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

To upgrade from 14.10 to 15.10 you will need to first upgrade to 15.04 and then to 15.10.

I suggest you wipe 14.10 off and do a clean install of Wily.

You can restore your user data from your backups.

It seems that you have misconfigured your system with your attempts to upgrade from 14.10 to 15.10.

I see two possibilities:

1. the straightforward way of dumping your current system and installing a clean new system from scratch

2. try repairing you current system, without any guarantee that this will ever deliver a sound system without problems.

In the latter case, you should copy/paste the output of the following diagnostic commands into this question document that we can see the current status of your system :

uname -a
lsb_release -crid
cat -n /etc/apt/sources.list
df -h
sudo dpkg --audit

Okay ,

I tried suggestion one and downloaded a new (.iso) file for Ubuntu 15.10.

I figured if you guys keep updating it and keep it from becoming the nightmare that
Windows has bcome I'd donate a few bucks for Ubuntu to keep on keeping on.

Sad to say, after 20 hours of downloading it twice (i had to use my phone and tether it because my home
net is so slow i would still be waiting) it would not install.

Start up purple screen on my HDD shows up, still asking for 3.16.031-generic and entering 4.2.0-17 at the grub edit just results in 15.10 start up but never actually starts.

I cant even reformat my HDD because I have no clue how i would go about doing that when the flash drive doesnt install automatically.

As an aside,

When the flash drive is selected to boot I get the error

SYSLINUX 6.03 EDD 20150813 Copyright (C) 1994 - 2014 H. Peter Anvin et al
Boot error

What does this Peter guy have to do with anything?

Any suggestions wohld be appreciated, but not tonight.

I'm going to bed : because this is ALMOST as bad as the headaches I used to get with windows OS.

It seems that something went wrong with the preparation of the installer device.

1. Did you perform a md5 check on the downloaded .iso file to verify whether the download went correct?
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HowToMD5SUM

2. With which program did you try creating the flash drive? Just copying the .iso file to the stick does not work, you have to use special tools like startup disk creator (Ubuntu) or Pendrivelinux USB installer (Windows).

The file checked out okay with md5 and I used Ubuntu's Start Up Disk
Creator program that comes with 15.10.

checked:
{ubuntu-15.10-desktop-amd64.iso}

results:
[ece816e12f97018fa3d4974b5fd27337 ubuntu-15.10-desktop-amd64.iso]

their website verifies it as accurate and spot on.

Been tethering my cell phone to my laptop to down load and the data usage
is getting more than ridiculous.

I still get the message from H. Peter (whoever) when the flash drive I
created the installation disk on is selected as the boot device.

anything else I can do, or should I give up and buy a new computer?
(not really an option, since i'm a disabled vet on a limited income - lol)

Love and Peace be the Journey for Us All !
Micheal Rainwater - NA - 1988

On Tue, Nov 24, 2015 at 1:08 AM, Manfred Hampl <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #275241 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Manfred Hampl proposed the following answer:
> It seems that something went wrong with the preparation of the installer
> device.
>
> 1. Did you perform a md5 check on the downloaded .iso file to verify
> whether the download went correct?
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HowToMD5SUM
>
> 2. With which program did you try creating the flash drive? Just copying
> the .iso file to the stick does not work, you have to use special tools
> like startup disk creator (Ubuntu) or Pendrivelinux USB installer
> (Windows).
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241/+confirm?answer_id=3
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241
>
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.
>

The problem might be with the UEFI settings in your BIOS.
Try opening the BIOS setup dialogue during boot, and change from UEFI into legacy mode (or vice versa).

If you cannot get the system to correctly boot from the USB stick, there is still the second option (to try getting your package management system back into a consistent state without dependency problems).

Still doesn't install ... skips the flash drive in both scenarioes and goes
to Grub2 menu (i think it's on my HDD).

Grub only offers "e" to edit , "c" for a command line although the few
commands i know are not available in Grub and memory check, with or without
an addition that i take to mean my system (console?)

I may have to have someone else look at it, it's too depressing and i'm
losing sleep over the stress not being able to do something as simple as
install the upgrade.

And i cant do option 2 - from your first response - because it won't even
let me in when I hit Alt, Ctrl & F1 trying to get to the terminal.

(yes, i tried the other keys, F2 - F6. nothing.)

Love and Peace Be the Journey - For Us All !

I do not fully understand the current status of your system.

If you try to boot normally from your hard disk (without extra USB stick), what do you see?
In your original question you provide output from a running Ubuntu system, but now you are no more able to boot?

It goes directly to:

> GNU Grub version 2.02~beta2-15 menu

> *Ubuntu
> Advanced Options for Ubuntu
> Memory test (memtest86+)
> Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)

Use the {up arrow} and {down arrow} to select which entry is highlighted.
Press enter to boot the selected OS, `e' to edit the commands before
booting or `c' for a command line.

When I press enter with the *Ubuntu option:

> error: file `/vmlinuz-3.166.0-31-generic' not found.
> error: you need to load the kernel first.

> Press any key to continue...

When I select the *Advanced Options for Ubuntu:

> Ubuntu, with Linux 3.16.0-31-generic
> Ubuntu, with Linux 3.16.0-31-generic (recovery mode)

... and the same message repeated in the table for -30, -29, -28 and -23

selecting ANY of the options in the table results in the message:

> Loading Linux 3.16.0-31-generic...
> error: file `/vmlinuz-3.166.0-31-generic' not found.
> Loading initial ramdisk ...
> error: you need to load the kernel first.

> Press any key to continue...

... with the same results for each of the others

I didn't have much hope by the time I finished all of them but I went ahead
and ran both of the memory test commands and they both resulted in Pass
messages. I would have to run them again to get the messages and add it to
this response ... sorry.

As I already reported, when I used the `e' command and entered
/vmlinuz-4.2.17-generic in both the Linux and initrd lines (in what I think
is the set parameters file / command line?) the system tries to start
Ubuntu 15.10 but never actually starts it. I've waited 8 hours at a time
to allow for the hope that the system might be slow but the 15.10 screen,
with the 4 dots that scroll across (usually indicating that Ubuntu is
loading) never disappears. (the dots never stop scrolling, so i keep
hoping)

and when I entered the `c':

> GNU GRUB version 2.02~beta2-15

> Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported. For the first wordd,
> TAB lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists
> possible device or file completions. ESC at any time exits.

> grub> _

I tried some of the commands I have learned so far from other folk helping
me but grub returns a message that says most of them cannot be found. When
I entered >help the screen filled with a ton of stuff that I don't
recognize and frankly am afraid to even try because they seem to be
commands but I have no idea what they do or which one might help.

Does this information help you help me?

By the way, thank you for the time and effort you are taking to help a 59
year old Marine vet learn about Linux and Ubuntu. I'm sure you could be
doing other things, including helping folk who might actually understand
all this computer stuff. I have a ton of time on my hands and learning new
stuff has been a way to help me deal with the stress and depression.

Love and Peace be the Journey for Us All !
Micheal Rainwater - NA - 1988

On Wed, Nov 25, 2015 at 1:27 AM, Manfred Hampl <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #275241 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241
>
> Status: Open => Needs information
>
> Manfred Hampl requested more information:
> I do not fully understand the current status of your system.
>
> If you try to boot normally from your hard disk (without extra USB stick),
> what do you see?
> In your original question you provide output from a running Ubuntu system,
> but now you are no more able to boot?
>
> --
> To answer this request for more information, you can either reply to
> this email or enter your reply at the following page:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241
>
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.
>

This does not look good. Apparently there are problems when trying to boot from the hard disk as well as when attempting to boot from an USB-connected device.

If you try a normal boot proves and end up at the grub selection menu, type 'c' (for grub command line mode).

What output do you get for the following commands

set
ls /

see https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/Troubleshooting#How_.26_Where_to_Search for a sample what the output might look like. If you get a long listing of file/directory names, you need not list them all; I am mainly interested whether vmlinuz and initrd.img is listed there.

If you do not see an output similar to https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/Troubleshooting?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=g2_grub_set_color.png
then try
ls (hd0,1)/
or
ls (hd0,2)/
or similar, using the output of the "ls" command as base for the parameter, and report if you finally find vmlinuz and initrd.img.

*typo error, in paragraph 2 it should read "...normal boot process..."

Thank you for the quick response,

set command resulted in screen list of too many to read, but in what i
could see vmlinuz and initrd were not listed anywhere in the results.

grub> ls / command got this:

> memtest86+_multiboot.bin initrd.img-4.2.0-17-lowlatency

> initrd.img-4.2.0-17-generic config-4.2.0-17-generic

> System.map-4.2.0-17-lowlatency abi-4.2.0-17-lowlatency

> config-4.2.0-17-lowlatency initrd.img-4.2.0-18-lowlatency

> initrd.img-4.2.0-18-lowlatency vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-generic grub /

> vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-lowlatency System.map-4.2.0-generic memtest86+.elf

> abi-4.2.0-17-generic lost+found/ memtest86+.bin

i put the individual lines as they appeared, and think i put all the spaces
in correctly. (not the greatest typist) but the lines are correct and in
the order i found.

Love and Peace Be the Journey - For Us All !
On Nov 25, 2015 8:08 AM, "Manfred Hampl" <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #275241 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241
>
> Manfred Hampl posted a new comment:
> *typo error, in paragraph 2 it should read "...normal boot process..."
>
> --
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.
>

Thanks, you perfectly got the gist of what I wanted to see.

Now try the commands

linux /vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-generic
initrd /initrd.img-4.2.0-17-generic
boot

and report what the results are.

If this fails, please repeat the "set" command, look for lines starting with "prefix=" and "root=" and tell me what the contents of these two lines are.

The first command entered went back to the grub commnd line:

> grub>

and so did the second one.

but when i entered boot after those two (typing them one at a time) the
screen went crazy fast scrolling until it stopped and the last lines i
could read were:

> [ 3.115077] clocksource: Switched to clocksource tsc
> BusyBox v1.22.1 (Ubuntu 1:1.22.0-15 ubuntu1) built-in shell (ash)

> Enter 'help' for a list of built in commands.

> (initramfs)

As for the two lines of information you requested:

> pager=
> prefix=(hd0,msdos1)
> recordfail=1
> root=hdo,msdos1
> secondary_locale_dir=
> grub >

i included the line proceeding 'prefix' and everythig following so you can
determine if i am at the right spot.

Thank you again.

Love and Peace Be the Journey - For Us All !
On Nov 26, 2015 1:32 AM, "Manfred Hampl" <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #275241 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Manfred Hampl proposed the following answer:
> Thanks, you perfectly got the gist of what I wanted to see.
>
> Now try the commands
>
> linux /vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-generic
> initrd /initrd.img-4.2.0-17-generic
> boot
>
> and report what the results are.
>
> If this fails, please repeat the "set" command, look for lines starting
> with "prefix=" and "root=" and tell me what the contents of these two
> lines are.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241/+confirm?answer_id=12
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241
>
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.
>

You have perfectly executed what I wanted you to do, but apparently your system is in a status that this did not help.

You might try with slightly modified commands, but I am no more optimistic that one of these might work better.

set prefix=(hd0,1)/boot/grub
set root=(hd0,1)
linux (hd0,1)/boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-generic root=/dev/sda1
initrd (hd0,1)/boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-17-generic
boot

Or (after a restart)

set prefix=(hd0,1)/boot/grub
set root=(hd0,1)
linux (hd0,1)/boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-lowlatency root=/dev/sda1
initrd (hd0,1)/boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-17-lowlatency
boot

(most of the commands will not produce any output).

Well, while it still doesn't work you may have found out why.

I got to the line:

> grub> linux (hd0,1)/boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-lowlatency root=/dev/sda1

and i received this error message:

> error: file '/boot/grub/i386-pc/linux.mod' not found.

if it cant find it and the system needs that file it makes sense that it
wouldn't work.

So where do i find it - if the system cant?

