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I just updated my ubuntu to the latest version. After updating, everytime I try to remove or add anything, I get this error:
errors were encountered while processing: E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
Package manager notified me that all my gnome packages were broken and I couldn't make any updates until I deleted the gnome packages. So, I deleted all the gnome packages. Now I can not login anymore, after entering my password, it flashes right back to the login screen.

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You may need to find local help. It's going to be very, very difficult if not impossible for anybody to help you online if you aren't able to better describe what you've actually done and what you're trying to do. In particular, saying things like "i couldn't make any updates until i deleted the gnomes" is, on the one hand, hilarious - but on the other, not helpful in any way. – Jim Salter Nov 23 '12 at 22:25
actually the fact that i couldnt update until the gnomes were deleted, is why they were deleted. It was simply my explanation to how and what i actually have done. And when I said " I've been looking online for a while. and every time i try to remove or add anything, upgrade, i get this error.errors were encountered while processing: E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)" and when I said "cant login anymore. it flashes right back to the login screen. and it looks very downgraded" I was sayin i dont want to have an error whenever i make attempt and i would like to login again – devin Nov 23 '12 at 23:23
Im sorry that I didnt really make sense. but I gave all the information i have – devin Nov 23 '12 at 23:24

2 Answers

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First thing I'd try is:

  • press CTRL + ALT + F1 to access a terminal and log in with your admin account.
  • sudo dpkg --configure -a
  • sudo apt-get update
  • sudo apt-get autoremove
  • sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
  • reboot
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Did you try running compiz?

Building on top of speter's answer, if those commands don't work, you can try re-installing. You might be able to back up your important documents and such to a flash drive by cping the files that you want backed up onto the flash drive. Before this, make sure that only your backup drive is mounted. You also may want to make a partition when re-installing that lets you move files over to the fresh install, but make the partition as large for the new install as you can.

  1. cd /media
  2. ls
  3. Change directories to the directory listed.
  4. cp fileOrDirectoryToBeBackedUp targetFileOrDirectory
  5. Make sure that the files are copied by ls. If you see targetFileOrDirectory listed, you did this step correctly. To make sure sub-files/directories were copied too, cd to targetFileOrDirectory.

From here, try re-installing and restoring your important files.

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