Every time I try to install or remove a package, I get this error. I thought maybe it was the hard disk, but a disk check gave me a clean bill of health.
dpkg: unrecoverable fatal error, aborting:
reading files list for package 'linux-headers-3.16.0-31': Input/output error
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)
A package failed to install. Trying to recover:
I tried the solution of removing the listing for this file from the dpkg status file, but to no avail. I tried purging the package but no use. I'm stuck at this point as nothing I can find on Google helps.
Update:
This is now what the error says:
dpkg: unrecoverable fatal error, aborting:
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)
A package failed to install. Trying to recover:
After trying: https://askubuntu.com/a/603305/1992
Update2:
Seems the drive has bad sectors, but the reallocated sector count is 0. The drive is relatively old, however, so I expect some issues. I won't be able to replace it immediately, and until then I would still like to be able to keep the system up to date (especially for security reasons).
I noted that there was an issue with coping some md5 checksums related to the package mentioned in the error, but I don't know what to do with those, such as if clearing them would allow dpkg to continue.
I found the answer here and here.
What puzzles me is that I tried this twice before and it didn't work. It probably worked this time because I used a script I found on launchpad answers that backed up and restored what it could... I don't know. Either way, here is the fix:
pkexec gedit /var/lib/dpkg/statussudo dpkg --configure -asudo apt-get -f installjust in case.if u still have the error after run
sudo dpkg --configure -a#remove the file where u have the error after going to the locationcd locationrm -rf file-name[for eg. 0004] #then try againsudo apt-get -f installit will work