[Secure-testing-team] Bug#569762: python2.6-minimal: python2.6 minimal will not install after upgrade, what solution?

[Henry W. Peters]

Package: python2.6-minimal
Severity: grave
Tags: security
Justification: renders package unusable

After an upgrade a number of days ago, problems apparently with python2.6 minimal installing. I cannot use 'Add/Remove Applications' & probably other problems, not to mention using upgrade manager. Please advise solution... I checked this bug in the report bug web site, & do not understand the alleged "solution" proposed. The following is from my terminal (Thanks):

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run `apt-get -f install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
  python2.6: Depends: python2.6-minimal (= 2.6.4-5) but it is not installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try using -f.


~$ sudo apt-get -f install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  libhsqldb-java-gcj ttf-jsmath libfreebob0 ekiga libpt2.6.5-plugins gcalctool
  texlive-base-bin-doc gnome-nettool libneon27 libgtk-vnc-1.0-0
  libclutter-gtk-0.8-0 libjpeg7 gucharmap libosp5 evolution-exchange
  libsdl-gfx1.2-4 epiphany-browser-data w3c-dtd-xhtml ttf-dustin bsh-gcj
  xulrunner-1.9 gtk2-engines-pixbuf libxmlrpc-c3 system-config-printer
  gnome-themes gv python-dev vinagre swfdec-gnome libexiv2-5 gir1.0-gtk-2.0
  python2.5-dev libclutter-0.8-0 libkadm5clnt6 liblzma0 libxxf86misc1
  python-gtkhtml2 gnome-themes-extras libx264-80 libopal3.6.6 libdmx1
  gdm-themes fast-user-switch-applet arj bsh gnome-volume-manager gtk2-engines
  gfortran-4.3 libkpathsea4 gnuplot-x11 eog gdm libavahi-gobject0
  libsdl-ttf2.0-0 gnome-backgrounds python-sip4 python-sexy libnm-glib0
  gnuplot-nox mbr gir1.0-clutter-0.8 vino evince libxtrap6 libffado1
  gnome-app-install libpano12-0 libgtkhtml2-0 gnome-js-common totem-gstreamer
  libfluidsynth1 maxima-doc libmozjs1d gccxml libpt2.6.5
  libclutter-cairo-0.8-0 gnome-core dmz-cursor-theme gconf-editor xaw3dg
  gnome-system-tools xulrunner-1.9-gnome-support gir1.0-freedesktop
  gir1.0-glib-2.0 libxp6 libavahi-ui0 transmission-common gstreamer0.10-tools
  libboost-python1.40-dev libboost-python1.40.0 transmission-gtk libsvncpp2
  sound-juicer
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
  python2.6-minimal
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  python2.6-minimal
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 47 not upgraded.
3 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0B/1,359kB of archives.
After this operation, 4,788kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
(Reading database ... 234784 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking python2.6-minimal (from .../python2.6-minimal_2.6.4-5_i386.deb) ...
new installation of python2.6-minimal; /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages is a directory
which is expected a symlink to /usr/local/lib/python2.6/dist-packages.
please find the package shipping files in /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages and
file a bug report to ship these in /usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages instead
aborting installation of python2.6-minimal
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/python2.6-minimal_2.6.4-5_i386.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/python2.6-minimal_2.6.4-5_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

~$ sudo aptitude install reportbug; reportbug
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information      
Initializing package states... Done
Writing extended state information... Done
Reading task descriptions... Done         
The following packages are BROKEN:
  python2.6 
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  arj{u} bsh{u} bsh-gcj{u} dmz-cursor-theme{u} ekiga{u} eog{u} 
  epiphany-browser-data{u} evince{u} evolution-exchange{u} 
  fast-user-switch-applet{u} gcalctool{u} gccxml{u} gconf-editor{u} gdm{u} 
  gdm-themes{u} gfortran-4.3{u} gir1.0-clutter-0.8{u} gir1.0-freedesktop{u} 
  gir1.0-glib-2.0{u} gir1.0-gtk-2.0{u} gnome-app-install{u} 
  gnome-backgrounds{u} gnome-core{u} gnome-js-common{u} gnome-nettool{u} 
  gnome-system-tools{u} gnome-themes{u} gnome-themes-extras{u} 
  gnome-volume-manager{u} gnuplot-nox{u} gnuplot-x11{u} 
  gstreamer0.10-tools{u} gtk2-engines{u} gtk2-engines-pixbuf{u} 
  gucharmap{u} gv{u} libavahi-gobject0{u} libavahi-ui0{u} 
  libboost-python1.40-dev{u} libboost-python1.40.0{u} libclutter-0.8-0{u} 
  libclutter-cairo-0.8-0{u} libclutter-gtk-0.8-0{u} libdmx1{u} 
  libexiv2-5{u} libffado1{u} libfluidsynth1{u} libfreebob0{u} 
  libgtk-vnc-1.0-0{u} libgtkhtml2-0{u} libhsqldb-java-gcj{u} libjpeg7{u} 
  libkadm5clnt6{u} libkpathsea4{u} liblzma0{u} libmozjs1d{u} libneon27{u} 
  libnm-glib0{u} libopal3.6.6{u} libosp5{u} libpano12-0{u} libpt2.6.5{u} 
  libpt2.6.5-plugins{u} libsdl-gfx1.2-4{u} libsdl-ttf2.0-0{u} libsvncpp2{u} 
  libx264-80{u} libxmlrpc-c3{u} libxp6{u} libxtrap6{u} libxxf86misc1{u} 
  maxima-doc{u} mbr{u} python-dev{u} python-gtkhtml2{u} python-sexy{u} 
  python-sip4{u} python2.5-dev{u} sound-juicer{u} swfdec-gnome{u} 
  system-config-printer{u} texlive-base-bin-doc{u} totem-gstreamer{u} 
  transmission-common{u} transmission-gtk{u} ttf-dustin{u} ttf-jsmath{u} 
  vinagre{u} vino{u} w3c-dtd-xhtml{u} xaw3dg{u} xulrunner-1.9{u} 
  xulrunner-1.9-gnome-support{u} 
The following partially installed packages will be configured:
  libpython2.6 python-gst0.10 
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 93 to remove and 45 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B of archives. After unpacking 267MB will be freed.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
  python2.6: Depends: python2.6-minimal (= 2.6.4-5) but it is not installable
The following actions will resolve these dependencies:

