My slimbook came pre-installed with ubuntu-pro-client.
sudo dpkg -l ubuntu-pro-client
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name Version Architecture Description
+++-=================-===================================-============-=================================
pFR ubuntu-pro-client 99+p24.04+vrelease+git20240819.0607 all Dummy package
Here is some more info about this package and it's status on my system.
sudo dpkg -s ubuntu-pro-client
Package: ubuntu-pro-client
Status: purge reinstreq half-configured
Priority: optional
Section: kde
Installed-Size: 9
Maintainer: Neon CI <neon@kde.org>
Architecture: all
Source: ubuntu-advantage-tools
Version: 99+p24.04+vrelease+git20240819.0607
Config-Version: 99+p24.04+vrelease+git20240819.0607
Conffiles:
/etc/update-motd.d/91-contract-ua-esm-status 6346b049bc070e0519c621de0f636bb5 obsolete
/etc/update-manager/release-upgrades.d/ubuntu-advantage-upgrades.cfg 5e14da4979c6c68cef22c0c09f5d8793 obsolete
/etc/ubuntu-advantage/uaclient.conf f84a9c135c3d556856f9ab6d2751e365 obsolete
/etc/logrotate.d/ubuntu-pro-client 852ec664fd0f1ecb26e726f5e801e9fd obsolete
/etc/apt/preferences.d/ubuntu-pro-esm-infra 4932ac7913fff2dadd94b9e832f636c8 obsolete
/etc/apt/preferences.d/ubuntu-pro-esm-apps 7e0d0e65835c9eda745c4a6d81e996e3 obsolete
/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20apt-esm-hook.conf 5204b258c26ac445a0452a6febbafa0c obsolete
/etc/apparmor.d/ubuntu_pro_esm_cache 28191676623afcd3f7c0a408f5337ec1 obsolete
/etc/apparmor.d/ubuntu_pro_apt_news 6b9bc8485599e82a59aabaf3510ddc81 obsolete
Description: Dummy package
Ubuntu Advantage Tools are not relevant to Neon systems so this
is an empty package to ensure they are not installed.
I have no need of Ubuntu Advantage Tools so not installing them is good for me. The problem is this dummy package is broken and prevents me from updating my system.
sudo apt update
[sudo] password for patrick:
Hit:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble InRelease
Hit:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-updates InRelease
Ign:3 https://repo.vivaldi.com/archive/deb stable InRelease
Hit:4 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-security InRelease
Ign:5 https://repo.vivaldi.com/stable/deb stable InRelease
Hit:6 https://repo.vivaldi.com/archive/deb stable Release
Hit:7 https://archive.slimbook.com/24 slimbookos InRelease
Hit:8 https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb stable InRelease
Hit:9 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/agornostal/ulauncher/ubuntu noble InRelease
Hit:10 https://repo.vivaldi.com/stable/deb stable Release
Get:12 http://archive.neon.kde.org/user noble InRelease [193 kB]
Hit:13 https://archive.slimbook.com/24 slimbookos-updates InRelease
Hit:14 https://archive.slimbook.com/24 slimbookos-security InRelease
Hit:15 https://packages.mozilla.org/apt mozilla InRelease
Fetched 193 kB in 1s (181 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
210 packages can be upgraded. Run 'apt list --upgradable' to see them.
patrick Downloads sudo apt -y full-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
galternatives libblkid-dev libegl-dev libexif-dev libexif-doc libffi-dev libfm-extra4t64 libfm-qt-common libfm-qt-l10n libgirepository-2.0-0 libgl-dev libglib2.0-dev libglib2.0-dev-bin libglu1-mesa
libglu1-mesa-dev libglx-dev libjpeg-turbo-progs libkf5idletime5 libkf5screen-bin libkf5screen8 libkf5windowsystem-dev libkf5windowsystem-doc libllvm19 liblxqt-globalkeys1 liblxqt-l10n libmenu-cache-bin
libmenu-cache-dev libmenu-cache3 libmount-dev libopengl-dev libpcre2-32-0 libpcre2-dev libpcre2-posix3 libpkgconf3 libpthread-stubs0-dev libqt5concurrent5t64 libqt5opengl5-dev libqt5x11extras5-dev libselinux1-dev
libsepol-dev libturbojpeg libvulkan-dev libx11-dev libxau-dev libxcb1-dev libxdmcp-dev libxext-dev lxqt-config-l10n lxqt-notificationd-l10n lxqt-policykit-l10n lxqt-powermanagement-l10n lxqt-session-l10n
lxqt-sudo-l10n lxqt-system-theme lxqt-themes pkgconf pkgconf-bin python3-packaging qlipper qt5-qmake qt5-qmake-bin qtbase5-dev qtbase5-dev-tools qtchooser uuid-dev x11proto-dev xorg-sgml-doctools xscreensaver
xscreensaver-data xscreensaver-gl xtrans-dev zlib1g-dev
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following packages will be REMOVED:
libfm-qt-dev libfm-qt14 liblxqt1 libqt5xdg3 libqt5xdgiconloader3 lxqt-config lxqt-notificationd lxqt-policykit lxqt-powermanagement lxqt-qtplugin lxqt-session lxqt-sudo qps xdg-desktop-portal-lxqt
The following NEW packages will be installed:
libllvm20 python3-autocommand python3-inflect python3-jaraco.context python3-jaraco.functools python3-more-itertools python3-pydantic
The following upgrades have been deferred due to phasing:
openssh-client
The following packages have been kept back:
drkonqi
The following packages will be upgraded:
appstream apt-config-icons apt-config-icons-hidpi apt-config-icons-large apt-config-icons-large-hidpi breeze breeze-cursor-theme calamares fwupd gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0 google-chrome-stable kaccounts-providers
kactivitymanagerd kde-config-gtk-style kde-config-updates kde-style-breeze kdeconnect kf6-frameworkintegration kf6-kcontacts kf6-kdeclarative kf6-kguiaddons kf6-ki18n kf6-kiconthemes kf6-kio kf6-kirigami
kf6-kirigami-addons kf6-kirigami2 kf6-kwallet kf6-kwindowsystem kf6-kxmlgui kf6-plasma-framework kf6-qqc2-desktop-style khelpcenter kio-extras kpeople-vcard kwayland-integration kwin-common kwin-data
kwin-style-breeze kwin-wayland kwin-x11 kwin-x11-common layer-shell-qt libaccounts-qt6-1 libappstream5 libappstreamqt3 libegl-mesa0 libfwupd2 libgbm1 libgl1-mesa-dri libglx-mesa0 libkf5guiaddons-bin
libkf5guiaddons-data libkf5guiaddons5 libkf5i18n-data libkf5i18n5 libkf5i18nlocaledata5 libkf5iconthemes-bin libkf5iconthemes-data libkf5iconthemes5 libkpmcore13 libksysguard liblayershellqtinterface6
libmaliit-plugins2 libpackagekit-glib2-18 libpackagekitqt6 libplasma6 libpq5 libpyside6-py3-6.9 libqaccessibilityclient-qt6-0 libqt5concurrent5t64 libqt5core5t64 libqt5dbus5t64 libqt5designer5 libqt5feedback5
libqt5gui5t64 libqt5help5 libqt5multimedia5 libqt5multimediaquick5 libqt5network5t64 libqt5opengl5-dev libqt5opengl5t64 libqt5printsupport5t64 libqt5qml5 libqt5qmlmodels5 libqt5qmlworkerscript5 libqt5quick5
libqt5quickcontrols2-5 libqt5quicktemplates2-5 libqt5sql5-sqlite libqt5sql5t64 libqt5svg5 libqt5test5t64 libqt5texttospeech5 libqt5waylandclient5 libqt5waylandcompositor5 libqt5widgets5t64 libqt5x11extras5
libqt5x11extras5-dev libqt5xml5t64 libqt5xmlpatterns5 libqt6core6t64 libqt6gui6t64 libqt6sql6-sqlite libruby3.2 libshiboken6-py3-6.9 libxatracker2 linux-firmware maliit-framework maliit-keyboard mesa-libgallium
mesa-va-drivers mesa-vdpau-drivers mesa-vulkan-drivers packagekit packagekit-tools partitionmanager plasma-discover plasma-discover-backend-flatpak plasma-discover-backend-snap plasma-integration plasma-nm
python3-packaging python3-pkg-resources python3-pyside6.qtcore qml-module-qt-labs-folderlistmodel qml-module-qt-labs-settings qml-module-qtfeedback qml-module-qtgraphicaleffects qml-module-qtmultimedia
qml-module-qtqml qml-module-qtqml-models2 qml-module-qtquick-controls qml-module-qtquick-controls2 qml-module-qtquick-dialogs qml-module-qtquick-layouts qml-module-qtquick-localstorage
qml-module-qtquick-privatewidgets qml-module-qtquick-templates2 qml-module-qtquick-window2 qml-module-qtquick2 qml6-module-org-kde-kcm qml6-module-org-kde-kconfig qml6-module-org-kde-kirigami2
qml6-module-org-kde-kquickcontrols qml6-module-org-kde-kquickcontrolsaddons qml6-module-org-kde-ksysguard qml6-module-org-kde-qqc2desktopstyle qml6-module-qt-labs-folderlistmodel qml6-module-qt-labs-platform
qml6-module-qt-labs-qmlmodels qml6-module-qt-labs-settings qml6-module-qt5compat-graphicaleffects qml6-module-qtmultimedia qml6-module-qtqml qml6-module-qtqml-models qml6-module-qtquick
qml6-module-qtquick-controls qml6-module-qtquick-dialogs qml6-module-qtquick-layouts qml6-module-qtquick-particles qml6-module-qtquick-templates qml6-module-qtquick-virtualkeyboard qml6-module-qtquick-window
qt5-gtk-platformtheme qt5-image-formats-plugins qt5-qmake qt5-qmake-bin qt6-5compat qt6-base qt6-charts qt6-declarative qt6-gtk-platformtheme qt6-image-formats-plugins qt6-imageformats qt6-location qt6-multimedia
qt6-positioning qt6-qpa-plugins qt6-quick3d qt6-quicktimeline qt6-sensors qt6-serialport qt6-shadertools qt6-speech qt6-svg qt6-tools qt6-translations qt6-translations-l10n qt6-virtualkeyboard
qt6-virtualkeyboard-plugin qt6-wayland qt6-webchannel qt6-webengine qt6-webview qtbase5-dev qtbase5-dev-tools qtchooser qtspeech5-speechd-plugin qttranslations5-l10n qtwayland5 ruby3.2 sddm sddm-theme-maya
signon-ui-service signon-ui-x11 ubuntu-pro-client ulauncher
208 upgraded, 7 newly installed, 14 to remove and 2 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/1,005 MB of archives.
After this operation, 152 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Extracting templates from packages: 100%
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 283274 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../ubuntu-pro-client_99+p24.04+vrelease+git20250904.1337_all.deb ...
dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute old ubuntu-pro-client package pre-removal script (/var/lib/dpkg/info/ubuntu-pro-client.prerm): Permission denied
dpkg: warning: old ubuntu-pro-client package pre-removal script subprocess returned error exit status 2
dpkg: trying script from the new package instead ...
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/ubuntu-pro-client_99+p24.04+vrelease+git20250904.1337_all.deb (--unpack):
there is no script in the new version of the package - giving up
dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute installed ubuntu-pro-client package post-installation script (/var/lib/dpkg/info/ubuntu-pro-client.postinst): Permission denied
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
installed ubuntu-pro-client package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/ubuntu-pro-client_99+p24.04+vrelease+git20250904.1337_all.deb
N: Some packages may have been kept back due to phasing.
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
As you can see in the package status above the package is "purge reinstreq half-configured". So I attempted to remove it.
sudo dpkg --remove --force-remove-reinstreq ubuntu-pro-client
dpkg: warning: overriding problem because --force enabled:
dpkg: warning: package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should
reinstall it before attempting a removal
(Reading database ... 283274 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing ubuntu-pro-client (99+p24.04+vrelease+git20240819.0607) ...
dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute installed ubuntu-pro-client package pre-removal script (/var/lib/dpkg/info/ubuntu-pro-client.prerm): Permission denied
dpkg: error processing package ubuntu-pro-client (--remove):
installed ubuntu-pro-client package pre-removal script subprocess returned error exit status 2
dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute installed ubuntu-pro-client package post-installation script (/var/lib/dpkg/info/ubuntu-pro-client.postinst): Permission denied
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
installed ubuntu-pro-client package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
ubuntu-pro-client
Since that failed and the advice was to reinstall it I tried that next.
patrick Downloads 1 sudo dpkg -i --force-overwrite /var/cache/apt/archives/ubuntu-pro-client_99+p24.04+vrelease+git20250904.1337_all.deb
Selecting previously unselected package ubuntu-pro-client.
(Reading database ... 283274 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../ubuntu-pro-client_99+p24.04+vrelease+git20250904.1337_all.deb ...
dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute old ubuntu-pro-client package pre-removal script (/var/lib/dpkg/info/ubuntu-pro-client.prerm): Permission denied
dpkg: warning: old ubuntu-pro-client package pre-removal script subprocess returned error exit status 2
dpkg: trying script from the new package instead ...
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/ubuntu-pro-client_99+p24.04+vrelease+git20250904.1337_all.deb (--install):
there is no script in the new version of the package - giving up
dpkg (subprocess): unable to execute installed ubuntu-pro-client package post-installation script (/var/lib/dpkg/info/ubuntu-pro-client.postinst): Permission denied
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
installed ubuntu-pro-client package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/ubuntu-pro-client_99+p24.04+vrelease+git20250904.1337_all.deb
At this point I'm out of ideas. Any help or suggestions from the forum would be greatly appreciated.
