Marty has been a good help to help me reinstall the guile-1.6 package, but I could not remove it either since the postrm script was corrupted, too. Here's a way I thought of to force apt to reinstall a package you think might have been corrupted along the install process.
apt-get autoclean ; apt-get -d --reinstal $PACKAGE_NAME ; cd /var/cache/apt/archives ; dpkg -i --force-all $PACKAGE_FILE. One caveat : I'm assuming here that the source of your problem was some kind of corruption and that the package would install properly (no dependencies problems, etc) in normal times; the --force-all might be a bit risky otherwise. -- J.F. (Jeff) On Tue, 2005-31-05 at 22:13 -0400, J.F.Gratton wrote: > Marty, thank you ! > > I clobbered my clunky version of guile-1.6.postinst with the one you > supplied, and voila. > > I never took any time to delve into the innards of the install system on > Debian since I never had any problems. Well, tonite is the nite ! :) > > Thanks for getting me out of this predicament. > > Regards, > > Jeff > > On Tue, 2005-31-05 at 22:01 -0400, Marty wrote: > > J.F.Gratton wrote: > > > On Tue, 2005-31-05 at 21:24 -0400, Marty wrote: > > >> J.F.Gratton wrote: > > >> [snip snip] > > >> > Setting up guile-1.6 (1.6.7-1) ... > > >> > dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute post-installation script: Exec > > >> > format error > > >> > dpkg: error processing guile-1.6 (--configure): > > >> > subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2 > > >> > > >> That script would be /var/lib/dpkg/info/guile-1.6.postinst > > > > > > OK, here's a start. 'cept that the file looks some kind of informational > > > file used by apt/dpkg, *not* a script file or anything > > > > Oh my. That's bad! > > > > (at the bottom of > > > this message you'll have the contents of the file. > > > > Well, I don't see it down there, but here ar the contents of my version: > > > > -------------------------------------- > > #!/bin/sh > > > > set -e > > > > if [ "$1" != "upgrade" ] ; then > > update-alternatives \ > > --install /usr/bin/guile guile /usr/bin/guile-1.6 160 \ > > --slave /usr/bin/guile-config guile-config /usr/bin/guile-1.6-config > > \ > > --slave /usr/bin/guile-snarf guile-snarf /usr/bin/guile-1.6-snarf \ > > --slave /usr/bin/guile-tools guile-tools /usr/bin/guile-1.6-tools > > fi > > > > # Automatically added by dh_installmenu > > if [ "$1" = "configure" ] && [ -x /usr/bin/update-menus ]; then > > update-menus ; fi > > # End automatically added section > > ----------------------- > > > > Looks like something got clobbered in your installation attempt. > > > > > > > >> If it exists and is uncorrupted, then you can try to debug it manually, > > >> or else just try purging the package and starting over again. > > > > > > As the file does not contain any commands, I don't see anything to > > > debug. > > > > > > My question remains, then: > > > > > >> > > > >> > How do I get out of the "Exec format error" ? > > >> > > > >> > On a related topic : is there a way to make apt "forget" a package, > > >> > and/or completely purge it from the disk, its installed packages list, > > >> > etc ? Just so I'd be able to reinstall it or a newer version sometime > > >> > later ? > > >> > > >> dpkg -P <pkg-name> > > > > > > OK, OK, my question was poorly phrased :). I've been using Deb for > > > now... 4-5 years, so hopefully I know about dpkg :) What I meant to ask > > > is how do I completely dump a package (manually remove all traces of it) > > > when apt-get remove and dpkg -P fail ? My problem with guile is not only > > > when I try to install it, but also when I try to remove/purge the > > > package. > > > > The only thing that comes to mind is dlocate or cruft. Maybe others have > > better suggestions. > > > > > > You see, I had a power failure when dist-upgrading my system. > > > > Yep. That could easily explain it. :-) > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks again, > > > > > > Jeff > > > > > > > > > > > > -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]