E: Internal Error, No file name for gcc-4.6-base

[Andreas Hasenack]

SYMPTOM:
root@nsn7:~# apt-get -f install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  linux-headers-3.2.0-16-generic-pae linux-headers-3.2.0-14 linux-headers-3.2.0-15 linux-headers-3.2.0-16 gdebi-core linux-headers-3.2.0-14-generic-pae dkms
  packagekit-backend-aptcc linux-headers-3.2.0-15-generic-pae libjpeg62 screen-resolution-extra
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
  cpp-4.6 g++-4.6 gcc-4.6 libc-bin libc6 libgcc1 libquadmath0 libstdc++6 libstdc++6-4.6-dev
Suggested packages:
  gcc-4.6-locales g++-4.6-multilib gcc-4.6-doc libstdc++6-4.6-dbg gcc-4.6-multilib libmudflap0-4.6-dev libgcc1-dbg libgomp1-dbg libquadmath0-dbg
  libmudflap0-dbg binutils-gold glibc-doc libstdc++6-4.6-doc
The following packages will be upgraded:
  cpp-4.6 g++-4.6 gcc-4.6 libc-bin libc6 libgcc1 libquadmath0 libstdc++6 libstdc++6-4.6-dev
9 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 49 not upgraded.
6 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/26.2 MB of archives.
After this operation, 660 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]?
E: Internal Error, No file name for gcc-4.6-base

WORKAROUND:
$ apt-get update
$ apt-get clean
$ apt-get install -fy
$ dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb
$ dpkg --configure -a
$ apt-get install -fy
$ apt-get dist-upgrade

ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION:
apt-get dist-upgrade failed, and then apt-get -f install can't fix it anymore. I suspect landscape-client was running apt-get update, but can't be sure:

(...)
Do you want to continue [Y/n]?
Get:1 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libc6-dev i386 2.15-0ubuntu4 [5,058 kB]
Get:2 https://private-ppa.launchpad.net/landscape/lds-trunk/ubuntu/ precise/main landscape-api all 11.10.20120111.1-0ubuntu0.12.04+bzr3922+jenkins-1 [16.8 kB]
Get:3 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libc-dev-bin i386 2.15-0ubuntu4 [78.9 kB]
Get:4 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main linux-libc-dev i386 3.2.0-18.28 [826 kB]
Get:5 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libgomp1 i386 4.6.3-1ubuntu2 [28.3 kB]
Get:6 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libgfortran3 i386 4.6.3-1ubuntu2 [355 kB]
Get:7 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main gcc-4.6-base i386 4.6.3-1ubuntu2 [15.4 kB]
Get:8 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libgcc1 i386 1:4.6.3-1ubuntu2 [54.3 kB]
Get:9 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main cpp-4.6 i386 4.6.3-1ubuntu2 [4,659 kB]
Get:10 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libquadmath0 i386 4.6.3-1ubuntu2 [195 kB]
Get:11 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libstdc++6-4.6-dev i386 4.6.3-1ubuntu2 [1,643 kB]
Get:12 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main g++-4.6 i386 4.6.3-1ubuntu2 [6,787 kB]
Get:13 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main gcc-4.6 i386 4.6.3-1ubuntu2 [7,576 kB]
Get:14 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libstdc++6 i386 4.6.3-1ubuntu2 [333 kB]
Get:15 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libc-bin i386 2.15-0ubuntu4 [1,124 kB]
Get:16 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libc6 i386 2.15-0ubuntu4 [3,787 kB]
Get:17 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libpipeline1 i386 1.2.1-1 [26.1 kB]
Get:18 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main foomatic-db-compressed-ppds all 20120212-1ubuntu1 [473 kB]
Get:19 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main foomatic-filters i386 4.0.13-0ubuntu1 [96.1 kB]
Get:20 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main gcj-4.6-jre-headless i386 4.6.3-1 [60.0 kB]
Get:21 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main gcj-4.6-base i386 4.6.3-1 [11.1 kB]
Get:22 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libgcj12 i386 4.6.3-1 [11.4 MB]
Get:23 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main lightdm i386 1.1.4.is.1.1.3-0ubuntu1 [95.5 kB]
Get:24 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main multiarch-support i386 2.15-0ubuntu4 [4,476 B]
Get:25 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main apparmor i386 2.7.99-0ubuntu3 [356 kB]
Get:26 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main fuse i386 2.8.6-2ubuntu2 [27.8 kB]
Get:27 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libfuse2 i386 2.8.6-2ubuntu2 [111 kB]
Get:28 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main python-problem-report all 1.94-0ubuntu1 [17.8 kB]
Get:29 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main python-apport all 1.94-0ubuntu1 [77.4 kB]
Get:30 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main apport all 1.94-0ubuntu1 [136 kB]
Get:31 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main apport-gtk all 1.94-0ubuntu1 [9,258 B]
Get:32 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main debhelper all 9.20120115ubuntu3 [616 kB]
Get:33 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main dh-apparmor all 2.7.99-0ubuntu3 [8,898 B]
Get:34 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main firefox-globalmenu i386 11.0~b5+build1-0ubuntu1 [47.3 kB]
Get:35 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main firefox i386 11.0~b5+build1-0ubuntu1 [18.5 MB]
Get:36 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main firefox-gnome-support i386 11.0~b5+build1-0ubuntu1 [9,282 B]
Get:37 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main firefox-locale-en all 11.0~b5+build1-0ubuntu1 [417 kB]
Get:38 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main fuse-utils all 2.8.6-2ubuntu2 [1,616 B]
Get:39 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main gcj-4.6-jre-lib all 4.6.3-1 [10.5 MB]
Get:40 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main gedit-common all 3.3.5-0ubuntu1 [170 kB]
Get:41 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main gedit i386 3.3.5-0ubuntu1 [578 kB]
Get:42 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libapparmor1 i386 2.7.99-0ubuntu3 [36.7 kB]
Get:43 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libindicator3-7 i386 0.4.92-0ubuntu2 [24.2 kB]
Get:44 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libindicator7 i386 0.4.92-0ubuntu2 [24.2 kB]
Get:45 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main liblightdm-gobject-1-0 i386 1.1.4.is.1.1.3-0ubuntu1 [31.9 kB]
Get:46 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libvirt-bin i386 0.9.8-2ubuntu11 [1,202 kB]
Get:47 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main libvirt0 i386 0.9.8-2ubuntu11 [867 kB]
Get:48 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main light-themes all 0.1.8.30-0ubuntu2 [124 kB]
Get:49 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main linux-doc all 3.2.0-18.28 [7,628 kB]
Get:50 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main modemmanager i386 0.5.1.96+git201202081807.635fce1-0ubuntu3 [328 kB]
Get:51 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main openprinting-ppds all 20120212-1ubuntu1 [2,371 kB]
Get:52 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main python-debtagshw all 1.9+git20120302 [8,618 B]
Get:53 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main python-libvirt i386 0.9.8-2ubuntu11 [94.0 kB]
Get:54 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main thunderbird-globalmenu i386 11.0~b4+build1-0ubuntu1 [47.1 kB]
Get:55 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main thunderbird i386 11.0~b4+build1-0ubuntu1 [20.4 MB]
Get:56 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main thunderbird-gnome-support i386 11.0~b4+build1-0ubuntu1 [9,210 B]
Get:57 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main thunderbird-locale-en all 1:11.0~b4+build1-0ubuntu1 [344 kB]
Get:58 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main thunderbird-locale-en-gb all 1:11.0~b4+build1-0ubuntu1 [8,776 B]
Get:59 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main thunderbird-locale-en-us all 1:11.0~b4+build1-0ubuntu1 [8,778 B]
Get:60 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main unity-lens-video all 0.3.3-0ubuntu1 [8,268 B]
Get:61 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main unity-scope-video-remote all 0.3.3-0ubuntu1 [6,906 B]
Get:62 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main xserver-xorg-input-synaptics i386 1.5.99~git20120223-0ubuntu2 [69.5 kB]
Get:63 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main xul-ext-ubufox all 2.0-0ubuntu1 [56.8 kB]
Get:64 http://br.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main indicator-sound i386 0.8.3.0-0ubuntu1 [106 kB]
Fetched 110 MB in 2min 10s (845 kB/s)
Extracting templates from packages: 100%
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 274417 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace libc6-dev 2.15-0ubuntu3 (using .../libc6-dev_2.15-0ubuntu4_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libc6-dev ...
Preparing to replace libc-dev-bin 2.15-0ubuntu3 (using .../libc-dev-bin_2.15-0ubuntu4_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libc-dev-bin ...
Preparing to replace linux-libc-dev 3.2.0-17.27 (using .../linux-libc-dev_3.2.0-18.28_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement linux-libc-dev ...
Preparing to replace libgomp1 4.6.2-16ubuntu1 (using .../libgomp1_4.6.3-1ubuntu2_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libgomp1 ...
Preparing to replace libgfortran3 4.6.2-16ubuntu1 (using .../libgfortran3_4.6.3-1ubuntu2_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libgfortran3 ...
Preparing to replace gcc-4.6-base 4.6.2-16ubuntu1 (using .../gcc-4.6-base_4.6.3-1ubuntu2_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement gcc-4.6-base ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
dpkg: error: dpkg status database is locked by another process
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)

