dpkg: error processing package sudo (--configure)

Question

I'm trying to set up a VM network using vmbuilder. When setting it up using Ubuntu 12.04 there are no problems. However, when trying any of the newer LTS (14.04 or 16.04) i get the following error when I try to build my KVM:

Configuration file '/etc/sudoers'
==> Modified (by you or by a script) since installation.
==> Package distributor has shipped an updated version.
What would you like to do about it ?  Your options are:
Y or I  : install the package maintainer's version
N or O  : keep your currently-installed version
  D     : show the differences between the versions
  Z     : start a shell to examine the situation
The default action is to keep your current version.
*** sudoers (Y/I/N/O/D/Z) [default=N] ? dpkg: error processing package sudo (--configure):
EOF on stdin at conffile prompt
Errors were encountered while processing:
sudo
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

I have read a bunch of similar issues where the recommendation is more or less to blow out the whole system. This is however VERY undesirable in this case since we are running jobs on the computer each day. So please, if anyone knows a workaround??

FYI, this is how my VM.sh looks:

vmbuilder kvm ubuntu \
    --dest=/home/pett/VM \
    --overwrite \
    --mem=15000\
    --cpus=4 \
    --rootsize=10240\
    --swapsize=5000\
    --addpkg=openssh-server \
    --addpkg=vim \
    --addpkg=cron \
    --addpkg=acpid \
    --arch=amd64 \
    --suite=trusty\
    --flavour virtual \
    --components main,universe,restricted \
    --hostname Buri \
    --user pett \
    --pass hello \
    --libvirt qemu:///system ;

PS the following did NOT solve it:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get clean

sudo apt-get autoremove

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

sudo dpkg --configure -a

sudo apt-get install -f

Answer 1

I have exactly the same bug, on several fresh 1604 installations. I don't know why this doesn't get fixed, because it would come up if they ever tested this package.

The solution I found from another post is:

1. change the word 'dist-upgrade' to 'update' in /usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/VMBuilder/plugins/ubuntu/dapper.py

2. delete /usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/VMBuilder/plugins/ubuntu/dapper.pyc

Annoying that the "solution" to a problem like this is to edit the installed package, but that's what it is.

Answer 2

Note that there is a slightly better maintained community fork of python-vm-builder at https://github.com/newroco/vmbuilder.

Instead of using the system package, you install it with sudo python setup.py install

Answer 3

From launchpad discussion:

can you find in file /usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/VMBuilder/plugins/ubuntu/dapper.py next string:

self.run_in_target('apt-get', '-y', '--force-yes', 'dist-upgrade',

and replace with:

self.run_in_target('apt-get', '-y', '--force-yes', '--option=Dpkg::Options::=--force-confnew', 'dist-upgrade',

and try to build new vm after that.

I describe similar situation on my blog http://anzhiganov.com/2016/11/02/869/. it was useful for me.