xserver-xorg fatal configuration
I would much appreciate any idea (else than complete system
reinstallation) how to correct this fatal error.
Background
==========
Unfortunately I have made a grave mistake after an interrupted
Synaptic update of xserver-xorg by running "dpkg-reconfigure -a" instead of
"dpkg --configure -a" (as adviced; yes, by now I know, I'm learning much
though still a newbie).
Effect
======
My Debian GNU/Linux 2.6.12-1-686 i686 (testing) is virtually impossible to
upgrade any more since some of the system scripts that should take part
seem to be corrupted or replaced with something unexpected and useless. The
nearly complete xserver-xorg configuration may not be modified in any
normal way (e.g. neither dpkg nor aptitude), and the sytem status
effectively prevents ANY installation/upgrading of any software with any
Debian tool. The only exception I know is package removal and reinstallation
using dpkg, where the configuration (I suppose) will be reused (in spite of
error messages, like those seen in the documentation below).
System functionality
====================
Fortunately, the system functions OK so far and runs KDE, virtually without
any malfunction. This is true even after a lot of attempts to modify
xserver-xorg and related packages. The only thing that had to be done was
reinstalltion of the Nvidia display driver, which is carried out by other
means.
Documentation
=============
See output from "dpkg -i" in Appendix 1 below. It says a lot (to begin
with, the serious warning concerning linux-image-2.6.15-1-686 may probably
be taken as a separate problem since nothing is installed and should be
possible to resolve after upgrading has been made possible). The
significant information is probably what's concerning xserver-xorg (except
the "not updating /etc/X11/xorg.conf" since it has really been modified by
me much earlier.
The recommendation to run "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg" is not fruitful,
since such a reconfiguration is not possible:
root@andromeda:/var/cache/apt/archives# dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
/usr/sbin/dpkg-reconfigure: xserver-xorg is broken or not fully installed
DESTROY created new reference to dead object ' Qt::VBoxLayout' during
global destruction.
/usr/bin/perl: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/libkdecore.so.4: undefined
symbol: _ZN18QMetaObjectCleanUpD1Ev
Another anomaly is that virtually any use of dpkg-reconfigure is
impossible. This example is "dpkg-reconfigure am-utils":
(1) from a console:
root@andromeda:~# dpkg-reconfigure am-utils
dpkg-reconfigure: cannot connect to X server # no dialog, nothing done
(2) from gui terminal:
root@andromeda:~# dpkg-reconfigure am-utils # normal configuration dialog
Stopping automounter: amd . done.
Starting automounter: amd.
/usr/bin/perl: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/libkdecore.so.4: undefined
symbol: _ZN18QMetaObjectCleanUpD1Ev
The "cannot connect to X server" shows up regularly. Any attempt to
remove and/or reinstall xserver-xorg (after pre-removal of
x-window-system-core due to dependency) ends up like(1). I haven't dared to
try it in gui mode.
Appendix 1
==========
root@andromeda:/var/cache/apt/archives# dpkg -i
xserver-xorg_6.9.0.dfsg.1-4_i386.deb
(Reading database ...
dpkg: serious warning: files list file for package
`linux-image-2.6.15-1-686' missing, assuming package has no files currently
installed.
124552 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace xserver-xorg 6.9.0.dfsg.1-4 (using
xserver-xorg_6.9.0.dfsg.1-4_i386.deb) ...
/usr/bin/perl: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/libkdecore.so.4: undefined
symbol: _ZN18QMetaObjectCleanUpD1Ev
dpkg: warning - old pre-removal script returned error exit status 127
dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ...
/usr/bin/perl: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/libkdecore.so.4: undefined
symbol: _ZN18QMetaObjectCleanUpD1Ev
dpkg: error processing xserver-xorg_6.9.0.dfsg.1-4_i386.deb (--install):
subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 127
Use of uninitialized value in join or string at
/usr/share/perl5/Debconf/DbDriver/Stack.pm line 104, <GEN1> line 13.
xserver-xorg postinst warning: not updating /etc/X11/X; no default X server
configured; run "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg" to correct this
xserver-xorg postinst warning: not updating /etc/X11/xorg.conf; file has
been customized
System startup links for /etc/init.d/xserver-xorg already exist.
Use of uninitialized value in substitution (s///) at
/usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Format/822.pm line 83, <GEN6> line 1.
Use of uninitialized value in concatenation (.) or string at
/usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Format/822.pm line 84, <GEN6> line 1.
/usr/bin/perl: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/libkdecore.so.4: undefined
symbol: _ZN18QMetaObjectCleanUpD1Ev
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 127
Errors were encountered while processing:
xserver-xorg_6.9.0.dfsg.1-4_i386.deb
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