Install the following packages:
python2.6-minimal [2.6.4-5 (testing)]

Score is 41

Accept this solution? [Y/n/q/?] y
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  python2.6-minimal{a} 
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  arj{u} bsh{u} bsh-gcj{u} dmz-cursor-theme{u} ekiga{u} eog{u} 
  epiphany-browser-data{u} evince{u} evolution-exchange{u} 
  fast-user-switch-applet{u} gcalctool{u} gccxml{u} gconf-editor{u} gdm{u} 
  gdm-themes{u} gfortran-4.3{u} gir1.0-clutter-0.8{u} gir1.0-freedesktop{u} 
  gir1.0-glib-2.0{u} gir1.0-gtk-2.0{u} gnome-app-install{u} 
  gnome-backgrounds{u} gnome-core{u} gnome-js-common{u} gnome-nettool{u} 
  gnome-system-tools{u} gnome-themes{u} gnome-themes-extras{u} 
  gnome-volume-manager{u} gnuplot-nox{u} gnuplot-x11{u} 
  gstreamer0.10-tools{u} gtk2-engines{u} gtk2-engines-pixbuf{u} 
  gucharmap{u} gv{u} libavahi-gobject0{u} libavahi-ui0{u} 
  libboost-python1.40-dev{u} libboost-python1.40.0{u} libclutter-0.8-0{u} 
  libclutter-cairo-0.8-0{u} libclutter-gtk-0.8-0{u} libdmx1{u} 
  libexiv2-5{u} libffado1{u} libfluidsynth1{u} libfreebob0{u} 
  libgtk-vnc-1.0-0{u} libgtkhtml2-0{u} libhsqldb-java-gcj{u} libjpeg7{u} 
  libkadm5clnt6{u} libkpathsea4{u} liblzma0{u} libmozjs1d{u} libneon27{u} 
  libnm-glib0{u} libopal3.6.6{u} libosp5{u} libpano12-0{u} libpt2.6.5{u} 
  libpt2.6.5-plugins{u} libsdl-gfx1.2-4{u} libsdl-ttf2.0-0{u} libsvncpp2{u} 
  libx264-80{u} libxmlrpc-c3{u} libxp6{u} libxtrap6{u} libxxf86misc1{u} 
  maxima-doc{u} mbr{u} python-dev{u} python-gtkhtml2{u} python-sexy{u} 
  python-sip4{u} python2.5-dev{u} sound-juicer{u} swfdec-gnome{u} 
  system-config-printer{u} texlive-base-bin-doc{u} totem-gstreamer{u} 
  transmission-common{u} transmission-gtk{u} ttf-dustin{u} ttf-jsmath{u} 
  vinagre{u} vino{u} w3c-dtd-xhtml{u} xaw3dg{u} xulrunner-1.9{u} 
  xulrunner-1.9-gnome-support{u} 
The following partially installed packages will be configured:
  libpython2.6 python-gst0.10 python2.6 
0 packages upgraded, 1 newly installed, 93 to remove and 45 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/1,359kB of archives. After unpacking 262MB will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] y
Writing extended state information... Done
(Reading database ... 234784 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking python2.6-minimal (from .../python2.6-minimal_2.6.4-5_i386.deb) ...
new installation of python2.6-minimal; /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages is a directory
which is expected a symlink to /usr/local/lib/python2.6/dist-packages.
please find the package shipping files in /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages and
file a bug report to ship these in /usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages instead
aborting installation of python2.6-minimal
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/python2.6-minimal_2.6.4-5_i386.deb (--unpack):
 subprocess new pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/python2.6-minimal_2.6.4-5_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
A package failed to install.  Trying to recover:
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of python2.6:
 python2.6 depends on python2.6-minimal (= 2.6.4-5); however:
  Package python2.6-minimal is not installed.
dpkg: error processing python2.6 (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libpython2.6:
 libpython2.6 depends on python2.6 (= 2.6.4-5); however:
  Package python2.6 is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing libpython2.6 (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of python-gst0.10:
 python-gst0.10 depends on libpython2.6 (>= 2.6); however:
  Package libpython2.6 is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing python-gst0.10 (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 python2.6
 libpython2.6
 python-gst0.10
Reading package lists... Done             
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information      
Initializing package states... Done
Writing extended state information... Done
Reading task descriptions... Done         






-- System Information:
Debian Release: squeeze/sid
  APT prefers testing
  APT policy: (500, 'testing'), (500, 'stable')
Architecture: i386 (i686)

Kernel: Linux 2.6.32-trunk-686 (SMP w/1 CPU core)
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash