Broken custom packages block apt since they cannot be reinstalled

[JimE]

I hope this is the right spot to report this error...

I get the following error message when I try to use update manager:

       E: The package magicolor2430dl needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find an archive for it.
       E: Internal error opening cache (1). Please report.

This package is an RPM package that has been converted by alien to install appropriate drivers for the KonicaMinolta Magicolor 2430DL color laser printer.

I have tried to uninstall the package to get rid of the error message and that gives me an error saying the script has some syntax error so it can't be uninstalled. I have tried to reinstall and it gives me a similar error message about the install script.

Update Manager hangs on the above error message and will not go further. Clicking OK just shuts the Update Manager down and nothing more happens.

I have a constant "*" in the panel which indicates there should be updates but can't do anything about it.

By the way, the above mentioned printer is working correctly, so I really don't need to uninstall or re-install it.

What i really need to do is just get rid of the error message so I can continue to use the update manager.

If you need more information, please let me know.

I can get the exact error messages on install/uninstall if needed.

JimE

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

Thanks for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Have you tried purging the package with apt via 'apt-get remove --purge? Thanks in advance.

[JimE (james-a-ely)]

<email address hidden> wrote:
> Thanks for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu
> better. Have you tried purging the package with apt via 'apt-get remove
> --purge? Thanks in advance.
>
> ** Changed in: update-manager (Ubuntu)
> Sourcepackagename: None => update-manager
> Assignee: (unassigned) => Brian Murray
> Status: Unconfirmed => Needs Info
>
>
Thank you for your response! Below is the terminal result of trying
your tip....

jim@jim-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get remove --purge
Password:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: The package magicolor2430dl needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find
an archive for it.

As you can see, I still have the error. I'm ready to try something else....

Jim

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

You will want to use 'apt-get remove --purge magicolor2430dl' if that is
the name of the package you are having problems with. Thanks again.

[JimE (james-a-ely)]

<email address hidden> wrote:
> You will want to use 'apt-get remove --purge magicolor2430dl' if that is
> the name of the package you are having problems with. Thanks again.
>
>
After I had replied before, I had thought about that and tried. Here is
the result....

jim@jim-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get remove --purge magicolor2430dl*
Password:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: The package magicolor2430dl needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find
an archive for it.

That doesn't seem to do it either.
Jim

[Sebastian Heinlein (glatzor)]

reinstall the created package

sudo dpkg -i PACKAGE

otherwise you could try: sudo dpkg -P magicolor2430dl

[JimE (james-a-ely)]

<email address hidden> wrote:
> reinstall the created package
>
> sudo dpkg -i PACKAGE
>
> otherwise you could try: sudo dpkg -P magicolor2430dl
>
> ** Changed in: dpkg (Ubuntu)
> Sourcepackagename: update-manager => dpkg
> Status: Needs Info => Confirmed
>
>
Here are the results of trying to install or remove the package...

jim@jim-desktop:~/Downloads$ sudo alien -i --scripts
magicolor2430DL-1.5.0-1.i386.rpm
/var/lib/dpkg/info/magicolor2430dl.postrm: 9: Syntax error: "("
unexpected (expecting "fi")
dpkg: warning - old post-removal script returned error exit status 2
dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ...
/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/postrm: 9: Syntax error: "(" unexpected (expecting
"fi")
dpkg: error processing magicolor2430dl_1.5.0-2_i386.deb (--install):
 subprocess new post-removal script returned error exit status 2
/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/postrm: 9: Syntax error: "(" unexpected (expecting
"fi")
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
 subprocess post-removal script returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
 magicolor2430dl_1.5.0-2_i386.deb

jim@jim-desktop:~$ sudo dpkg -P magicolor2430dl
Password:
dpkg: error processing magicolor2430dl (--purge):
 Package is in a very bad inconsistent state - you should
 reinstall it before attempting a removal.
Errors were encountered while processing:
 magicolor2430dl
jim@jim-desktop:~$

Thanks so much for this help.

Jim

[JimE (james-a-ely)]

Haven't heard from anybody in a while. Here is what I did to correct this problem.

I thought that there must be a file where all of the packages are tracked. I found such a file at /var/lib/dpkg/status. This file keeps track of all of the packages installed and their respective statuses. I located the magicolor2430dl package with its status as "needs to be re-installed." Since there is very little chance that there will be an update received through the regular update procedures, I deleted the entry and all information about the package from the file. This fixed the problem and now the update manager is working again. The error is gone.

This may not be exactly the way this should have been handled, but since all other regular possibilities seemed to have been exhausted, and my goal was to be able to use the update manager, this seemed to be the best route to take.

All is working as it should be now, including the laser printer, and I can again add new packages to my system.

Thank you for the help and advice.

Jim

[PhotoGopher (photogopher)]

I have tried everything that Jim as done and still have the problem.
Jim said, "I deleted the entry and all information about the package from the file." I tried to delete my virtualbox in the status file but it seems I don't have the authority level to do this. Is there something I can do to gain this authority?
Dave