dpkg complains about non-existing lines in /var/lib/dpkg/ files

[LGB [Gábor Lénárt]]

Binary package hint: dpkg

After upgrading a (32 bit x86) system to the latest beta of maverick, every time I use dpkg I get messages like this:

warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 118072 package 'virtualbox-2.2':
 error in Version string '2.2.4-47978_Ubuntu_jaunty': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 118073 package 'virtualbox-2.2':
 error in Config-Version string '2.2.4-47978_Ubuntu_jaunty': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 118231 package 'virtualbox-2.1':
 error in Version string '2.1.4-42893_Ubuntu_intrepid': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 118232 package 'virtualbox-2.1':
 error in Config-Version string '2.1.4-42893_Ubuntu_intrepid': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/available' near line 39630 package 'virtualbox':
 error in Version string '1.6.4-33808_ubuntu_hardy': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/available' near line 166455 package 'virtualbox-3.0':
 error in Version string '3.0.6-52128_Ubuntu_jaunty': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/available' near line 171953 package 'virtualbox-2.2':
 error in Version string '2.2.4-47978_Ubuntu_jaunty': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/available' near line 172067 package 'virtualbox-2.0':
 error in Version string '2.0.6-39765_Ubuntu_intrepid': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/available' near line 172127 package 'virtualbox-2.1':
 error in Version string '2.1.4-42893_Ubuntu_intrepid': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/available' near line 178785 package 'automatix2':
 error in Version string '1.1-1.3-6.10edgy_amd64': invalid character in revision number
(Reading database ... 966964 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace bash 4.1-2ubuntu4 (using .../bash_4.1-2ubuntu4_i386.deb) ...
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 118072 package 'virtualbox-2.2':
 error in Version string '2.2.4-47978_Ubuntu_jaunty': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 118073 package 'virtualbox-2.2':
 error in Config-Version string '2.2.4-47978_Ubuntu_jaunty': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 118231 package 'virtualbox-2.1':
 error in Version string '2.1.4-42893_Ubuntu_intrepid': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 118232 package 'virtualbox-2.1':
 error in Config-Version string '2.1.4-42893_Ubuntu_intrepid': invalid character in revision number

It seems I cannot even "dpkg --purge" some of those packages (only with error messages in "avaliable" so I have no idea how to avoid these problems. This system was upgraded many times maybe this is the reason of those old packages mentioned but since they are not even installed currently anymore, this should not caused problems ...

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: dpkg 1.15.8.4ubuntu3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-20.29-generic 2.6.35.4
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-20-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: i386
Date: Sun Sep 12 20:47:15 2010
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US:en
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: dpkg

[LGB [Gábor Lénárt] (lgb)]

I've manually edited /var/lib/dpkg/available (deleting "invalid" entries), now no more messages like those, but surely it's not an elegant solution in my opinion ...

[Bremm (bremm)]

Try:

$ sudo dpkg --clear-avail

[jaxson (jmlogic)]

That looks to have fixed it for me. Thanks :)

[Krzysztof Drewniak (krzysdrewniak)]

Thanks Bremm

[Sebastian Nohn (sebastian-nohn)]

Also happens after Upgrade 10.04 to 10.10. Fix doesn't help:

$ sudo dpkg --clear-avail; dpkg -l >/dev/null
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 13077 package 'virtualbox':
 error in Version string '1.6.4-33808_Ubuntu_hardy': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 13078 package 'virtualbox':
 error in Config-Version string '1.6.4-33808_Ubuntu_hardy': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 55523 package 'virtualbox-3.0':
 error in Version string '3.0.12-54655_Ubuntu_karmic': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 55524 package 'virtualbox-3.0':
 error in Config-Version string '3.0.12-54655_Ubuntu_karmic': invalid character in revision number

[Haakon Nilsen (haakonn)]

Same here, Sebastian Nohn.

[Xavier Martinez-Hidalgo (xavier-martinezhidalgo)]

Running:
{{{
 $ sudo dpkg --clear-avail
}}}
will only fix /var/lib/dpkg/available. Invalid entries in /var/lib/dpkg/status
will still cause warnings.

In my case, the invalid entry was virtualbox-2.1:
{{{
$ dpkg -l > /dev/null
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 61502 package 'virtualbox-2.1':
 error in Version string '2.1.4-42893_Ubuntu_intrepid': invalid character in revision number
warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 61503 package 'virtualbox-2.1':
 error in Config-Version string '2.1.4-42893_Ubuntu_intrepid': invalid character in revision number
$ grep -A8 virtualbox-2.1 /var/lib/dpkg/status
Package: virtualbox-2.1
Status: deinstall ok config-files
Priority: optional
Section: misc
Installed-Size: 62164
Maintainer: Sun Microsystems, Inc. <email address hidden>
Architecture: i386
Version: 2.1.4-42893_Ubuntu_intrepid
Config-Version: 2.1.4-42893_Ubuntu_intrepid
}}}
Purging the package:
{{{
$ sudo apt-get purge virtualbox-2.1
}}}
removed the warning (it had already been marked as "deinstall" by
the 10.04 -> 10.10 upgrade manager).

[Mark Bennison (mark-bennison)]

$ sudo dpkg --clear-avail removed most of the warnings that I had however...

$ dpkg -l > /dev/null

warning, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 13284 package 'virtualbox':
 error in Version string '1.6.6-35336_Ubuntu_hardy': invalid character in revision number

and so I try the tip above

sudo apt-get purge virtualbox

and I get a whole bunch of new errors because "/etc/init.d/vboxdrv exists during rc.d purge"

grep -A8 virtualbox /var/lib/dpkg/status

shows that virtualbox-3.2 replaces:virtualbox, provides: virtualbox and conflicts:virtualbox

[frell (lee)]

# sudo dpkg --clear-avail
# sudo aptitude purge virtualbox-2.2 virtualbox-3.0

resolved it for me

[rob (robigerr)]

# sudo dpkg --clear-avail
# sudo aptitude purge virtualbox-2.2 virtualbox-3.0

resolved it for me mate ex!!!

[Moshe Basanchig (moshe-basanchig)]

for me it was
# sudo aptitude purge virtualbox-2.1

thanks for the direction

[Raphaël Hertzog (hertzog)]

This is a warning and not an error, so it's harmless. But the warning is real and the right thing to do is to get rid of the offending packages (or upgrade to a good version).

[mikef187 (mikef187)]

dpkg --clear-avail
worked for me!
Thanks