I guess you can no longer duplicate the problem, but if you can please attach /var/lib/dpkg/status.
Tagging as invalid in the mean time as we can't act on this report without more info. ** Changed in: dpkg (Ubuntu) Status: New => Invalid -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/303752 Title: 8.10 upgrade E: Malformed 1st word in the Status line -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs