package python 2.7.3-0ubuntu2 failed to install/upgrade: ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 4

[Walter Scheper]

Upgrading from 10.04 LTS to 12.04 LTS

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: python 2.7.3-0ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-41.88-server 2.6.32.59+drm33.24
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-41-server x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu7
Architecture: amd64
Date: Mon Apr 30 10:42:36 2012
ErrorMessage: ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 4
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Server 10.04.2 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release amd64 (20110211.1)
SourcePackage: python-defaults
Title: package python 2.7.3-0ubuntu2 failed to install/upgrade: ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 4
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-04-30 (0 days ago)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Matthias Klose (doko)]

looks like a python-gtk2 issue:

Setting up python (2.7.3-0ubuntu2) ...
Linking and byte-compiling packages for runtime python2.7...
running python rtupdate hooks for python2.7...
Updating *.pc symlinks for python-gtk2-dev...
ln: failed to create symbolic link `./pygtk-2.0.pc': File exists
error running python rtupdate hook python-gtk2-dev
dpkg: error processing python (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 4
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already

[Steven Benton (stevebenton)]

By removing python-gtk2-dev, I was able to complete installation of python, and all the other packages being help up by python. Afterwards, it was possible to reinstall python-gtk2-dev.