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While trying to set up my rails environment to use postgresql I mistakenly installed postgres-xc.

However an error occurred in installation, so when I tried to remove the package I get the following error:

The following packages will be REMOVED:  

  postgres-xc   
   0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 0 not upgraded.  
1 not fully installed or removed.  
After this operation, 17.2 MB disk space will be freed.  
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y  
(Reading database ... 269015 files and directories currently installed.)  
Removing postgres-xc ...  
dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute installed pre-removal script  (/var/lib/dpkg/info/postgres-xc.prerm): No such file or directory  
dpkg: error processing postgres-xc (--remove):  
 subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 2  
 * Starting Postgres-XC datanode                                                                                                                                                   pg_ctl: another server might be running; trying to start server anyway  
pg_ctl: another server might be running; trying to start server anyway  
                                                                                                                                                                            [ OK ]
 * Starting Postgres-XC coordinator                                                                                                                                                  pg_ctl: another server might be running; trying to start server anyway  
                                                                                                                                                                          [ OK ]  
 * Starting Postgres-XC gtm                                                                                                                                                      gtm_ctl: another server might be running; trying to start server anyway  
gtm_ctl: could not start server  
Examine the log output.  
invoke-rc.d: initscript postgres-xc, action "start" failed.  
dpkg: error while cleaning up:  
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1  
Errors were encountered while processing:  
 postgres-xc  
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)  

Googling shows some solutions point to editing the /var/lib/dpkg/info/postgres-xc.prerm file to include exit 0 but that doesn't work. Also, notice that its not even recognizing that file.

1 Answer 1

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Open the file using the command

sudo nano /var/lib/dpkg/status

then remove the broken package postgres-xcand the whole block of information about it and save the file.

then do

apt-get install -f

apt-get update

2
  • Success! I didn't know you could remove packages that way. Thanks a ton.
    – user191583
    Nov 16, 2013 at 3:14
  • Ya. Yes you can. :)
    – Tarun
    Nov 16, 2013 at 7:05

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