an update only did a partial a year ago. have had nothing but problems since package tex-common 6.09 failed to install/upgrade: installed tex-common package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1

[Woody]

I love Ubuntu but would like to have one as close to windows as possible with features and ease of use so the wife and kids won't complain and abandon it so much. I've had nothing but problems for the last year since I did an update. Patches haven't worked. I might resort to the nuclear option and just burn a new ISO and reformat my hard drive, losing all my files over the years and start from scratch.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: tex-common 6.09
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-138.164-generic 4.4.155
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-138-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.9
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sat Dec 21 14:21:44 2019
ErrorMessage: installed tex-common package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2012-09-20 (2648 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04.1 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120823.1)
PackageArchitecture: all
Python3Details: /usr/bin/python3.6, Python 3.6.9, python3-minimal, 3.6.7-1~18.04
PythonDetails: /usr/bin/python2.7, Python 2.7.17, python-minimal, 2.7.15~rc1-1
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.19.0.5ubuntu2.3
 apt 1.6.12
SourcePackage: tex-common
Title: package tex-common 6.09 failed to install/upgrade: installed tex-common package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)