Package: dpkg Version: 1.15.5.6 Removal of package gnokii-cli 0.6.28.dfsg-1 left /var/lib/dpkg/statoverride in a corrupted state (LP#537025, debbugs #563317):
$ grep gnokii /var/lib/dpkg/statoverride root gnokii 4750 /usr/sbin/mgnokiidev $ ls -l /usr/sbin/mgnokiidev ls: cannot access /usr/sbin/mgnokiidev: No such file or directory $ grep gnokii /etc/group $ dpkg-statoverride --remove /usr/sbin/mgnokiidev dpkg-statoverrides: unrecoverable fatal error, aborting: syntax error: unknown group 'gnokii' in statoverride file $ dpkg-statoverride --list dpkg-statoverrides: unrecoverable fatal error, aborting: syntax error: unknown group 'gnokii' in statoverride file The "corrupted state" here is that the statoverride file mentions a group which no longer exists. (The same issue occurs with a nonexistent user, as see in LP#161798 Problems with this: 1. Parsing of /var/lib/dpkg/statoverride should not require the users & groups to exist. Those are separately maintained databases; also, couldn't statoverride be referring to a file which may or may not exist and whose user/group identity might be maintained dynamically? 2. This is not a "syntax error" but an "unexpected value". 3. The error should not be fatal for --list. 4. The error should definitely not be fatal for an attempt to --remove the very entry which is being complained about! 5. Trivial: the message should not be prefixed with "dpkg-statoverrideS", which is neither the name of the utility nor of the data file. To reproduce without the help of a defective package: # sudo sh -c 'echo "foo bar 1234 /etc/baz" >> /var/lib/dpkg/statoverride' # dpkg-statoverride --list This report was originally filled at: https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/dpkg/+bug/593615, and has a patch available here [1] [1]https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/dpkg/+bug/593615/+attachment/1425946/+files/dpkg-statoverride-parse.patch -- Victor Vargas B. Latitud: -33.439177,-70.625267 Santiago, Chile. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org