sudo apt-get install error code 01

Question

Sudo apt-get install (update, upgrade etc) have all stopped working on my system. I followed come advice threads online, and seem to have made things worse!

Currently, sudo apt-get upgrade

returns the message:

dpkg: error processing package software-properties-common (--configure):
 package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should
 reinstall it before attempting configuration
Errors were encountered while processing:
 software-properties-common
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

While

sudo apt-get install --reinstall software-properties-common

returns the message:

/var/lib/dpkg/info/software-properties-common.prerm: 6: /var/lib/dpkg/info/software-properties-common.prerm: py3clean: not found
dpkg: warning: old software-properties-common package pre-removal script subprocess returned error exit status 127
dpkg: trying script from the new package instead ...
/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/prerm: 6: /var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci/prerm: py3clean: not found
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/software-properties-common_0.97.11_all.deb (--unpack):
 new software-properties-common package pre-removal script subprocess returned error exit status 127

Any ideas?

@Raffa:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall pythin3-minimal

returns the following error:

dpkg: error processing package python3 (--configure):
 package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should
 reinstall it before attempting configuration
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of software-properties-common:
 software-properties-common depends on python3:any; however:
  Package python3 is not configured yet.
 software-properties-common depends on python3; however:
  Package python3 is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package software-properties-common (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for man-db (2.8.5-2) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent processing triggers for gnome-menus:
 gnome-menus depends on python3:any; however:
  Package python3 is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package gnome-menus (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving triggers unprocessed
Errors were encountered while processing:
 python3
 software-properties-common
 gnome-menus
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Something new: sudo dpkg --configure -a && sudo apt update --fix-missing && sudo apt install -f && sudo apt full-upgrade

tells me: Package python3 is not configured yet.

Possible duplicate of How to fix "Package is in a very bad inconsistent state" error? — karel, Oct 26 '19 at 21:27
It seems that python3 is not in good shape. Reinstall it sudo apt-get install --reinstall python3-minimal then run sudo apt-get install --fix-broken. — Raffa, Oct 26 '19 at 21:34
Please try option#1 and if not successful try option#2 in this answer: https://askubuntu.com/a/1164505/968501 — Raffa, Oct 26 '19 at 21:47
@Raffa: Assuming option 01 to be sudo dpkg --remove --force-remove-reinstreq python, this also fails. Trying option 2 now. EDIT: option 2 also fails. — bryncoles, Oct 26 '19 at 21:51
No, I mean option#1 and option#2 in this link here: https://askubuntu.com/a/1164505/968501 — Raffa, Oct 26 '19 at 21:53
My apologies. I have tried option 01: to tells me python3 is not configured. Trying option 2 now. — bryncoles, Oct 26 '19 at 21:55
Then unfortunately your system might be broken beyond repair due to broken python3 which is extremely essential for system operations. Your only option is to boot from a live USB then bind your system directories to the live system and try reinstalling python3 from there. — Raffa, Oct 26 '19 at 22:24
@Raffa: For information, It seems I have fixed things! I have posted below how I did it, and will be back tomorrow to accept my answer. Thanks for your help though, you gave me the leads I needed to be able to figure out what was wrong. — bryncoles, Oct 27 '19 at 14:49

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 27 '19 at 14:47

Following leads picked up from @Raffa (Thanks Raffa!), I managed to get things working after doing the following:

First, manually reinstall Python:

apt-get download python3 python3.7 python3.7-minimal libpython3.7-minimal
sudo dpkg -i *python3*.deb
sudo apt install -f

Then manually reinstall software-properties-common:

apt-get download software-properties-common
sudo dpkg -i *software-properties-common*.deb
sudo apt install -f

I think that was just to reset my system to where it was when I started. I got the fix from the Reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/pop_os/comments/aduzbg/upgrading_1804_to_1810_python3_install_is/

apt-get remove --purge python2.7-minimal
sudo apt-get autoremove

After that, things worked again!

sudo apt-get install error code 01

1 Answers1