Package: dpkg Version: 1.4.0.31 I have a "frozen" system that I have been keeping up to date every few days. For the last few days, many new packages have failed their installation (dpkg with apt) because the pre-removal or post-install scripts are calling install-info with arguments that the program no longer recognizes as properly-formed.
Just for example, today: # dselect Get http://http.us.debian.org frozen/contrib Packages Get http://http.us.debian.org frozen/main Packages Get http://http.us.debian.org frozen/non-free Packages Fetched 582k in 2m47s (3479b/s) Updating package file cache...done Updating package status cache...done Checking system integrity...ok Merging Available information Replacing available packages info, using /var/cache/apt/available. Information about 2648 package(s) was updated. Updating package status cache...done Checking system integrity...ok The following packages have been kept back netscape4 rvplayer 4 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 2 not upgraded. Need to get 844k of archives. After unpacking 13.0k will be used. Do you want to continue? [Y/n] Get http://http.us.debian.org frozen/main modutils [123k] Get http://http.us.debian.org frozen/main mount [55.3k] Get http://http.us.debian.org frozen/main gettext [346k] Get http://http.us.debian.org frozen/main fdutils [320k] Fetched 844k in 1m37s (8650b/s) (Reading database ... 27306 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to replace mount 2.8a-1.2 (using mount_2.8a-2.deb) ... Unpacking replacement mount ... Setting up mount (2.8a-2) ... (Reading database ... 27306 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to replace modutils 2.1.121-13 (using modutils_2.1.121-15.deb) ... Leaving `diversion of /usr/include/linux/kerneld.h to /usr/include/linux/kerneld.h.libc6 by modutils' Saving KDOPT setting from /etc/init.d/kerneld .. Removing obsoleted files: Dpkg might ask you if you want the new configuration files in /etc/init.d. This is generally a good idea, unless you have really changed any of these files. The KDOPT setting in /etc/init.d/kerneld will be saved even if you install a new version of this file. Unpacking replacement modutils ... Preparing to replace fdutils 5.2.0.1998-07-01-2 (using fdutils_5.2.0.1998-07-01-3.deb) ... install-info: No dir file specified; try --help for more information. warning: ignoring unknown format `dvi' at /usr/sbin/install-docs line 627, <IN> chunk 18. warning: ignoring unknown format `info' at /usr/sbin/install-docs line 627, <IN> chunk 21. Update-menus: waiting for dpkg to finish(forking to background) Update-menus: (checking /var/lib/dpkg/lock) Update-menus: waiting for dpkg to finish(forking to background) Update-menus: (checking /var/lib/dpkg/lock) Unpacking replacement fdutils ... Preparing to replace gettext 0.10.35-6 (using gettext_0.10.35-7.deb) ... install-info: No dir file specified; try --help for more information. dpkg: warning - old pre-removal script returned error exit status 1 dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ... install-info: No dir file specified; try --help for more information. dpkg: error processing gettext_0.10.35-7.deb (--unpack): subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 1 install-info: unrecognized option `--description=' Try `install-info --help' for a complete list of options. dpkg: error while cleaning up: subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1 Errors were encountered while processing: gettext_0.10.35-7.deb E: Sub-process returned an error code Some errors occurred while unpacking. I'm going to configure the packages that were installed. This may result in duplicate errors or errors caused by missing dependencies. This is OK, only the errors above this message are important. Please fix them and run [I]nstall again Press enter to continue. dpkg: error processing gettext (--configure): Package is in a very bad inconsistent state - you should reinstall it before attempting configuration. Setting up modutils (2.1.121-15) ... Starting kerneld, version 2.1.121 (pid 7113) Setting up fdutils (5.2.0.1998-07-01-3) ... install-info: unrecognized option `--description=Linux floppy utilities' Try `install-info --help' for a complete list of options. dpkg: error processing fdutils (--configure): subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1 Errors were encountered while processing: gettext fdutils installation script returned error exit status 100. Press RETURN to continue. -- System Information Debian Release: 2.1 Kernel Version: Linux aleph 2.0.36 #1 Fri Jan 15 18:12:05 EST 1999 i586 unknown Versions of the packages dpkg depends on: ii libc6 2.0.7.19981211 GNU Libc: shared libraries ii libncurses4 4.2-3 Shared libraries for terminal handling ii libstdc++2.9 2.91.60-4 The GNU stdc++ library (egcs version)
