Re: Unable to properly install 2 packages

[Marty <martyb@ix.netcom.com>]

J.F.Gratton wrote:
> On Tue, 2005-31-05 at 21:24 -0400, Marty wrote:
> > J.F.Gratton wrote:
> > [snip snip]
> > > Setting up guile-1.6 (1.6.7-1) ...
> > > dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute post-installation script: Exec
> > > format error
> > > dpkg: error processing guile-1.6 (--configure):
> > >  subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
> >
> > That script would be /var/lib/dpkg/info/guile-1.6.postinst
>
> OK, here's a start. 'cept that the file looks some kind of informational
> file used by apt/dpkg, *not* a script file or anything

Oh my. That's bad!

 (at the bottom of
> this message you'll have the contents of the file.

Well, I don't see it down there, but here ar the contents of my version:

--------------------------------------
#!/bin/sh

set -e

if [ "$1" != "upgrade" ] ; then
    update-alternatives \
      --install /usr/bin/guile guile /usr/bin/guile-1.6 160 \
      --slave /usr/bin/guile-config guile-config /usr/bin/guile-1.6-config \
      --slave /usr/bin/guile-snarf guile-snarf /usr/bin/guile-1.6-snarf \
      --slave /usr/bin/guile-tools guile-tools /usr/bin/guile-1.6-tools
fi

# Automatically added by dh_installmenu
if [ "$1" = "configure" ] && [ -x /usr/bin/update-menus ]; then update-menus ; fi
# End automatically added section
-----------------------

Looks like something got clobbered in your installation attempt.

> > If it exists and is uncorrupted, then you can try to debug it manually,
> > or else just try purging the package and starting over again.
>
> As the file does not contain any commands, I don't see anything to
> debug.
>
> My question remains, then:
>
> > > 
> > > How do I get out of the "Exec format error" ?
> > > 
> > > On a related topic : is there a way to make apt "forget" a package,
> > > and/or completely purge it from the disk, its installed packages list,
> > > etc ? Just so I'd be able to reinstall it or a newer version sometime
> > > later ?
> >
> > dpkg -P <pkg-name>
>
> OK, OK, my question was poorly phrased :). I've been using Deb for
> now... 4-5 years, so hopefully I know about dpkg :) What I meant to ask
> is how do I completely dump a package (manually remove all traces of it)
> when apt-get remove and dpkg -P fail ? My problem with guile is not only
> when I try to install it, but also when I try to remove/purge the
> package.

The only thing that comes to mind is dlocate or cruft.  Maybe others have
better suggestions.


 You see, I had a power failure when dist-upgrading my system.

Yep.  That could easily explain it.  :-)

> Thanks again,
>
> Jeff