package ecryptfs-utils 96-0ubuntu3 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1

[Richard Spingarn]

I get this error message on reboot of Ubuntu 12.04 AMD64.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: ecryptfs-utils 96-0ubuntu3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-36.57-generic 3.2.35
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-36-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu17.1
AptOrdering: ecryptfs-utils: Remove
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sat Jan 26 17:03:38 2013
DpkgTerminalLog:
 Removing ecryptfs-utils ...
 ERROR: Cannot remove ecryptfs-utils, as it appears to be in use:
 /home/richard/.Private on /home/richard/Private type ecryptfs (ecryptfs_check_dev_ruid,ecryptfs_cipher=aes,ecryptfs_key_bytes=16,ecryptfs_unlink_sigs,ecryptfs_sig=e1a3e94fc6ce1c0e,ecryptfs_fnek_sig=e19419e7cdd05b58)
 dpkg: error processing ecryptfs-utils (--remove):
  subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120425)
MarkForUpload: True
SourcePackage: ecryptfs-utils
Title: package ecryptfs-utils 96-0ubuntu3 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Tyler Hicks (tyhicks)]

This is not a bug. You can't uninstall the ecryptfs-utils package while you are using home directory encryption. It would leave you with a non-working system.