package ppp (not installed) failed to install/upgrade: subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1

[Steve Beattie]

Performing an upgrade from Ubuntu 14.04 to 16.04.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: ppp (not installed)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-93.116-generic 4.4.79
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-93-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.10
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue Sep 12 11:56:55 2017
DuplicateSignature:
 package:ppp:(not installed)
 De-configuring network-manager (0.9.8.8-0ubuntu7.3) ...
 update-rc.d: /etc/init.d/pppd-dns exists during rc.d purge (use -f to force)
 dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/ppp_2.4.7-1+2ubuntu1_amd64.deb (--unpack):
  subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
ErrorMessage: subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2012-12-07 (1740 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04.1 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120823.1)
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.18.4ubuntu1.2
 apt 1.2.24
SourcePackage: ppp
Title: package ppp (not installed) failed to install/upgrade: subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2017-09-12 (0 days ago)

[Rolf Leggewie (r0lf)]

fails in --unpack

update-rc.d: /etc/init.d/pppd-dns exists during rc.d purge (use -f to force)
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/ppp_2.4.7-1+2ubuntu1_amd64.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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