA! In my case I have now resolved this. I was using apt-cacher on a server here. It occurred to me to disable this on the failing machine so files were fetched direct from canonical. The install then worked.

So, either an incompatibility with apt-cacher, or perhaps a corrupt download to my server?