-1

I am current running Xubuntu 12.04 64bit. I noticed that I am unable to open the software center or update manager.

When I attempt to open the Update Manager it reports that a problem occurred while checking for updates.

Upon starting the software center, an error message will appear and tell me

Failed to execute command "/usr/bin/software-center %u". 
Failed to execute child process "/usr/bin/software-center" (No such file or directory)

Running a sudo apt-get upgrade reveals even more problems

david@david-laptop:~$ sudo apt-get upgrade
[sudo] password for david: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
4 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/689 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
(Reading database ... 575296 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace python-software-properties 0.82.7.7 (using .../python-software-properties_0.82.7.7_all.deb) ...
/var/lib/dpkg/info/python-software-properties.prerm: 6: /var/lib/dpkg/info/python-software-properties.prerm: pyclean: not found
dpkg: warning: subprocess old pre-removal script returned error exit status 127
dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ...
/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/prerm: 6: /var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/prerm: pyclean: not found
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/python-software-properties_0.82.7.7_all.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 127
/var/lib/dpkg/info/python-software-properties.postinst: 6: /var/lib/dpkg/info/python-software-properties.postinst: pycompile: not found
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127
Preparing to replace software-center 5.2.10 (using .../software-center_5.2.10_all.deb) ...
/var/lib/dpkg/info/software-center.prerm: 6: /var/lib/dpkg/info/software-center.prerm: pyclean: not found
dpkg: warning: subprocess old pre-removal script returned error exit status 127
dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ...
/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/prerm: 6: /var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/prerm: pyclean: not found
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/software-center_5.2.10_all.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 127
/var/lib/dpkg/info/software-center.postinst: 8: /var/lib/dpkg/info/software-center.postinst: pycompile: not found
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127
Preparing to replace software-properties-common 0.82.7.7 (using .../software-properties-common_0.82.7.7_all.deb) ...
/var/lib/dpkg/info/software-properties-common.prerm: 6: /var/lib/dpkg/info/software-properties-common.prerm: pyclean: not found
dpkg: warning: subprocess old pre-removal script returned error exit status 127
dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ...
/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/prerm: 6: /var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/prerm: pyclean: not found
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/software-properties-common_0.82.7.7_all.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 127
/var/lib/dpkg/info/software-properties-common.postinst: 6: /var/lib/dpkg/info/software-properties-common.postinst: pycompile: not found
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127
Preparing to replace software-properties-gtk 0.82.7.7 (using .../software-properties-gtk_0.82.7.7_all.deb) ...
/var/lib/dpkg/info/software-properties-gtk.prerm: 6: /var/lib/dpkg/info/software-properties-gtk.prerm: pyclean: not found
dpkg: warning: subprocess old pre-removal script returned error exit status 127
dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ...
/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/prerm: 6: /var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/prerm: pyclean: not found
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/software-properties-gtk_0.82.7.7_all.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 127
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
                                                              /var/lib/dpkg/info/software-properties-gtk.postinst: 11: /var/lib/dpkg/info/software-properties-gtk.postinst: pycompile: not found
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/python-software-properties_0.82.7.7_all.deb
 /var/cache/apt/archives/software-center_5.2.10_all.deb
 /var/cache/apt/archives/software-properties-common_0.82.7.7_all.deb
 /var/cache/apt/archives/software-properties-gtk_0.82.7.7_all.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)`

I am really lost here and any help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance to whoever can help me

2 Answers 2

0

try sudo apt-get -f install. it it shows the same error, then it means that there is something wrong with the packages downloaded. you must have another ppa installed which replaced the stable packages with the buggy ones. so type the following in terminal

sudo apt-get remove python-software-properties software-center software-properties-common software-properties-gtk

then sudo apt-get autoclean and them sudo apt-get autoremove. try to figure out if you installed an untrusted ppa. if you feel that you did not do anything wrond, re-install them using

sudo apt-get install python-software-properties software-center software-properties-common software-properties-gtk

to see if the problem persists

2
  • Sudo apt-get -f install does indeed show the same error, so I try to remove the packages as you suggested and I unfortunately got the same error. Do you have any other ideas of what I could try? Thanks a lot for the response Mar 30, 2014 at 22:32
  • then try deleting the packages manually from /var/cache/apt/packages. it requires superuser access. then try installing them. Mar 31, 2014 at 6:21
0

Try executing sudo apt-get update and then sudo apt-get -f install, and if the problem persists, check if you added any untrusted PPAs.

If you did, you can remove them by doing sudo apt-get install ppa-purge and then sudo ppa-purge [ppa link here]. After you removed it, you can go ahead and type the two first commands again.

4
  • I tried running both sudo apt-get update and the sudo apt-get -f install, both gave me the same errors of ` subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127` and Errors were encountered while processing: /var/cache/apt/archives/python-software-properties_0.82.7.7_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/software-center_5.2.10_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/software-properties-common_0.82.7.7_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/software-properties-gtk_0.82.7.7_all.deb E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1) Mar 30, 2014 at 22:29
  • I get the same errors when I try to install ppa-purge as well. Thanks for your response though. Any other thoughts? Mar 30, 2014 at 22:31
  • Can you try running sudo dpkg --configure -a? Mar 30, 2014 at 22:34
  • I seem to get the same errors as well. Errors were encountered while processing: python-software-properties software-center software-properties-common aptdaemon software-properties-gtk Mar 30, 2014 at 22:35

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .