package update-notifier-common 3.168.1 failed to install/upgrade: package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should reinstall it before attempting configuration

[Saurabh Vijayvargiya]

i received the error while using the software updater tool

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: update-notifier-common 3.168.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-34.53-generic 4.4.15
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-34-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sun Aug 21 13:55:58 2016
ErrorMessage: package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should reinstall it before attempting configuration
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-08-21 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20160420.1)
PackageArchitecture: all
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.18.4ubuntu1.1
 apt 1.2.12~ubuntu16.04.1
SourcePackage: update-notifier
Title: package update-notifier-common 3.168.1 failed to install/upgrade: package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should reinstall it before attempting configuration
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

Unfortunately, the included logs don't show the reason for the package being in this state. Please attach /var/log/apt/term.log, which hopefully includes context for how the package got into that state.

To correct the problem, you will want to manually install the package by running 'dpkg -i' on the .deb file in /var/cache/apt/archives/.

[Matthieu (matthieu-perin)]

Hi.

Same issue on Ubuntu MATE 16.04 X64.

Joined the return of dpkg --configure on the package, the issue seems to come from python utf-8 decoder.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for update-notifier (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]