Unable to install/remove flash player

Flash player can be added in firefox, try this link for help with java;
 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1314202

  David
  in TN

go to software center in the top right little window there type adobe flash plug in ,and adobe flash plug in will show up with other things use the adobe flash plug in not the others .

do it with synaptic package manager... type adobe flash in search box tick the check box and install it.
Install downloadhelper add on in firefox to download flash videos by default firefox should prompt you for downloading flash player and it will give you options to download which one you like ie adobe, shockwave etc select adobe
that should solve your problem.

Ok I have tried all but no luck. I can not add or remove any software since my last updates that were installed.
When I try to remove the process failed. See below:
The installation or removal of a software package failed.
installArchives() failed: (Reading database ...
(Reading database ... 5%
(Reading database ... 10%
(Reading database ... 15%
(Reading database ... 20%
(Reading database ... 25%
(Reading database ... 30%
(Reading database ... 35%
(Reading database ... 40%
(Reading database ... 45%
(Reading database ... 50%
(Reading database ... 55%
(Reading database ... 60%
(Reading database ... 65%
(Reading database ... 70%
(Reading database ... 75%
(Reading database ... 80%
(Reading database ... 85%
(Reading database ... 90%
(Reading database ... 95%
(Reading database ... 100%
(Reading database ... 247179 files and directories currently installed.)

Removing flashplugin-installer ...

update-alternatives: error: /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives/iceape-flashplugin corrupt: invalid status

dpkg: error processing flashplugin-installer (--remove):

 subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 2

postinst called with argument `abort-remove'

dpkg: error while cleaning up:

 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

Errors were encountered while processing:

 flashplugin-installer

Hi,

using the following commands should fix your problems:

sudo apt-get -f install
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

Chauncellor: I ran the commands you requested. No result. Please see below, I have copied the terminal process.
leroy@leroy-laptop:~$ sudo apt-get -f install
[sudo] password for leroy:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  java-common unixodbc odbcinst1debian1
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 0B of additional disk space will be used.
Setting up flashplugin-installer (10.0.45.2ubuntu0.9.10.1) ...
cd: 145: can't cd to /var/cache/flashplugin-installer
dpkg: error processing flashplugin-installer (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
 flashplugin-installer
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
leroy@leroy-laptop:~$ sudo apt-get update
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net jaunty Release.gpg
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net jaunty/main Translation-en_US
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic Release.gpg
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/main Translation-en_US
Get:1 http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security/main Translation-en_US
Hit http://archive.canonical.com karmic Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.canonical.com karmic/partner Translation-en_US
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net karmic Release.gpg
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net karmic/main Translation-en_US
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net jaunty Release
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/multiverse Translation-en_US
Get:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security/multiverse Translation-en_US
Get:3 http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security Release [44.1kB]
Hit http://archive.canonical.com karmic Release
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net karmic Release
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic Release
Get:4 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates Release [44.1kB]
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net jaunty/main Packages
Hit http://archive.canonical.com karmic/partner Packages
Hit http://packages.medibuntu.org karmic Release.gpg
Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org karmic/free Translation-en_US
Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org karmic/non-free Translation-en_US
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net karmic/main Packages
Hit http://packages.medibuntu.org karmic Release
Hit http://packages.medibuntu.org karmic/free Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/main Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/restricted Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/main Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/restricted Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/multiverse Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/multiverse Sources
Get:5 http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security/main Packages [81.9kB]
Hit http://packages.medibuntu.org karmic/non-free Packages
Get:6 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/main Packages [192kB]
Get:7 http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security/restricted Packages [14B]
Get:8 http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security/main Sources [24.7kB]
Get:9 http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security/restricted Sources [14B]
Get:10 http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security/universe Packages [39.1kB]
Get:11 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/restricted Packages [14B]
Get:12 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/main Sources [57.3kB]
Get:13 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/restricted Sources [14B]
Get:14 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/universe Packages [116kB]
Get:15 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/universe Sources [29.1kB]
Get:16 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/multiverse Packages [7,354B]
Get:17 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/multiverse Sources [4,036B]
Get:18 http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security/universe Sources [7,689B]
Get:19 http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security/multiverse Packages [1,666B]
Get:20 http://security.ubuntu.com karmic-security/multiverse Sources [577B]
Fetched 650kB in 4s (140kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
leroy@leroy-laptop:~$ sudo apt-get upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be upgraded:
  devicekit-disks gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad libsmbclient libwbclient0 samba
  samba-common samba-common-bin smbclient winbind
9 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 30.5MB of archives.
After this operation, 12.3kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/main devicekit-disks 007-2ubuntu5 [166kB]
Get:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/universe gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad 0.10.14-4ubuntu1.1 [1,325kB]
Get:3 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/main libwbclient0 2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6 [103kB]
Get:4 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/main libsmbclient 2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6 [1,652kB]
Get:5 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/main smbclient 2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6 [11.4MB]
Get:6 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/main winbind 2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6 [4,382kB]
Get:7 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/main samba 2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6 [6,244kB]
Get:8 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/main samba-common 2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6 [388kB]
Get:9 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic-updates/main samba-common-bin 2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6 [4,789kB]
Fetched 30.5MB in 2min 4s (244kB/s)
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 247180 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace devicekit-disks 007-2ubuntu4 (using .../devicekit-disks_007-2ubuntu5_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement devicekit-disks ...
Preparing to replace gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad 0.10.14-4ubuntu1 (using .../gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad_0.10.14-4ubuntu1.1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad ...
Preparing to replace libwbclient0 2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.5 (using .../libwbclient0_2%3a3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libwbclient0 ...
Preparing to replace libsmbclient 2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.5 (using .../libsmbclient_2%3a3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libsmbclient ...
Preparing to replace smbclient 2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.5 (using .../smbclient_2%3a3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement smbclient ...
Preparing to replace winbind 2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.5 (using .../winbind_2%3a3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6_i386.deb) ...
 * Stopping the Winbind daemon winbind [ OK ]
Unpacking replacement winbind ...
Preparing to replace samba 2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.5 (using .../samba_2%3a3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6_i386.deb) ...
 * Stopping Samba daemons [ OK ]
Unpacking replacement samba ...
Preparing to replace samba-common 2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.5 (using .../samba-common_2%3a3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6_all.deb) ...
update-alternatives: error: /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives/nmblookup corrupt: invalid status
dpkg: warning: old pre-removal script returned error exit status 2
dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ...
dpkg: ... it looks like that went OK.
Unpacking replacement samba-common ...
Preparing to replace samba-common-bin 2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.5 (using .../samba-common-bin_2%3a3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement samba-common-bin ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead ...
ureadahead will be reprofiled on next reboot
Processing triggers for ufw ...
Setting up flashplugin-installer (10.0.45.2ubuntu0.9.10.1) ...
cd: 145: can't cd to /var/cache/flashplugin-installer
dpkg: error processing flashplugin-installer (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Setting up devicekit-disks (007-2ubuntu5) ...

