package grub-pc 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 failed to install/upgrade: installed grub-pc package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1: dependency problem

[Romano Giannetti]

Setting up grub-pc (2.04-1ubuntu26.4) ...
dpkg: error processing package grub-pc (--configure):
 installed grub-pc package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of grub-gfxpayload-lists:
 grub-gfxpayload-lists depends on grub-pc (>= 1.99~20101210-1ubuntu2); however:
  Package grub-pc is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package grub-gfxpayload-lists (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
                          Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.31-0ubuntu9.1) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 grub-pc
 grub-gfxpayload-lists
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

...seems that something is broken here.

this is the result of apt list| grep grub:

grub-common/focal-updates,now 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64 [installed]
grub-coreboot-bin/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-coreboot-dbg/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-coreboot/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-customizer/focal 5.1.0-2 amd64
grub-efi-amd64-bin/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-efi-amd64-dbg/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-efi-amd64-signed-template/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-efi-amd64-signed/focal-updates 1.142.6+2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-efi-amd64/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-efi-ia32-bin/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-efi-ia32-dbg/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-efi-ia32/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-efi/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-emu-dbg/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-emu/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-firmware-qemu/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-gfxpayload-lists/focal,now 0.7 amd64 [installed,automatic]
grub-ieee1275-bin/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-ieee1275-dbg/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-ieee1275/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-imageboot/focal,focal 0.6 all
grub-invaders/focal 1.0.0-13 amd64
grub-ipxe/focal-updates,focal-updates 1.0.0+git-20190109.133f4c4-0ubuntu3.2 all
grub-legacy-ec2/focal,focal 1:1ubuntu1 all
grub-linuxbios/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-pc-bin/focal-updates,now 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64 [installed]
grub-pc-dbg/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-pc/focal-updates,now 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64 [installed,automatic]
grub-rescue-pc/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-splashimages/focal,focal 1.2.3 all
grub-theme-breeze/focal 5.18.4.1-0ubuntu1 amd64
grub-theme-starfield/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-xen-bin/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-xen-dbg/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-xen-host/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub-xen/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grub2-common/focal-updates,now 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64 [installed]
grub2-splashimages/focal,focal 1.0.1+nmu1 all
grub2-themes-ubuntu-mate/focal,focal 0.3.7 all
grub2-themes-ubuntustudio/focal,focal 0.3 all
grub2/focal-updates 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 amd64
grubzfs-testsuite/focal-updates 0.4.10.1 amd64
lubuntu-grub-theme/focal,focal 20.04.3 all
pv-grub-menu/focal,focal 1.3 all
sabily-grub-artwork/focal,focal 1.2 all

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: grub-pc 2.04-1ubuntu26.4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-48.52-generic 5.4.60
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-48-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: lkp_Ubuntu_5_4_0_48_52_generic_72
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.9
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
Date: Wed Oct 14 08:36:06 2020
DuplicateSignature:
 package:grub-pc:2.04-1ubuntu26.4
 Setting up grub-pc (2.04-1ubuntu26.4) ...
 dpkg: error processing package grub-pc (--configure):
  installed grub-pc package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
ErrorMessage: installed grub-pc package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-07-22 (2275 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-GNOME 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140416.2)
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.4.0-48-generic root=UUID=19b393fa-dffe-4123-84a6-bfbea89a7b72 ro nosplash i915.enable_execlists=0
Python3Details: /usr/bin/python3.8, Python 3.8.5, python3-minimal, 3.8.2-0ubuntu2
PythonDetails: /usr/bin/python2.7, Python 2.7.18, python-is-python2, 2.7.17-4
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.19.7ubuntu3
 apt 2.0.2ubuntu0.1
SourcePackage: grub2
Title: package grub-pc 2.04-1ubuntu26.4 failed to install/upgrade: installed grub-pc package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to focal on 2020-10-05 (8 days ago)

[Romano Giannetti (romano-giannetti)]

I have solved it by

     sudo apt purge grub-pc
     sudo apt install grub-pc

Quite scaring but it worked.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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