Recently, I encountered a package management related error in Ubuntu Jaunty Jackalope 64bit.

The package was python-beagle and the error was: “E: python-beagle: subprocess pre-removal script returned error exit status 2″ and details showed:

dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute pre-removal script: Exec format error
dpkg: error processing python-beagle (–remove):
subprocess pre-removal script returned error exit status 2
dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute post-installation script: Exec format error
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
python-beagle
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

I managed to fix it. Read on for how I did it.

Precaution: The process can break your system if not followed as mentioned (you may get into problems even if you follow the process). Please proceed at your own risk.

First, please try the following in terminal:

sudo aptitude update
sudo aptitude -f install

If it does not work, then you may want to try:

sudo dpkg --force all --remove

If both of them still produce similar errors, then continue. If the above commands fix your problem, you should not continue.

1. Close Synaptic or any package manager. Wait for or cancel any updates or install\uninstall.
2. Make Backups of current /var/lib/dpkg/status file. Just copy and paste to your home directory or Desktop.
3. Alt+F2 and launch type in gksu gedit /var/lib/dpkg/status and run it. Gedit will be launched with a text file open.
4. Now, search for the exact name of the package with problems and find it.
5. In my case, it I found the entry for the package python-beagle:

Package: python-beagle
Status: deinstall ok half-configured
Priority: optional
Section: python
Installed-Size: 168
Maintainer: Ubuntu Core Developers
Architecture: amd64
Source: libbeagle
Version: 0.3.5-2build1
Replaces: python2.4-beagle (<< 0.2.7-1)
Provides: python2.6-beagle
Depends: python (<< 2.7), python (>= 2.6), python-support (>= 0.7.1), libbeagle1 (>= 0.3.5), libc6 (>= 2.4), python-gtk2
Conflicts: python2.4-beagle (<< 0.2.7-1)
Description: Python bindings for beagle
Allow accessing Beagle daemon and peforming searches using Python.

6. Select and delete that information and that much information only, i.e. you will remove “Package: culprit-package-name” to “Description: culprit package description”. Remmber, “culprit package description” may be multiline and you will need to remove all the lines till a blank line. Don’t forget to leave a line blank between the package description above and the one below. To clarify things out, I have placed the images here, pelase have a look. Here the package to be removed is python-beagle.

Before Deletion

Selection

After

7. Launch Synaptic (or any package manager) and then search for package. You will see the package as not installed. Mark it for installation and install it. If you start to see the same error, restart the same process from Step 1 but the next time, stop at step 6.
8. Now, you should be able to remove it if you no longer want the package. If you can’t, restart the same process from Step 1 but the next time, stop at step 6.

Hope this was helpful. Please post in comments.

Transmission is the default torrent client with Ubuntu. However, I love ktorrent because of the various features it provides. As I use ubuntu and KDE based softwares require kdelibs to be installed, I usually go for alternatives and I found deluge to be a great alternative for ktorrent. It provides similar features as ktorrent.

It can be installed directly via Synaptic but for the latest version, just type in the following in the terminal window. The following instructions apply to Ubuntu 9.04 (Jaunty Jackalope).


1. Add the deluge repository: (Copy all the lines before step 2 at once, it is just a single line split because it was long. You may use triple click to select the whole line.)
sudo sh -c "echo 'deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/deluge-team/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main' >> /etc/apt/sources.list"

2. Add the launchpad key:
a. Get launchpad key updater
wget "http://files.getdropbox.com/u/1113424/launchpad-update.tar.gz"
b. Extract it
tar -xf launchpad-update.tar.gz
c. Install it
sudo mv launchpad-update /usr/bin
d. Add keys
sudo launchpad-update

3. Update your package list:
sudo apt-get update

4. Install
sudo apt-get install deluge

Now, to launch it, goto Applications > Internet > Deluge BitTorrent Client.

Firefox 3.5 is out for other OSes however the final version is not available for Linux. This is how you install it on your Jaunty Jackalope installation. We will use the terminal for this. It is just a copy and paste from here to your terminal so it should be fine.

Installation

1. Add the mozilla repository: (Copy all the lines before step 2 at once, it is just a single line split because it was long. You may use triple click to select the whole line.)
sudo sh -c "echo 'deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-mozilla-daily/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main' >> /etc/apt/sources.list"

2. Add the launchpad key:
a. Get launchpad key updater
wget "http://files.getdropbox.com/u/1113424/launchpad-update.tar.gz"
b. Extract it
tar -xf launchpad-update.tar.gz
c. Install it
sudo mv launchpad-update /usr/bin
d. Add keys
sudo launchpad-update

3. Update your package list:
sudo apt-get update

4. Install
sudo apt-get install firefox-3.5

Enter password when required and answer yes/no questions appropriately and it should be no problem.

Launching the new browser
Now, after it is installed, you can launch it from Applications > Internet > Minefield 3.5 Web Browser and it will be called Shiretoko (I don’t understand the brand names.. Minefield, Shiretoko.. for the same firefox-3.5? whatever). You may even launch it by doing a Alt+F2 and typing in firefox-3.5. And it should check for add-on compatibility and find updates to your add-ons. Choose to install the available updates.

Add-on Compatibility
But you will find some add-ons are not compatible and will therefore be disabled. To fix this, grab Nightly Tester Tools add-on and restart your browser. Now, goto Tools>Add-ons and then click on “Override all compatibility” on the lower right. This should fix the Add-ons so that they work with firefox-3.5.

Nightly Tester Tools Overide Compatibility in Firefox 3.5

Restart the browser and everything should be working.

Firefox 3.5 as the default browser
Also, you’d like the default browser to be firefox-3.5 instead of firefox. To do that, goto System>Preferences and select Preferred Applications. Now, in Web Browser, select Custom and then replace firefox %s with firefox-3.5 %s. Now, your default browser is firefox-3.5.

Firefox 3.5 as the default browser

You will also like your HTML files to open with the new firefox-3.5. Right click on any html file and then select Properties. In the Open with tab, select Minefield 3.5 Web Browser instead of Firefox Web Browser.

Firefox 3.5 as default for HTML Files

More on Add-on Compatibility
We have seen how to make the old add-ons, that were already installed, compatible with the new browser by using Nightly Tester Tools. But what about the add-ons that were not already installed and that are not marked to be compatible with the new firefox-3.5 (like the add-on here called cookieswap.. as of now, it is marked as not compatible with firefox-3.5)?

Cookieswap

We have a workaround and that will be to launch the older firefox 3.0 and then instead of clicking on the Add to Firefox button, right-click instead and Save>Link>As. Now in Firefox-3.5, goto Tools>Add-ons and then drag and drop the downloaded xpi file onto the Add-ons window.
In case you have removed the older firefox and then you may use either User Agent Switcher to switch the User-Agent header to older version of Firefox or just use firebug to display the hidden download div. If this is difficult for you, go with the first workaround.

Hope this helps. Have a good day.

Please post any comments, suggestions, questions, corrections or feedback.