All /var/lib/dpkg/status* files corrupt, how to recover?

[Brian Servis <bservis@usa.net>]

Some how all my /var/lib/dpkg/status* files have become corrupt.  I have
tried using the status.yesterday.* files but most of them won't even
gunzip, or are corrupt.  How can I recover from this?  I searched the
archives but was not able to find a solution.  Any and all help will be
appreciated.

Typical errors and status file lines:

apt-get update error message:
Reading Package Lists... Error!
E: Malformed 2nd word in the Status line
E: Error occured while processing metamail (UsePackage3)
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/dpkg/status
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.

Section of status file from 'less -N status'
  4175  Package: offix-clipboard
  4176  e ok not-installed
  4177  Priority: optional
  4178  le
  4179  
  4180  Package: metamail
  4181  Status: install okriorityled
  4182   ok not-installed
  4183  Priority: opti: optional
  4184  Section: mail

Failed gunzip:
% gunzip status.yesterday.5.gz

gunzip: status.yesterday.5.gz: invalid compressed data--crc error


I have also had to disable the dwww daily cron job as it for some reason
is dumping ~132M of binary garbage to STDOUT which ends up in my
mailbox. Most mail handlers don't take kindly to this!


Thanks,

Brian Servis
-- 
bservis@usa.net     
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