update ubuntu package problem (10.04.2 LTS)

[Peng Yu]

On Tue, May 10, 2011 at 3:49 PM, NoOp <glgxg at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> On 05/10/2011 01:18 PM, Peng Yu wrote:
>> On Tue, May 10, 2011 at 1:40 PM, NoOp <glgxg at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>> On 05/10/2011 08:44 AM, Peng Yu wrote:
>>>> On Mon, May 9, 2011 at 6:27 PM, NoOp <glgxg at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>>>> On 05/09/2011 12:12 PM, Peng Yu wrote:
>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I try to update my ubuntu. But I got the following error. Could you
>>>>>> please let me know what the problem is and how to fix it?
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Have you tried:
>>>>>
>>>>> $ sudo dpkg --configure -a
>>>>> and
>>>>> $ sudo apt-get install -f
>>>>> yet?
>>>>
>>>> Here are the screen output.
>>>>
>>>> $ sudo dpkg --configure -a
>>>> Setting up dbus (1.2.16-2ubuntu4.2) ...
>>>> The system user `messagebus' already exists. Exiting.
>>>> chown: invalid group: `root:messagebus'
>>>> dpkg: error processing dbus (--configure):
>>>>  subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
>>> ...
>>> In the future, when you have lengthy output to post, please post at
>>> http://paste.ubuntu.com and then provide a link to the pastebin: example:
>>> http://paste.ubuntu.com/605802/
>>
>> Sure.
>>
>>> What is the result of the following:
>>>
>>> $ groups root
>>> $ groups messagebus
>>> $ cat /etc/group
>>> (only the root and messagebus output please or the entire on pastebin)
>>
>> See below.
>>
>> $ groups root
>> root : root
>> $ groups messagebus
>> messagebus : mlocate
>> $ grep root /etc/group
>> root:x:0:
>> $ grep messagebus /etc/group
>
> Interesting... I wonder why mlocate is part of the messagebus group.
> Mine from my lucid test machine:
>
> lucid at lucid-desktop:~$ groups root
> root : root
> lucid at lucid-desktop:~$ groups messagebus
> messagebus : messagebus
> lucid at lucid-desktop:~$ grep messagebus /etc/group
> messagebus:x:107:
> lucid at lucid-desktop:~$
>
> And yes, I do have mlocate installed:
> lucid at lucid-desktop:~$ apt-cache policy mlocate
> mlocate:
>  Installed: 0.22.2-1ubuntu1
>  Candidate: 0.22.2-1ubuntu1
>  Version table:
>  *** 0.22.2-1ubuntu1 0
>        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main Packages
>        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

I checked another lucid machine that I saw the same thing as you show.
I'm not sure why it mess up in the lucid machine that has the problem.
Do you see a way to fix the problem?

-- 
Regards,
Peng