dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/python2.6-minimal_2.6.6-5ubuntu1

The error message complains that /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages is a directory but should be a symbolic link. The most likely explanation is that you have some packages installed that do not conform with the current python packaging policy (where extra packages go into /usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages), but instead put files in /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages.

Run dpkg -S /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages to see what packages you have that don't conform with the current policy. The error message incites you to report a bug against these packages.

The easy solution is to remove the offending packages.

Another possibility is that you've installed things in /usr/lib/python2.6/dist-packages without going through the deb package manager. In this case, move these things to /usr/local/lib/python2.6/dist-packages. Generally speaking, you should not install or change anything in /usr except by going through dpkg or higher-level programs that call it (apt-get, aptitude, Synaptic, ...). The exception is /usr/local, where you can do anything you like. If dpkg -S /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages tells you that no package has installed any file under that directory, you can simply move the directory to where it should be:

mv /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages /usr/local/lib/python2.6/dist-packages

or if the target directory already exists:

mv -i /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/* /usr/local/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/
rmdir /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages

If you have old-policy packages that you want to keep installed, I think you can use the following workaround:

mkdir -p /usr/local/lib/python2.6/dist-packages
mv -i /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/* /usr/local/lib/python2.6/dist-packages
rmdir /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages
ln -s /usr/local/lib/python2.6/dist-packages /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages

If the mv commands complains that some targets already exists, this needs to be resolved on a case-by-case basis.

If you do use the workaround, be prepared for considerable confusion if you install non-deb python packages in /usr/local, as /usr/local/lib/python2.6/dist-packages will contain some files managed by dpkg. Also I'm not completely sure that this won't cause any package management trouble down the line, such as errors if you later upgrade or remove the offending packages. Attempt the workaround only if you're prepared to have to do more troubleshooting later. Again, the safe option is to remove the offending packages before upgrading your python package.

Gilles 'SO- stop being evil'

Posted 2010-10-16T09:12:20.237

Reputation: 58 319

thanks Gilles, unfortunately running dpkg -S /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/ returns an error. note: there is no deb package in here (maybe that's the reason?) -> I prefer the easy solution ;) -> do you intend a apt-get remove/purge python2.6? – udo – 2010-10-16T11:44:24.170

@udo: Sorry, I goofed, run dpkg -S /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages (no trailing slash). If the directory is empty, just remove it. Otherwise, what does it contain? – Gilles 'SO- stop being evil' – 2010-10-16T11:59:44.400

no prob, tried both... the dir contains file git_remote_helpers-0.1.0-py2.6.egg-info and dir git_remote_helpers -> guess I can delete /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/* -> correct? – udo – 2010-10-16T12:03:31.613

@udo: If these are python packages you installed manually (i.e. they're python packages, but not dpkg packages), they should be in /usr/local/lib/python2.6/dist-packages. You can just move them there (see my edit). – Gilles 'SO- stop being evil' – 2010-10-16T12:35:32.613

You are the man! worked! -> this is strange though, because I don't remember that I manually installed those packages... thanks a lot! – udo – 2010-10-16T12:54:49.920

dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/python2.6-minimal_2.6.6-5ubuntu1_i386.deb (--unpack)

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