Can't download or remove software

Question

Nothing works, whether it's an update, or software, or anything, even on Synaptic. I found another similar thread, and tried that but that didn't work. Synaptic is giving me the following message:

E: avg2012flx: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

The software center gave me this message:

InstallArchives() failed: (Reading database ... 
(Reading database ... 5%
(Reading database ... 10%
(Reading database ... 15%
(Reading database ... 20%
(Reading database ... 25%
(Reading database ... 30%
(Reading database ... 35%
(Reading database ... 40%
(Reading database ... 45%
(Reading database ... 50%
(Reading database ... 55%
(Reading database ... 60%
(Reading database ... 65%
(Reading database ... 70%
(Reading database ... 75%
(Reading database ... 80%
(Reading database ... 85%
(Reading database ... 90%
(Reading database ... 95%
(Reading database ... 100%
(Reading database ... 224115 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing testdisk-dbg ...
Removing testdisk ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Setting up avg2012flx (2012.1793) ...
Installing 'avgd' service initscripts...
ln: failed to create symbolic link `/etc/init.d/avgd': File exists
dpkg: error processing avg2012flx (--configure):
subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

Answer 1

This is a bug in the avg2012flx package, specifically in its post-installation script. It looks like this version of the package doesn't handle upgrades properly.

The easiest solution would be to wait for a fixed version of the package. Since this seems to be a third-party package, you'd have to report this as a bug to whoever made that package.

You should be able to work around the bug by moving the /etc/init.d/avgd file out of the way:

sudo mv /etc/init.d/avgd /etc/init.d/avgd.old
sudo apt-get -f install

This may leave avgd in a non-working state or cause other trouble. Alternatively, reinstall the old, working version of the avg2012flx package and mark it as on hold until a fixed version comes out.