package cron 3.0pl1-128ubuntu2 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

[r. a. waswo]

I know nothing about all this--the report was automatic after I tried to fix the failure to boot after automatically upgrading from 14. to 16.04, according to instructions found on askUbuntu. I entered the terminal command to 'install update-manager-core' and received a long list of errors, and finally the program exited because there were 'too many.'
Can you tell me how to fix this? Thanks for your attention. RW aka 409086 on AskUbuntu

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: cron 3.0pl1-128ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-93.140-generic 3.13.11-ckt39
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-93-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sat Aug 27 16:38:04 2016
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2010-07-24 (2225 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release amd64 (20100429)
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.18.4ubuntu1.1
 apt 1.2.12~ubuntu16.04.1
SourcePackage: cron
Title: package cron 3.0pl1-128ubuntu2 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2016-08-25 (1 days ago)

[r. a. waswo (rwaz)]

same exact problem appears when I try to 'install cups'--nothing found, no printing is available, though the computer identifies the printer correctly. Any help?? RW

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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