9.04 upgrade freeciv-client subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 255

[Eric Towers]

Binary package hint: update-manager

Performing online upgrade of Kubuntu 8.10 to 9.04. During the "Installing the upgrades" step under "Distribution Upgrade", the error dialog

Error
Could not install '/var/cache/apt/archives/freeciv-client-gtk_2.1.8-0exp1_amd64.deb'
The upgrade will continue but the '/var/cache/apt/archives/freeciv-client-gtk_2.1.8-0exp1_amd64.deb' package may be in a not working state. Please consider submitting a bug report about it.
subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 255

At the point the error occurs (in the middle of the upgrade),
lsb_release -rd returns "Ubuntu 9.04", "9.04".
dpkg -l freeciv* returns "freeciv-client 2.1.5-2" as the installed package (i.e. state "ii"). "freeciv-data 2.1.8-0exp1" and "freeciv-server 2.1.8-0exp1" are flagged to install and are currently unpacked (i.e., state "iU").

[XXXXXXX (yddraiggoch)]

From apt-term.log:

Preparing to replace freeciv-client-gtk 2.1.5-2 (using .../freeciv-client-gtk_2.1.8-0exp1_amd64.deb) ...
Warning: Tried to remove nonexistant module
dpkg: warning - old pre-removal script returned error exit status 255
dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ...
Warning: Tried to remove nonexistant module
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/freeciv-client-gtk_2.1.8-0exp1_amd64.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 255

[Michael Vogt (mvo)]

I wonder if the following bits from the prerm causes the problem? Could you please run the following (in a terminal):

$ ggz-config --remove --modfile=/usr/share/ggz/modules/freeciv/civclient.dsc
$ echo $?

[Eric Towers (fuzzyeric)]

Unhelpful answer:
    $ ggz-config --remove --modfile=/usr/share/ggz/modules/freeciv/civclient.dsc
    (<errorsys>) Unable to read or write file /etc/ggz.modules: Permission denied
Insufficient permission to install modules

Helpful answer:
    # ggz-config --remove --modfile=/usr/share/ggz/modules/freeciv/civclient.dsc
    # echo $?
    0

As a quick check (to make sure that freeciv-client-gtk did not silently finish upgrading)...
    # dpkg -l freeciv*
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Cfg-files/Unpacked/Failed-cfg/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Hold/Reinst-required/X=both-problems (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name Version Description
+++-==============-==============-============================================
un freeciv <none> (no description available)
un freeciv-client <none> (no description available)
ii freeciv-client 2.1.5-2 Civilization turn based strategy game (GTK+
ii freeciv-data 2.1.8-0exp1 Civilization turn based strategy game (game
ii freeciv-server 2.1.8-0exp1 Civilization turn based strategy game (serve
un freeciv-sound <none> (no description available)

Hope that helps.