4

When I use sudo apt-get install I get the following errors when installing any package: (This example is while installing Gnome extensions)

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  libdbusmenu-qt2:i386 libatk1.0-0:i386 libxcomposite1:i386 ruby-text-format
  ruby-activesupport-2.3 libwrap0:i386 nspluginwrapper libsamplerate0:i386
  libi18n-ruby libbuilder-ruby rake libjack-jackd2-0:i386 libnspr4-0d:i386
  libcairo2:i386 libjs-prototype libmemcache-client-ruby1.8
  ruby-actionmailer-2.3 sni-qt:i386 libmemcache-client-ruby
  ruby-activerecord-2.3 ruby-rchardet libdatrie1:i386 libjson0:i386
  libyaml-0-2 libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0:i386 libpixman-1-0:i386 ruby-tmail
  libjs-scriptaculous libxinerama1:i386 nspluginviewer:i386 libxft2:i386
  libbuilder-ruby1.8 libspeexdsp1:i386 libthai0:i386 libasound2:i386
  libflac8:i386 librack-ruby libtzinfo-ruby1.8 libvorbisenc2:i386
  ruby-rails-2.3 libasyncns0:i386 libjasper1:i386 librack-ruby1.8
  ruby-activeresource-2.3 libtzinfo-ruby libruby1.9.1 libpango1.0-0:i386
  libpulse0:i386 libxcb-render0:i386 libvorbis0a:i386 libxcursor1:i386
  libxcb-shm0:i386 libxv1:i386 libi18n-ruby1.8 ruby-actionpack-2.3
  libxrandr2:i386 libnss3-1d:i386 libsndfile1:i386 libgtk2.0-0:i386
  libasound2-plugins:i386 libogg0:i386
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  gnome-shell-extensions-windows-navigator
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 2 not upgraded.
4 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 7,290 B of archives.
After this operation, 73.7 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://ppa.launchpad.net/ferramroberto/gnome3/ubuntu/ oneiric/main gnome-shell-extensions-windows-navigator all 3.2.0-1~lffl~oneiric~ppa [7,290 B]
Fetched 7,290 B in 0s (15.1 kB/s)                                   
Selecting previously deselected package gnome-shell-extensions-windows-navigator.
(Reading database ... 267839 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking gnome-shell-extensions-windows-navigator (from .../gnome-shell-extensions-windows-navigator_3.2.0-1~lffl~oneiric~ppa_all.deb) ...
Setting up plymouth-theme-lmint (0.5.0-1) ...
update-alternatives: error: alternative path /lib/plymouth/themes/Lmint/Lmint.plymouth doesn't exist.
dpkg: error processing plymouth-theme-lmint (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Setting up plymouth-theme-mib-oxygen (0.5.0-1) ...
update-alternatives: error: alternative path /lib/plymouth/themes/MIBOxygen/MIBOxygen.plymouth doesn't exist.
dpkg: error processing plymouth-theme-mib-oxygen (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Setting up plymouth-theme-mib-ubuntu (0.5.0-2) ...
update-alternatives: error: alternative path /lib/plymouth/themes/MIB-Ubuntu/MIB-Ubuntu.plymouth doesn't exist.
dpkg: error processing plymouth-theme-mib-ubuntu (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Setting up plymouth-theme-spinfinity-ubuntu-women (0.5.0-2) ...
update-alternatives: error: alternative path /lib/plymouth/themes/plymouth-theme-spinfinity-ubuntu-women/spinfinity-ubuntu-women.plymouth doesn't exist.
dpkg: error processing plymouth-theme-spinfinity-ubuntu-women (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Setting up gnome-shell-extensions-windows-navigator (3.2.0-1~lffl~oneiric~ppa) ...
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
Errors were encountered while processing:
 plymouth-theme-lmint
 plymouth-theme-mib-oxygen
 plymouth-theme-mib-ubuntu
 plymouth-theme-spinfinity-ubuntu-women
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)**

I also get errors installing from Ubuntu Software Center along the lines that the installation failed but package still shows as installed.

I believe the errors are caused from installing plymouth-manger to manage the splash screen themes.

Any help getting rid of this pesky error would be much appreciated!

0

4 Answers 4

10

I would clean the cache and remove unneeded packages by running this in the terminal:

sudo apt-get clean && sudo apt-get autoremove 

Now fix the remaining

sudo apt-get -f install

Finally configure all else

sudo dpkg --configure -a
2

I had a similar problem but for a different package. I tried everything blueXrider suggested, searched other answers, and nothing would fix my error.

Finally, I just edited the dpkg status file.

/var/lib/dpkg/status 

First, I created a backup of the status file.

sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status /var/lib/dpkg/status.back

Then I found the block of text for my package, deleted it, then saved the file.

The error hasn't showed after doing this.

I'm relatively new to Linux and Ubuntu, and I can't say that this is the best way to solve the problem, but it worked for me.

1
sudo apt-get clean && sudo apt-get autoremove 

sudo apt-get -f install

sudo dpkg --configure -a

this should fix it

if there are still errors purge the plymouth theme and manager from system

you can also repair apt with the same command you use when you have an update that stops in the middle like a power outage during a dist-upgrade
but reading the error output a purge should work at cleaning out the problem then run

sudo apt-get clean && sudo apt-get autoremove

sudo apt-get -f install

sudo dpkg --configure -a

1
  • This is literally the same thing as the top answer. May 22, 2013 at 18:09
1

This one worked for me, posting for others benefit:

sudo apt-get --purge remove plymouth-theme-mib-ubuntu

from:

update-alternatives: error: alternative path /lib/plymouth/themes/MIB-Ubuntu/MIB-Ubuntu.plymouth doesn't exist

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