package nfs-kernel-server 1:1.2.8-9ubuntu12.1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

[Ericvangysel]

virtualbox crashed

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: nfs-kernel-server 1:1.2.8-9ubuntu12.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-72.93-generic 4.4.49
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-72-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.5
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sat Apr 22 00:59:40 2017
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-12-09 (499 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-MATE 15.10 "Wily Werewolf" - Release amd64 (20151021)
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.18.4ubuntu1.1
 apt 1.2.19
SourcePackage: nfs-utils
Title: package nfs-kernel-server 1:1.2.8-9ubuntu12.1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2016-05-18 (338 days ago)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[L. P. Luigi Espenlaub (luigiwriter2)]

Happened again on this update Oct 12 2017 3:37 AM

Will try an re install to see if repeat.

[L. P. Luigi Espenlaub (luigiwriter2)]

Took a while before the status pop up changed, but has asked for a re-start to finish. This apparently has not been fatal?

[L. P. Luigi Espenlaub (luigiwriter2)]

re-start successful.
Scanned logs, saw no errors related to "Kernel"
Other errors mostly to do with network identification, finding sockets and such which are out of my field of expertise.

Since there has been no Ubuntu operational problems on this computer in the weeks since the last time this error occurred and no large or fatal errors in the logs, all other errors having been handled with out complications, I have the following question.

Could the "subprocess installed post-installation script" that "returned error exit status 1" be the problem itself?

 That is, is it reporting the wrong exit status because of a typo, or other type of error in its code?

[L. P. Luigi Espenlaub (luigiwriter2)]

Apparently the 5.1 version of virtualbox was the problem and needed to be removed and replaced by 5.2.

I had to learn how to properly remove it and then properly install the 5.2. deb.

ran update again and did not receive a repeat of the error.

If anyone else who got this error had virtualbox <=5.1 go to the Oracle site

https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads

and download the
Ubuntu 16.04 ("Xenial") i386 | AMD64
package for 5.2

It will not install cleanly over earlier versions, remove them as follows.

do not use:
sudo apt-get remove virtualbox
It will tell you it it does not exist or is not installed.
or
sudo apt-get remove virtualbox-\* [Really Dangerous! but if you do not know the title of the original deb this might suggest it as it did for me. Enter "n" at the y/n prompt to avoid removing a lot of files that will have to be re-installed]

** use entire deb title
sudo apt-get remove virtualbox-5.x_5.x.0~Ubuntu~xenial_i386 [This is an example only and not accurate]

then open the deb file with the Ubuntu Software Center [the software installer stalled out on my machine] and if no error message is shown click [install]

at this point I was able to run apt-get commands and Update and received no errors.

[L. P. Luigi Espenlaub (luigiwriter2)]

Comment #9 supersedes comments #7 and #8 which should be ignored.
Replacing virtualbox 5.1 with 5.2 and removing the debian repository seem to have been effective at resolving the problem.

can someone else can duplicate this fix?