root@nsn7:~# /etc/init.d/landscape-client stop
 * Stopping landscape-client daemon [ OK ]

root@nsn7:~# apt-get -f install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  linux-headers-3.2.0-16-generic-pae linux-headers-3.2.0-14 linux-headers-3.2.0-15 linux-headers-3.2.0-16 gdebi-core linux-headers-3.2.0-14-generic-pae dkms
  packagekit-backend-aptcc linux-headers-3.2.0-15-generic-pae libjpeg62 screen-resolution-extra
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
  cpp-4.6 g++-4.6 gcc-4.6 libc-bin libc6 libgcc1 libquadmath0 libstdc++6 libstdc++6-4.6-dev
Suggested packages:
  gcc-4.6-locales g++-4.6-multilib gcc-4.6-doc libstdc++6-4.6-dbg gcc-4.6-multilib libmudflap0-4.6-dev libgcc1-dbg libgomp1-dbg libquadmath0-dbg
  libmudflap0-dbg binutils-gold glibc-doc libstdc++6-4.6-doc
The following packages will be upgraded:
  cpp-4.6 g++-4.6 gcc-4.6 libc-bin libc6 libgcc1 libquadmath0 libstdc++6 libstdc++6-4.6-dev
9 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 49 not upgraded.
6 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/26.2 MB of archives.
After this operation, 660 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]?
E: Internal Error, No file name for gcc-4.6-base
root@nsn7:~#

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: apt 0.8.16~exp12ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-17.27-generic-pae 3.2.6
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-17-generic-pae i686
ApportVersion: 1.93-0ubuntu2
Architecture: i386
Date: Sat Mar 3 14:31:10 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Alpha i386 (20120201.2)
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US:en
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: apt
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Reinhard Tartler (siretart)]

Workaround how I unbroke my system:

$ dpkg --force-depends -P gcc-4.6-base:i386
$ dpkg --force-depends -P gcc-4.6-base:amd64
$ apt-get install -f

After that, apt-get dist-upgrade worked again.

[Andreas Hasenack (ahasenack)]

My workaround was to install smartpm (smartpm-core), run smart update and smart upgrade, it finished the upgrade without complaining and now apt-get is working again.

[Crasher (sebastien)]

I use landscape too, and have te same problem, this solve my problem:

$ dpkg --force-depends -P gcc-4.6-base:i386
$ dpkg --force-depends -P gcc-4.6-base:amd64
$ apt-get install -f

Thanks to Reinhard.

[Reinhard Tartler (siretart)]

I think I may have found a less intrusive workaround for this symptom. Instead of removing packages, first try the following commands:

$ dpkg --configure -a
$ apt-get install -f

The first command has failed for me at some point, because the libc6 packages were not in sync between i386 and amd64 architectures. The fix was to 'dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6*_i386.deb', and then re-running 'dpkg --configure -a'.

[Reinhard Tartler (siretart)]

This workaround seems to work reliably:

$ apt-get clean
$ apt-get install -fy
$ dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb
$ dpkg --configure -a