Setting up gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad (0.10.14-4ubuntu1.1) ...

Setting up libwbclient0 (2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6) ...

Setting up libsmbclient (2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6) ...

Setting up samba-common (2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6) ...

Setting up smbclient (2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6) ...
Setting up winbind (2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6) ...
 * Starting the Winbind daemon winbind [ OK ]

Setting up samba (2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6) ...
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/smbstatus.samba3 to provide /usr/bin/smbstatus (smbstatus) in auto mode.
 * Starting Samba daemons [ OK ]

Setting up samba-common-bin (2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6) ...
update-alternatives: error: /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives/nmblookup corrupt: invalid status
dpkg: error processing samba-common-bin (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Processing triggers for libc-bin ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
Errors were encountered while processing:
 flashplugin-installer
 samba-common-bin
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
leroy@leroy-laptop:~$

Okay, here are some more commands that you can try:

sudo dpkg --force all --remove
sudo apt-get clean

Then try again.
If that still does not fix your error, try these steps:

run this commands:
sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status /var/lib/dpkg/status.bak

That will back up the file you will be editing.

Now we will edit the file you backed up:

gksu gedit /var/lib/dpkg/status

Search for flashplugin-installer

When you find it, selected and delete the entire entry of that package. So you will select and delete the entry starting from:

"Package: flashplugin-installer"

and ending with the description area. Make sure that you leave a space for the next package. Here's a picture of how you should delete it:

http://www.khattam.info/img/selection.png

After this, run:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install flashplugin-installer

That should work. Let me know if it does or does not.

Still having problems. Without looking at flashplugin I cannot install or remove any software. Take a look at the file below when I tried to perform the upgrade command.
leroy@leroy-laptop:~$ sudo apt-get upgrade

Reading package lists... Done

Building dependency tree

Reading state information... Done

0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

1 not fully installed or removed.

After this operation, 0B of additional disk space will be used.

Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y

Setting up samba-common-bin (2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6) ...

update-alternatives: error: /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives/nmblookup corrupt: invalid status

dpkg: error processing samba-common-bin (--configure):

 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2

Errors were encountered while processing:

 samba-common-bin

E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

leroy@leroy-laptop:~$

This seems like it's actually getting better. Try doing:

sudo apt-get -f install
sudo apt-get upgrade

over and over again until the problematic package is resolved. That should work (hopefully this time :P ).

 if nothing succeeds then you need to uninstall flash plugin and reinstall ...I am giving you the thread just follow the instruction and you will clear the issue....I had similar problem and solved the problem this question was put up by me it solved the problem....
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/firefox-3.6/+question/100383

Thanks,
Rajinder

Rajinder: This problem isn't in the flash plugin anymore. This is a problem with apt-get itself

OK no matter what I try I still get this error below.
And Please Note: I have not been able to uninstall or install any software.

update-alternatives: error: /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives/nmblookup corrupt: invalid status
dpkg: error processing samba-common-bin (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
 samba-common-bin
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

sudo dpkg --configure -a

Still the same error See Below:

leroy@leroy-laptop:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
Setting up samba-common-bin (2:3.4.0-3ubuntu5.6) ...
update-alternatives: error: /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives/nmblookup corrupt: invalid status
dpkg: error processing samba-common-bin (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
 samba-common-bin
leroy@leroy-laptop:~$

I found a bug report that looks like your issue:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/samba/+bug/514963

The last post has some info that might be useful:

"Looks like your nmblookup alternatives definition file got corrupted (?)

You could try force-installing it again:
sudo update-alternatives --force --install /usr/bin/nmblookup nmblookup /usr/bin/nmblookup.samba3 0 --slave /usr/share/man/man1/nmblookup.1.gz nmblookup.1.gz /usr/share/man/man1/nmblookup.samba3.1.gz

Also update-alternatives has been revamped in lucid, so this might be already fixed."

Okay, I have something for you. :)

Try running these commands. These will delete important things pertaining to installing samba to your computer, but you have little choice right now. If this works, we'll just clean up after it. Run these lines in order:

cd /var/lib/dpkg/info
sudo rm samba-common-bin*
sudo apt-get purge samba-common-bin

It this works, you SHOULD be good! Then run these:

sudo apt-get autoremove
sudo apt-get clean

Please let me know if it works!