dpkg: error processing postfix (--configure)

Sat Aug 25 21:24:50 UTC 2012

On Sat, 25 Aug 2012 13:25:46 -0700, Thufir wrote:

> I've been mucking about with Apache James, but have since removed that
> directory (it's just a tar.gz which unpacks as a self-contained folder).
> 
> However, I'm thinking that postfix probably will do the trick, so I
> tried to re-install as so:

It just seems to go in a circle of dependencies:

root at dur:~# 
root at dur:~# aptitude install -y default-mta
The following partially installed packages will be configured:
  mailutils postfix 
No packages will be installed, upgraded, or removed.
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B of archives. After unpacking 0 B will be used.
Setting up postfix (2.9.1-4) ...

Postfix configuration was not changed.  If you need to make changes, edit
/etc/postfix/main.cf (and others) as needed.  To view Postfix 
configuration
values, see postconf(1).

After modifying main.cf, be sure to run '/etc/init.d/postfix reload'.

Running newaliases
postalias: fatal: open /etc/postfix/aliases: No such file or directory
dpkg: error processing postfix (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 
1
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
                                                              dpkg: 
dependency problems prevent configuration of mailutils:
 mailutils depends on default-mta | mail-transport-agent; however:
  Package default-mta is not installed.
  Package postfix which provides default-mta is not configured yet.
  Package mail-transport-agent is not installed.
  Package ssmtp which provides mail-transport-agent is not installed.
  Package postfix which provides mail-transport-agent is not configured 
yet.
dpkg: error processing mailutils (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for libc-bin ...
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
                                                              ldconfig 
deferred processing now taking place
Errors were encountered while processing:
 postfix
 mailutils
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
A package failed to install.  Trying to recover:
Setting up postfix (2.9.1-4) ...

Postfix configuration was not changed.  If you need to make changes, edit
/etc/postfix/main.cf (and others) as needed.  To view Postfix 
configuration
values, see postconf(1).

After modifying main.cf, be sure to run '/etc/init.d/postfix reload'.

Running newaliases
postalias: fatal: open /etc/postfix/aliases: No such file or directory
dpkg: error processing postfix (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 
1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of mailutils:
 mailutils depends on default-mta | mail-transport-agent; however:
  Package default-mta is not installed.
  Package postfix which provides default-mta is not configured yet.
  Package mail-transport-agent is not installed.
  Package ssmtp which provides mail-transport-agent is not installed.
  Package postfix which provides mail-transport-agent is not configured 
yet.
dpkg: error processing mailutils (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for libc-bin ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
Errors were encountered while processing:
 postfix
 mailutils

root at dur:~# 
root at dur:~# aptitude install -y default-mta postfix mail-transport-agent 
ssmtp 
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  ssmtp{b} 
The following partially installed packages will be configured:
  mailutils postfix{b} 
0 packages upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/43.1 kB of archives. After unpacking 8,192 B will be used.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 postfix : Conflicts: mail-transport-agent which is a virtual package.
 ssmtp : Conflicts: mail-transport-agent which is a virtual package.
The following actions will resolve these dependencies:

     Remove the following packages:
1)     postfix                     

The following NEW packages will be installed:
  ssmtp 
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  postfix{a} 
The following partially installed packages will be configured:
  mailutils 
0 packages upgraded, 1 newly installed, 1 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/43.1 kB of archives. After unpacking 3,162 kB will be 
freed.
Preconfiguring packages ...              
(Reading database ... 224302 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing postfix ...
 * Stopping Postfix Mail Transport Agent 
postfix                                     [ OK ] 
Processing triggers for ufw ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
Selecting previously unselected package ssmtp.
(Reading database ... 224144 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking ssmtp (from .../ssmtp_2.64-5build1_i386.deb) ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Setting up ssmtp (2.64-5build1) ...
Setting up mailutils (1:2.2+dfsg1-5) ...
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/frm.mailutils to provide /usr/bin/frm 
(frm) in auto mode.
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/from.mailutils to provide /usr/bin/
from (from) in auto mode.
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/messages.mailutils to provide /usr/
bin/messages (messages) in auto mode.
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/movemail.mailutils to provide /usr/
bin/movemail (movemail) in auto mode.
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/readmsg.mailutils to provide /usr/bin/
readmsg (readmsg) in auto mode.
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/dotlock.mailutils to provide /usr/bin/
dotlock (dotlock) in auto mode.
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/mail.mailutils to provide /usr/bin/
mailx (mailx) in auto mode.

root at dur:~# 
root at dur:~# 
root at dur:~# postfix
The program 'postfix' is currently not installed.  You can install it by 
typing:
apt-get install postfix
root at dur:~# 
root at dur:~# 
root at dur:~# aptitude install -y postfix
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  postfix{b} 
0 packages upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/1,269 kB of archives. After unpacking 3,170 kB will be 
used.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 postfix : Conflicts: mail-transport-agent which is a virtual package.
 ssmtp : Conflicts: mail-transport-agent which is a virtual package.
The following actions will resolve these dependencies:

     Remove the following packages:
1)     ssmtp                       

The following NEW packages will be installed:
  postfix 
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  ssmtp{a} 
0 packages upgraded, 1 newly installed, 1 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/1,269 kB of archives. After unpacking 3,162 kB will be 
used.
Preconfiguring packages ...              
dpkg: ssmtp: dependency problems, but removing anyway as you requested:
 mailutils depends on default-mta | mail-transport-agent; however:
  Package default-mta is not installed.
  Package postfix which provides default-mta is not installed.
  Package mail-transport-agent is not installed.
  Package ssmtp which provides mail-transport-agent is to be removed.
  Package postfix which provides mail-transport-agent is not installed.
(Reading database ... 224155 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing ssmtp ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Selecting previously unselected package postfix.
(Reading database ... 224144 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking postfix (from .../postfix_2.9.1-4_i386.deb) ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead ...
Processing triggers for ufw ...
Setting up postfix (2.9.1-4) ...

Postfix configuration was not changed.  If you need to make changes, edit
/etc/postfix/main.cf (and others) as needed.  To view Postfix 
configuration
values, see postconf(1).

After modifying main.cf, be sure to run '/etc/init.d/postfix reload'.

Running newaliases
postalias: fatal: open /etc/postfix/aliases: No such file or directory
dpkg: error processing postfix (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 
1
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
                                                              Processing 
triggers for libc-bin ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
Errors were encountered while processing:
 postfix
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
A package failed to install.  Trying to recover:
Setting up postfix (2.9.1-4) ...

Postfix configuration was not changed.  If you need to make changes, edit
/etc/postfix/main.cf (and others) as needed.  To view Postfix 
configuration
values, see postconf(1).

After modifying main.cf, be sure to run '/etc/init.d/postfix reload'.

Running newaliases
postalias: fatal: open /etc/postfix/aliases: No such file or directory
dpkg: error processing postfix (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 
1
Processing triggers for libc-bin ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
Errors were encountered while processing:
 postfix

root at dur:~# 
root at dur:~# postfix start
postfix/postfix-script: starting the Postfix mail system
root at dur:~# 
root at dur:~# postfix
postfix/postfix-script: error: unknown command: ''
postfix/postfix-script: fatal: usage: postfix start (or stop, reload, 
abort, flush, check, status, set-permissions, upgrade-configuration)
root at dur:~# 
root at dur:~# mail
No mail for root
root at dur:~# 

It sure doesn't seem that postif ix running correctly, that reply from 
"postfix start" seems very off.

thanks,

Thufir