Re: package error after debfoster

[Luis Finotti <finotti@math.ohio-state.edu>]

Hi,

Lars Staun Knudsen wrote:

> Luis Finotti wrote:
>
>> I am not at my Debian machine, so I can't double check, but I think you
>> need "dpkg --force-purge".  (Careful with that!  Check the man page.
>> Search "force-thing".)
>
>
> # dpkg --force-purge menu
> dpkg: unknown force/refuse option `purge'
>
> I looked at the other force, but no luck:
>
> # dpkg -P remove-essential menu
> dpkg - warning: ignoring request to remove remove-essential which
> isn't installed.
> dpkg: error processing menu (--purge):
>  Package is in a very bad inconsistent state - you should
>  reinstall it before attempting a removal.
>
>
> I most admit that i'm not too happy about randomly trying any force
> command. As you mention and the man-pages, it's something you should
> be carefull with. So any ideas how to force it completely in or out.


Again, I am away from my Debian machine, but I think the correct command 
should have been "dpkg --force-remove-reinstreq <package>".

You can also try "apt-get reinstall <package>" (to get the missing files 
back) and then "apt-get --purge remove <package>" (again, no 100% sure 
about the syntax...  I've been using wajig...)

HTH,

Luis

Luis