dpkg hosed after crash

[Mike Schmitz <mschmitz@coinet.com>]

A while back, my system crashed, but I was able to bring up a crippled
system that I can limp along with.  I lost mostly just data, and what
programs I lost, I have been able to replace by reinstalling them.  One
that is becoming a sore spot, though, is dpkg.  Whie it is able, mostly,
to install other programs, when I try to upgrade it, it gives me this
error:

mschmitz:~# dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/dpkg_1.4.1.3_i386.deb
(Reading database ... 42321 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace dpkg 1.4.1.1 (using
.../archives/dpkg_1.4.1.3_i386.deb) ...install-info: failed to lock dir
for editing! No such file or directory
dpkg: warning - old pre-removal script returned error exit status 2
dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ...
install-info: failed to lock dir for editing! No such file or directory
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/dpkg_1.4.1.3_i386.deb
(--install):
 subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/dpkg_1.4.1.3_i386.deb


ps. please cc to me, as I am no longer on this list

-- 
  Mike Schmitz     mschmitz@coinet.com     http://mschmitz.colug.org/
  Don't blame me - I voted libertarian!    http://www.lp.org/
  Use Debian Linux - the free Gnu/Linux    http://www.debian.org/
				  -----------        
	 "If encryption is outlawed, only outlaws will have encryption"