package libreoffice-help-common 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3 failed to install/upgrade: package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should reinstall it before attempting configuration

[Clare Hobson]

seem like there are some errors triggered by an upgrade....

chobson@titan-linux:~$ sudo apt-get install -f
[sudo] password for chobson:
E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'sudo dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.
chobson@titan-linux:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-math:
 libreoffice-math depends on libreoffice-core (= 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3); however:
  Version of libreoffice-core on system is 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.2.

dpkg: error processing package libreoffice-math (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-writer:
 libreoffice-writer depends on libreoffice-base-core (= 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3); however:
  Version of libreoffice-base-core on system is 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.2.
 libreoffice-writer depends on libreoffice-core (= 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3); however:
  Version of libreoffice-core on system is 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.2.

dpkg: error processing package libreoffice-writer (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-draw:
 libreoffice-draw depends on libreoffice-core (= 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3); however:
  Version of libreoffice-core on system is 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.2.

dpkg: error processing package libreoffice-draw (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up libuno-sal3 (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
dpkg: error processing package libreoffice-help-common (--configure):
 package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should
 reinstall it before attempting configuration
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-impress:
 libreoffice-impress depends on libreoffice-core (= 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3); however:
  Version of libreoffice-core on system is 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.2.
 libreoffice-impress depends on libreoffice-draw (= 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3); however:
  Package libreoffice-draw is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package libreoffice-impress (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up libuno-salhelpergcc3-3 (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-help-en-us:
 libreoffice-help-en-us depends on libreoffice-help-common (= 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3); however:
  Package libreoffice-help-common is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package libreoffice-help-en-us (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up libunoloader-java (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Setting up fonts-opensymbol (2:102.12+LibO7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-help-en-gb:
 libreoffice-help-en-gb depends on libreoffice-help-common (= 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3); however:
  Package libreoffice-help-common is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package libreoffice-help-en-gb (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up libuno-cppu3 (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Setting up libuno-purpenvhelpergcc3-3 (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Setting up uno-libs-private (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Setting up libuno-cppuhelpergcc3-3 (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Setting up ure (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Setting up ure-java (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Processing triggers for fontconfig (2.13.1-4.2ubuntu5) ...
Processing triggers for bamfdaemon (0.5.6+22.04.20220217-0ubuntu1) ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/bamf-2.index...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.26-1ubuntu3) ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.36.0-1ubuntu3) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.35-0ubuntu3.1) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.10.2-1) ...
Processing triggers for libreoffice-common (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.2) ...
Processing triggers for mailcap (3.70+nmu1ubuntu1) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 libreoffice-math
 libreoffice-writer
 libreoffice-draw
 libreoffice-help-common
 libreoffice-impress
 libreoffice-help-en-us
 libreoffice-help-en-gb
chobson@titan-linux:~$ sudo apt-get install -f
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  crda libllvm13 libllvm13:i386
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following additional packages will be installed:
  libreoffice-base-core libreoffice-calc libreoffice-core libreoffice-gnome
  libreoffice-gtk3 python3-uno
Suggested packages:
  libreoffice-base libreoffice-evolution libreofficekit-data
The following packages will be upgraded:
  libreoffice-base-core libreoffice-calc libreoffice-core libreoffice-gnome
  libreoffice-gtk3 python3-uno
6 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 17 not upgraded.
7 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/53.4 MB of archives.
After this operation, 8,192 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] Y
(Reading database ... 295026 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../0-libreoffice-gnome_1%3a7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libreoffice-gnome (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) over (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.2) ...
Preparing to unpack .../1-libreoffice-gtk3_1%3a7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libreoffice-gtk3 (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) over (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.2) ...
Preparing to unpack .../2-python3-uno_1%3a7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking python3-uno (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) over (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.2) ...
Preparing to unpack .../3-libreoffice-calc_1%3a7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libreoffice-calc (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) over (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.2) ...
Preparing to unpack .../4-libreoffice-core_1%3a7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libreoffice-core (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) over (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.2) ...
Preparing to unpack .../5-libreoffice-base-core_1%3a7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libreoffice-base-core (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) over (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.2) ...
dpkg: error processing package libreoffice-help-common (--configure):
 package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should
 reinstall it before attempting configuration
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-help-en-us:
 libreoffice-help-en-us depends on libreoffice-help-common (= 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3); however:
  Package libreoffice-help-common is not configured yet.

No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
                          dpkg: error processing package libreoffice-help-en-us (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up libreoffice-core (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Setting up libreoffice-math (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-help-en-gb:
 libreoffice-help-en-gb depends on libreoffice-help-common (= 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3); however:
  Package libreoffice-help-common is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package libreoffice-help-en-gb (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
                          Setting up libreoffice-gtk3 (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Setting up libreoffice-draw (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Setting up libreoffice-gnome (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Setting up libreoffice-impress (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Setting up libreoffice-base-core (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Setting up python3-uno (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Setting up libreoffice-calc (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Setting up libreoffice-writer (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.10.2-1) ...
Processing triggers for libreoffice-common (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.2) ...
Processing triggers for mailcap (3.70+nmu1ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for bamfdaemon (0.5.6+22.04.20220217-0ubuntu1) ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/bamf-2.index...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.26-1ubuntu3) ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.36.0-1ubuntu3) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 libreoffice-help-common
 libreoffice-help-en-us
 libreoffice-help-en-gb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
chobson@titan-linux:~$ ^C
chobson@titan-linux:~$

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 22.04
Package: libreoffice-help-common 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.15.0-73.80-generic 5.15.98
Uname: Linux 5.15.0-73-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu82.5
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: unknown
Date: Sun Jun 11 07:02:07 2023
DuplicateSignature:
 package:libreoffice-help-common:1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3
 Unpacking libreoffice-base-core (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) over (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.2) ...
 dpkg: error processing package libreoffice-help-common (--configure):
  package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should
ErrorMessage: package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should reinstall it before attempting configuration
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-04-04 (3719 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20130213)
PackageArchitecture: all
Python3Details: /usr/bin/python3.10, Python 3.10.6, python3-minimal, 3.10.6-1~22.04
PythonDetails: N/A
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.21.1ubuntu2.2
 apt 2.4.9
SourcePackage: libreoffice
Title: package libreoffice-help-common 1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3 failed to install/upgrade: package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should reinstall it before attempting configuration
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to jammy on 2022-12-29 (163 days ago)

[Clare Hobson (uniquine)]

I'm not savvy on the fix... :O

[John Nesbit (flagtrax)]

Hey all, I just finished installing an Armbian 23.5 image on a Rock64. Every time I try to do anything involving update/upgrade or install i get similar errors. Like Removing libreoffice (1:7.3.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.3) ...
dpkg: error processing package libreoffice-math (--remove):
 package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should
 reinstall it before attempting a removal
dpkg: too many errors, stopping
Errors were encountered while processing:
 libreoffice-math
Processing was halted because there were too many errors.
 I don't need libreoffice on this machine but can't seem to get rid of it. Any
suggestions greatly appreciated.