DPKG error while installation bcmwl-kernel-source on ubuntu 16.04

Question

I was purging bcmwl-kernel-source, but during the process Iinterrupted it by mistake. Now when I am trying to install it again using sudo apt-get install bcmwl-kernel-source I get the following error

0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 393 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Setting up bcmwl-kernel-source (6.30.223.271+bdcom-0ubuntu1~1.2) ...
Removing old bcmwl-6.30.223.271+bdcom DKMS files...
Loading new bcmwl-6.30.223.271+bdcom DKMS files...
Error! DKMS tree already contains: bcmwl-6.30.223.271+bdcom
You cannot add the same module/version combo more than once.
dpkg: error processing package bcmwl-kernel-source (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 3
Errors were encountered while processing:
 bcmwl-kernel-source
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

have you tried the usual sudo apt-get -f install (-f is shorthand for --fix-broken); then maybe the sudo dpkg-reconfigure bcmwl-kernel-source — guiverc, Feb 11 '18 at 06:21
Answer by @Atef works for 20.04. (Someone please update OP title to indicate that) — DavidJ, Jan 11 '21 at 01:49

score 22 · Accepted Answer · edited Jan 08 '21 at 01:49

22

If anyone is still facing this issue using Ubuntu 20.04, try the following:

apt purge bcmwl-kernel-source
apt-get install broadcom-sta-source
apt-get install broadcom-sta-dkms
apt-get install broadcom-sta-common

Thanks to Rafael Santos (rafae-s) from the link below

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/bcmwl/+bug/1878045

edited Jan 08 '21 at 01:49

Kevin Bowen

19,615
55
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answered Jan 07 '21 at 23:43

Atef

336

This worked, thank you so much! – Daniel V Jan 08 '21 at 19:36
I was facing the same issue – Who am I Jan 09 '21 at 11:19
Thanks a lot man – Who am I Jan 09 '21 at 11:20
Thank you for shared and thank you so much to Rafael Santos (rafae-s) – Loc_rabbirt Jan 09 '21 at 16:47
(not from me but totally appropriate): Man, you deserve a huge cookie. – arovai Jan 16 '21 at 14:28
It even solves the issue of connecting to 5G Wifi as well. – NGR Jan 26 '21 at 18:16

score -1 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 11 '18 at 07:08

-1

This worked for me rm -rf /usr/src/bcmwl-6.30.223.271+bdcom and then rm -rf /var/lib/dkms/* followed by apt-get purge dkms. After that I just did apt-get install bcmwl-kernel-source and it installed.

answered Feb 11 '18 at 07:08

shreyansh

101

You need dkms to automatically recompile bcwl source code with every kernel update. Now you will have to manually compile it for all new kernels. – WinEunuuchs2Unix Feb 11 '18 at 16:15
@WinEunuuchs2Unix how do i fix it now so that dkms automatically recompiles bmwl source code? – shreyansh Feb 13 '18 at 05:31

score -2 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 22 '20 at 19:35

-2

For anyone facing this issue on 20.04

This issue is caused when attempting to manually install "bcmwl-kernel-source" or using "Additional Drivers".

Just run this command sudo apt-get remove --purge bcmwl-kernel-source

answered Nov 22 '20 at 19:35

Dharmesh poladiya

1

1

So why remove them if they are needed? Maybe your device is different. – Pilot6 Nov 22 '20 at 19:36

DPKG error while installation bcmwl-kernel-source on ubuntu 16.04

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