Re: HELP broken dpkg ( previously HELP - installing broken libglib1.2-dev)

[Mike McGuire <mjm19@po.cwru.edu>]

> > > > > [cruft deleted]
> > Ouch.  I've never had to deal with a system as
> > loused up as that one.
> > 
> > But perhaps it can be solved with a:
> > dpkg --force-all -P libglib-dev (libglib1.2-dev
> > libgtk1.2-dev
> > libgtk-dev)
> > 
> > Hopefully this will clean out the system making way
> > for a fresh install
> > of everything for glib1.2 and gtk1.2
> > 
> > Let the list know if this still doesn't work.  Maybe
> > someone who has
> > solved this problem will also come across the
> > thread.
> > 
> > --mike
> > 
> > On 10 Aug 2001 11:31:35 -0700, Jatin Golani wrote:
> > > 
> > > Hi Michael,
> > > 
> > > Thanks for responding.
> > > 
> > > To answer your questions:
> > > 
> > > a) Yup I'm root.
> > > b) a dpkg --force-remove-reinstreq --purge
> > > libglib1.2-dev, has the same fate :(
> > > 
> > > I don't know how to see which directories it's
> > trying
> > > to write to....if I could then I could manually do
> > > it....do you know how I can do that??
> > > 
> > > Also even if I delete the files manually how do I
> > then
> > > tell dpkg that the package has been
> > deleted....even
> > > after a purge it keeps showing that the package is
> > > installed though broken.
> > > 
> > > Any help would be appreciated....I can't
> > understand
> > > what's happening...would appreciate help.
> > > 
> > > Bye
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > --- Michael Heldebrant
> > > > > [more cruft]

I've got an idea, but it's a bit ugly and probably should only be 
used as a last resort. (Unfortunately you appear to be getting to 
that point...)

First, do : dpkg -L pkgname   and remove (by hand, or with a script 
if you're feeling a bit brave :)  the files it lists, for each of 
the broken packages.

Then : echo "pkgname purge" | dpkg --set-selections   to get it out 
of dpkg's database.

Of course, you might want to wait a bit so anybody else can figure 
out something better, or say why this is a bad idea... Anyway, I 
*think* that much of dpkg will work, even with the broken packages.

HTH,
Mike McGuire