Ubuntu 16.04 broken kernel packages won't let me install or remove anything with apt-get

debugcn Published at Dev

dses

Whenever I try to do anything with apt-get whether it's installing, removing, purging, update, upgrade I always get hit with the same error.

ses@ses-VirtualBox:~/Downloads$ sudo apt-get install ssh
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  linux-headers-4.4.0-45 linux-headers-4.4.0-45-generic linux-image-4.4.0-45-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-45-generic
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following additional packages will be installed:
  ncurses-term openssh-server openssh-sftp-server ssh-import-id
Suggested packages:
  ssh-askpass rssh molly-guard monkeysphere
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-38-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-42-generic
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  ncurses-term openssh-server openssh-sftp-server ssh ssh-import-id
0 upgraded, 5 newly installed, 2 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
10 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/643 kB of archives.
After this operation, 320 MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 308434 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing linux-image-extra-4.4.0-38-generic (4.4.0-38.57) ...
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 4.4.0-38-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-38-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 4.4.0-38-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-38-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 4.4.0-38-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-38-generic
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-38-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/pm-utils 4.4.0-38-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-38-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/unattended-upgrades 4.4.0-38-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-38-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/update-notifier 4.4.0-38-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-38-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/vboxadd 4.4.0-38-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-38-generic
run-parts: failed to exec /etc/kernel/postinst.d/vboxadd: Exec format error
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/vboxadd exited with return code 1
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-extra-4.4.0-38-generic (--remove):
 subprocess installed post-removal script returned error exit status 1
Removing linux-image-extra-4.4.0-42-generic (4.4.0-42.62) ...
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 4.4.0-42-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-42-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 4.4.0-42-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-42-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 4.4.0-42-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-42-generic
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-42-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/pm-utils 4.4.0-42-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-42-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/unattended-upgrades 4.4.0-42-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-42-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/update-notifier 4.4.0-42-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-42-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/vboxadd 4.4.0-42-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-42-generic
run-parts: failed to exec /etc/kernel/postinst.d/vboxadd: Exec format error
run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/vboxadd exited with return code 1
dpkg: error processing package linux-image-extra-4.4.0-42-generic (--remove):
 subprocess installed post-removal script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-image-extra-4.4.0-38-generic
 linux-image-extra-4.4.0-42-generic
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

I tried following this question but no luck: Apt fails to remove partially installed kernel and can't install any other packages

checking the dpkg status file I see that both packages are half-installed

Package: linux-image-extra-4.4.0-38-generic
Status: deinstall ok half-installed
Priority: optional
Section: kernel
Installed-Size: 158607
Maintainer: Ubuntu Kernel Team <[email protected]>
Architecture: amd64
Source: linux
Version: 4.4.0-38.57
Depends: linux-image-4.4.0-38-generic, crda | wireless-crda
Description: Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
 This package contains the Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on
 64 bit x86 SMP.
 .
 Also includes the corresponding System.map file, the modules built by the
 packager, and scripts that try to ensure that the system is not left in an
 unbootable state after an update.
 .
 Supports Generic processors.
 .
 Geared toward desktop and server systems.
 .
 You likely do not want to install this package directly. Instead, install
 the linux-generic meta-package, which will ensure that upgrades work
 correctly, and that supporting packages are also installed.

** Edits

after removing kernel packages manually per user.dz's instructions paste.ubuntu.com/23487716

meanwhile during sudo apt-get install -f Ubuntu alerted me about a system error

user.dz

Note: As ChaiT.Rex commented below, only steps 4 & 5 are required to fix the problem.

I leave steps 1,2&3 documented for anyone who may need to manually remove some packages. But try first this https://askubuntu.com/a/490677/26246 which looks easier.

Remove them manually, be careful if you are retyping the below commands rm -rf is a dangerous command when it's run as root.

sudo rm -rf /lib/modules/4.4.0-38-generic /lib/modules/4.4.0-42-generic
sudo rm -rf /usr/share/doc/linux-image-extra-4.4.0-38-generic /usr/share/doc/linux-image-extra-4.4.0-42-generic
sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-extra-4.4.0-38-generic* /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-extra-4.4.0-42-generic*

Change their status in dpkg status file.

Make backup just in case

sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status /var/lib/dpkg/status.backup0

Find the related entries (command with expected output, line number will be different):

~$ grep -n -e "linux-image-extra-4.4.0-38-generic" -e "linux-image-extra-4.4.0-42-generic" /var/lib/dpkg/status
18488:Package: linux-image-extra-4.4.0-42-generic
77123:Package: linux-image-extra-4.4.0-38-generic

Open status file for edit and change the package status:

sudo nano +18488 /var/lib/dpkg/status

from:

Package: linux-image-extra-4.4.0-38-generic
Status: install ok installed

to:

Package: linux-image-extra-4.4.0-38-generic
Status: deinstall ok config-files

Ctrl+o to save. Ctrl+x to exit.

Make same changes to linux-image-extra-4.4.0-42-generic .

Manually remove linux-image-4.4.0-38-generic & linux-image-4.4.0-42-generic too

sudo rm -f *4.4.0-38-generic *4.4.0-42-generic
sudo rm -rf /usr/share/doc/linux-image-4.4.0-38-generic /usr/share/doc/linux-image-4.4.0-42-generic

Same as before edit their status to deinstall ok config-files

$ grep -n -e "Package: linux-image-4.4.0-38-generic" -e "Package: linux-image-4.4.0-42-generic" /var/lib/dpkg/status
61217:Package: linux-image-4.4.0-38-generic
98051:Package: linux-image-4.4.0-42-generic

Remove that troublesome virtualbox file
```
sudo rm /etc/kernel/postinst.d/vboxadd
```

Update dpkg status & grub menu

sudo dpkg --audit
sudo apt-get install -f
sudo update-grub

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edited at2021-06-21

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