update ubuntu package problem (10.04.2 LTS)

[NoOp]

On 05/10/2011 01:56 PM, Peng Yu wrote:
> 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?
> 

Is this a desktop or server? You could try modifying/changing via:
groupadd  groupdel  groupmod
or System|Administration|Users...|Manage Groups

You'll need to ensure it has a gid: it should match the gid in /etc/passwd.

lucid at lucid-desktop:~$ grep messagebus /etc/passwd
messagebus:x:102:107::/var/run/dbus:/bin/false
lucid at lucid-desktop:~$ grep 107 /etc/group
messagebus:x:107: