package python3 3.6.5-3ubuntu1 failed to install/upgrade: installed python3 package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 4

[Russell Keating]

"sudo apt upgrade" produced this output:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
4 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] Y
Setting up python3 (3.6.5-3ubuntu1) ...
running python rtupdate hooks for python3.6...
E: py3compile:183: cannot create directory /usr/share/hplip/ui5/__pycache__: FileNotFoundError(2, 'No such file or directory')
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/aboutdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/aboutdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/aligndialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/aligndialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/cleandialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/cleandialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/colorcaldialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/colorcaldialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/devicesetupdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/devicesetupdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/deviceuricombobox.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/devmgr5.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/devmgr5_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/devmgr_ext.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/fabgrouptable.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/fabnametable.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/fabwindow.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/fabwindow_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/faxsetupdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/faxsetupdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/filetable.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/firmwaredialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/firmwaredialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/infodialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/infodialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/linefeedcaldialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/linefeedcaldialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/loadpapergroupbox.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/makecopiesdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/makecopiesdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/mimetypesdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/mimetypesdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/nodevicesdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/nodevicesdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/plugindiagnose.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/plugindiagnose_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/plugindialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/plugindialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/pluginlicensedialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/pluginlicensedialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/pqdiagdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/pqdiagdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printernamecombobox.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printsettings_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printsettingsdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printsettingsdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printsettingstoolbox.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printtestpagedialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/printtestpagedialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/queuesconf.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/readonlyradiobutton.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/sendfaxdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/sendfaxdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/settingsdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/settingsdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/setupdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/setupdialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/setupdialog_base5.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/systemtray.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/systrayframe.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/systrayframe_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/ui_utils.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/upgradedialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/upgradedialog_base.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/wifisetupdialog.py'
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/usr/share/hplip/ui5/wifisetupdialog_base.py'
error running python rtupdate hook hplip-data
dpkg: error processing package python3 (--configure):
 installed python3 package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 4
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of python3-update-manager:
 python3-update-manager depends on python3:any (>= 3.3.2-2~); however:
  Package python3 is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package python3-update-manager (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of update-manager:
 update-manager depends on python3:any (>= 3.3.2-2~); however:
  Package python3 is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package update-manager (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
                          No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
                                                    No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
                                  dpkg: dependency problems prevent processing triggers for gnome-menus:
 gnome-menus depends on python3:any (>= 3.1~); however:
  Package python3 is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package gnome-menus (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving triggers unprocessed
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of update-manager-core:
 update-manager-core depends on python3:any (>= 3.2~); however:
  Package python3 is not configured yet.
 update-manager-core depends on python3-update-manager (= 1:18.04.11.3); however:
  Package python3-update-manager is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package update-manager-core (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
                                                              Errors were encountered while processing:
 python3
 python3-update-manager
 update-manager
 gnome-menus
 update-manager-core
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

---------------------
1) lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
Release: 18.04

2) I didn't specify a package, just did and apt update and apt upgrade

3) I expected it to work.

4) Instead of it working, I got the above error message. Minutes later I got a system error and followed the instructions to report it and that brought me here.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: python3 3.6.5-3ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-24.26-generic 4.15.18
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-24-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: wl nvidia_modeset nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.2
Architecture: amd64
Date: Thu Jul 12 10:07:27 2018
ErrorMessage: installed python3 package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 4
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-04-27 (76 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180426)
Python3Details: /usr/bin/python3.6, Python 3.6.5, python3-minimal, 3.6.5-3ubuntu1
PythonDetails: /usr/bin/python2.7, Python 2.7.15rc1, python-minimal, 2.7.15~rc1-1
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.19.0.5ubuntu2
 apt 1.6.2
SourcePackage: python3-defaults
Title: package python3 3.6.5-3ubuntu1 failed to install/upgrade: installed python3 package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 4
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Thomas Lundberg (freesocket)]

Temporary solution that worked for me:

sudo mkdir /usr/share/hplip/ui5
sudo apt install --reinstall hplip hplip-data
sudo apt install --reinstall python3

[Russell Keating (rqkeating)]

Thanks. That appeared to work. While running

sudo apt install --reinstall hplip hplip-data

I got the following error.

W: APT had planned for dpkg to do more than it reported back (19 vs 23).
   Affected packages: python3:amd64

but I went ahead and did the last command and now apt upgrade doesn't complain.

[Russell Keating (rqkeating)]

Spoke to soon, now when I try and run hp-toolbox I get this error.

warning: GUI Modules PyQt4 and PyQt5 are not installed
error: hp-toolbox requires GUI support. Exiting.

... and now my printer doesn't work printing for any application.

Onward ...

[Russell Keating (rqkeating)]

reinstalling the software from HP

https://developers.hp.com/hp-linux-imaging-and-printing/gethplip

fixed the problem.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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