[ubuntu-uk] SERIOUS HELP NEEDED!

Wed Oct 22 10:16:10 BST 2008

Hello Team!

I would be most grateful if anyone could help me with the
following problem. It seems to concern postgresql-8.1 as
mentioned in the various error messages (further below):

A while back, I lost Ubuntu 7.10 which had occupied the whole
of one of my two 80 GB drives when it suffered a hardware failure.
So I had to revert to an earlier set-up of 6.06 which occupies
a 16 GB partition on the other drive. (The remaining space
contains nothing that I want to preserve).

This v6.06 does most of the things I need to do for the time being.
Naturally I would like to update to the latest version either
when I get a replacement drive, or preferably on the present
drive to save cost, but I'm not sure about the partitioning.

             -------------------------------

However that is not my most urgent problem. I have a more
URGENT problem than running the latest version, since I have
work to do and I must give that priority.

THE PROBLEM is this:-

a)  There are 348 updates (orange icon, top bar) awaiting
   installation, but I guess it's probably best to ignore
   them while the system remains stable (but for how long!?)

b)  The MOST URGENT is that I get the following message
   when I install anything (including attempts to install
   the 348 upgrades):-

Quote:The following problems were found on your system:
-----------------------------------------------------------
E: /var/cache/apt/archives/postgresql-8.1_8.1.13-0ubuntu0.6.06_i386.deb: 
subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
-----------------------------------------------------------

NOTE.  When I look in the directory /var/cache/apt/archives/
I see there is a 2.8MB package file called:
"postgresql-8.1_8.1.13-0ubuntu0.6.06_i386.deb" (together with
five others whose names begin "postgresql-") BUT no file called
"postgresql-8.1 8.1.9-0ubuntu0.6.06" as mentioned in the
messages below.

In case it may help diagnose the problem, the contents of
the terminal window (the one that can be opened during
the installation process) which does not seem to have a
copy-and-paste facility, I have copied by hand as best I
can, so there may be some typos. I have included it below
as a PS.

Thankyou in advance to anyone who can advise me,

Regards,
Louis Gidney.

PS.
Contents of the terminal window after an install session:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GKT Accessibility Module initialized
GKT Accessibility Module initialized
application finalize called
GKT Accessibility Module initialized
application finalize called
(Reading database ... 252151 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace postgresql-8.1 8.1.9-0ubuntu0.6.05
(using .../postgesql 8.1_8.1.13-0ubuntu0.6.06_i386.deb) ...
* Stopping PostgreSQL 8.1, database server
* Error: specified cluster does not exist

[fail]
invoke-rc.d: initscript postgresql-8.1, action "stop" failed.
dpkg: warning - old pre-removal script returned error status 1
dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ...
* Stopping PostgreSQL 8.1, database server
* Error: specified cluster does not exist

 [fail]
invoke-rc.d: initscript postgresql-8.1, action "stop" failed.
dpkg: error processing 
/var/cache/apt/archives/postgresql-8.1_8.1.13-0ubuntu0.6.
06_i386.deb (--unpack):
subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
* Starting PostgreSQL 8.1, database server
* Error: specified cluster does not exist

 [fail]
invoke-rc.d: initscript postgresql-8.1, action "start" failed.
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status
Selecting previously deselected package eric.
Unpacking eric (from .../eric_3.8.1-1ubuntu2_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package kiki.
Unpacking kiki (from .../kiki_0.5.6-0ubuntu2_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package python-wxglade.
Unpacking python-wxglade (from 
.../python-wxglade_0.3.5.cvs20050824-0.2ubuntu1_a
ll.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package spe.
Unpacking spe (from .../spe_0.8.2a+repack-0.1_all.deb) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/postgresql-8.1_8.1.13-0ubuntu0.6.06_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returning an error code (1)
A package failed to install.  Trying to recover:
dpkg: error processing postgresql-8.1 (--configure)
Package is in a very bad inconsistent state - you should
reinstall it before attempting configuration.
Setting up eric (3.8.1-1ubuntu2) ...

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of postgresql-contrib-8.1:
postgresql-contrib-8.1-plr depends on postgresql-8.1;  however:
 Package postgresql-8.1 is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing postgresql-8.1-plr (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up python-wxglade (0.3.5.cvs20050824-0.2ubuntu1) ...

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of postgresql-pltcl-8.1:
postgresql-contrib-8.1 depends on postgresql-8.1;  however:
 Package postgresql-8.1 is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing postgresql-8.1-pltcl-8.1 (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up kiki (0.5.6-0ubuntu2) ...

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of postgresql-plpython-8.1:
postgresql-contrib-8.1 depends on postgresql-8.1;  however:
 Package postgresql-8.1 is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing postgresql-8.1-plpython-8.1 (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of postgresql-plperl-8.1:
postgresql-plperl-8.1 depends on postgresql-8.1;  however:
 Package postgresql-8.1 is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing postgresql-plperl-8.1 (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up spe (0.8.2a+repack-0.1) ...

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of postgresql-8.1-plr:
postgresql-8.1-plr depends on postgresql-8.1;  however:
 Package postgresql-8.1 is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing postgresql-8.1-plr (--configure)
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

                     ---------------------

Then follows the usual:-
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    Checking installed and available applications
    Please wait this can take a minute or two
    [ ||||||||||||||||||            ]

    Reading.....
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