How to uninstall VirtualBox 7.0.x that was cancelled to install VirtualBox 6.1.x?

Question

At Ubuntu Desktop 22.04 was executed:

sudo dpkg -i virtualbox-7.0_7.0.4-154605~Ubuntu~jammy_amd64.deb

but through the unpacking process was cancelled through ctrl + c. It because is need it the 6.1.40 version instead. Few seconds later was executed

sudo dpkg -i virtualbox-6.1_6.1.40-154048~Ubuntu~jammy_amd64.deb

and shows

(Reading database ... 200469 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack virtualbox-6.1_6.1.40-154048~Ubuntu~jammy_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking virtualbox-6.1 (6.1.40-154048~Ubuntu~jammy) over (6.1.40-154048~Ubuntu~jammy) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of virtualbox-6.1:
 virtualbox-6.1 depends on libqt5core5a (>= 5.15.1); however:
  Package libqt5core5a is not installed.
 virtualbox-6.1 depends on libqt5gui5 (>= 5.14.1) | libqt5gui5-gles (>= 5.14.1); however:
  Package libqt5gui5 is not installed.
  Package libqt5gui5-gles is not installed.
 virtualbox-6.1 depends on libqt5opengl5 (>= 5.0.2); however:
  Package libqt5opengl5 is not installed.
 virtualbox-6.1 depends on libqt5printsupport5 (>= 5.0.2); however:
  Package libqt5printsupport5 is not installed.
 virtualbox-6.1 depends on libqt5widgets5 (>= 5.15.1); however:
  Package libqt5widgets5 is not installed.
 virtualbox-6.1 depends on libqt5x11extras5 (>= 5.6.0); however:
  Package libqt5x11extras5 is not installed.
 virtualbox-6.1 depends on libsdl1.2debian (>= 1.2.11); however:
  Package libsdl1.2debian is not installed.
dpkg: error processing package virtualbox-6.1 (--install):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for mailcap (3.70+nmu1ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.36.0-1ubuntu3) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.26-1ubuntu3) ...
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.17-2) ...
Processing triggers for shared-mime-info (2.1-2) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 virtualbox-6.1

Therefore was executed the sudo apt -f install and shows

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
E: The package virtualbox-7.0 needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find an archive for it.

With sudo apt purge virtualbox-7.0 shows

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
E: The package virtualbox-7.0 needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find an archive for it.

If I try to re-install VB 7 to purge it later with

sudo apt install ./virtualbox-7.0_7.0.4-154605~Ubuntu~jammy_amd64.deb

It shows

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run 'apt --fix-broken install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 virtualbox-6.1 : Depends: libqt5core5a (>= 5.15.1) but it is not installed
                  Depends: libqt5gui5 (>= 5.14.1) but it is not installed or
                           libqt5gui5-gles (>= 5.14.1) but it is not installed
                  Depends: libqt5opengl5 (>= 5.0.2) but it is not installed
                  Depends: libqt5printsupport5 (>= 5.0.2) but it is not installed
                  Depends: libqt5widgets5 (>= 5.15.1) but it is not installed
                  Depends: libqt5x11extras5 (>= 5.6.0) but it is not installed
                  Depends: libsdl1.2debian (>= 1.2.11)
                  Recommends: libsdl-ttf2.0-0 but it is not installed
                  Recommends: gcc but it is not installed
                  Recommends: make or
                              build-essential but it is not installed or
                              dpkg-dev but it is not installed
                  Recommends: binutils but it is not installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt --fix-broken install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

If is executed apt --fix-broken install it shows

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
E: The package virtualbox-7.0 needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find an archive for it.

If I want to reinstall VB 6.1 with

sudo apt install ./virtualbox-6.1_6.1.40-154048~Ubuntu~jammy_amd64.deb

it shows (observe it stills refer to 7)

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
E: The package virtualbox-7.0 needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find an archive for it.

If I want to uninstall VB 6.1 with sudo apt purge virtualbox-6.1 it shows

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
E: The package virtualbox-7.0 needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find an archive for it.

How to fix this?

The goal is uninstall by complete VB 7 and install VB 6.1 in peace.

Alpha

According with the user535733's suggestion if is executed the command:

sudo dpkg -i virtualbox-7.0_7.0.4-154605~Ubuntu~jammy_amd64.deb

appears

dpkg: regarding virtualbox-7.0_7.0.4-154605~Ubuntu~jammy_amd64.deb containing virtualbox-7.0:
 virtualbox-7.0 conflicts with virtualbox
  virtualbox-6.1 provides virtualbox and is present and unpacked but not configured.
dpkg: error processing archive virtualbox-7.0_7.0.4-154605~Ubuntu~jammy_amd64.deb (--install):
 conflicting packages - not installing virtualbox-7.0
Errors were encountered while processing:
 virtualbox-7.0_7.0.4-154605~Ubuntu~jammy_amd64.deb

Try dpkg -i virtualbox 7. When it completes, remove it properly. Then install virtualbox 6.1. In the world of Debian package management, packages must be properly installed before they can be uninstalled. It is possible to force de-installation, but it's tedious -- you must manually clean up the mess. — user535733, Nov 27 '22 at 01:12

Manuel Jordan · Accepted Answer · 2022-11-28T12:24:53.797

I find a possible solution about to use the command:

sudo dpkg --remove --force-remove-reinstreq <packagename>

it according with the post & solution:

How to delete broken packages in ubuntu

But its first comment indicates:

This command should always be avoided as it breaks you system more than it repairs

Not sure if that is true or not. But is a risk

Solution

Therefore I did do the following and finally works:

sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status status.bkp
sudo gedit /var/lib/dpkg/status

Remove the section that contains the error message. In my case was:

Package: virtualbox-7.0
Status: install reinstreq half-installed
Priority: optional
Section: contrib/misc
Architecture: amd64
Version: 7.0.4-154605~Ubuntu~jammy

Observe the status - install reinstreq half-installed

The source/credits of this solution is thanks to this post

Fix Annoying ‘The package needs to be reinstalled, but I can’t find an archive for it’ Error In Linux Mint / Ubuntu

Therefore the commands work fine

sudo dpkg -i virtualbox-6.1_6.1.40-154048~Ubuntu~jammy_amd64.deb
sudo apt -f install

And about VirtualBox 7 with the following commands happens:

sudo apt remove virtualbox-7
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package virtualbox-7
sudo apt remove virtualbox-7.0
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Package 'virtualbox-7.0' is not installed, so not removed
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
sudo apt purge virtualbox-7.0
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Package 'virtualbox-7.0' is not installed, so not removed
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

So it seems all is Ok.

How to uninstall VirtualBox 7.0.x that was cancelled to install VirtualBox 6.1.x?

Alpha

1 Answers1

Solution