Love and Peace Be the Journey - For Us All !
On Nov 26, 2015 3:12 AM, "Manfred Hampl" <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #275241 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Manfred Hampl proposed the following answer:
> You have perfectly executed what I wanted you to do, but apparently your
> system is in a status that this did not help.
>
> You might try with slightly modified commands, but I am no more
> optimistic that one of these might work better.
>
> set prefix=(hd0,1)/boot/grub
> set root=(hd0,1)
> linux (hd0,1)/boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-generic root=/dev/sda1
> initrd (hd0,1)/boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-17-generic
> boot
>
> Or (after a restart)
>
> set prefix=(hd0,1)/boot/grub
> set root=(hd0,1)
> linux (hd0,1)/boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-lowlatency root=/dev/sda1
> initrd (hd0,1)/boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-17-lowlatency
> boot
>
> (most of the commands will not produce any output).
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241/+confirm?answer_id=14
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241
>
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.
>

Maybe my commands were not correct, try again with

set prefix=(hd0,1)
set root=(hd0,1)
linux (hd0,1)/boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-generic root=/dev/sda1
initrd (hd0,1)/boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-17-generic
boot

Or (after a restart)

set prefix=(hd0,1)
set root=(hd0,1)
linux (hd0,1)/boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-lowlatency root=/dev/sda1
initrd (hd0,1)/boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-17-lowlatency
boot

but it seems to be that we are going into a dead end, and that the only reasonable solution is a new installation when booting into an installation kit on another device.

Nope , your commands were the same both times.

I copied them, by typing them in one letter at a time and verifying each
one as i entered it.

And i rebooted the system twice and entered the lowlatency entry option and
got the same result.

what is the i386 mod file it says it cant find?

and i've even bought a 1Tb portable disk drive and tried to install the
system > iso < on it, using the disk creator app from Ubuntu.

the file that md5 verified syill checks good and when i used my laptop to
"create" a startup disk on it i got the "Start up disk created" and used
file manager to be sure the files are actually on it.

Hit F8 and selected the 1Tb drive as the boot up disk and still wont
install or open the installing GDI (or is it GDU).

When i select it, all i get for a display is a flashing cursor that looks
like an underscore.

Love and Peace Be the Journey - For Us All !
On Nov 26, 2015 7:52 AM, "Manfred Hampl" <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #275241 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Manfred Hampl proposed the following answer:
> Maybe my commands were not correct, try again with
>
> set prefix=(hd0,1)
> set root=(hd0,1)
> linux (hd0,1)/boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-generic root=/dev/sda1
> initrd (hd0,1)/boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-17-generic
> boot
>
> Or (after a restart)
>
> set prefix=(hd0,1)
> set root=(hd0,1)
> linux (hd0,1)/boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-lowlatency root=/dev/sda1
> initrd (hd0,1)/boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-17-lowlatency
> boot
>
> but it seems to be that we are going into a dead end, and that the only
> reasonable solution is a new installation when booting into an
> installation kit on another device.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241/+confirm?answer_id=16
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241
>
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.
>

With the new 1Tb drive hooked up via USB i tried checking it at the grub > and got the following informtion
(i only tried this to see what my system sees on the 1Tb drive)

>> grub> ls (hd1,1)/

resulted in:

>> boot/ casper/ dists/ efi/ install/ casper-rw
>> pics/ pool/ preseed/ md5sum.txt README.diskdefines ldlinux.sys ldlinux.c32
>> syslinux

is that what it is supposed to read?
or is it missing that i386-pc/linux.mod file thing?

Hey Manfred,

I hit Ctrl/Alt/Escp - all at the same time - i dont know why i did that but someething flashed across the top of the screen when i did. So i did it again ... to see what it aid and those 4 dots running across the 15.10 start up screen seem to be connected to something going on in the background on my system.

I saw the following:

》》 [*** ] A start job is running for Wait for...o Quit (4h 47min 12s / no limit)

the asterics in the square brackets are 'red' in color and cycling back and forth inside the brackets.

Does that mean anything or help in any way?

Found my old 8Gb flash drive with Ubuntu 14.10 on it.

Not sure if it's actuall going to work but it says it is installing.
If it does I can use it to try the download of 15.04, install that and
upgrade to 15.10 afterward.

Waiting now to see if 14.10 is going to load or crash.

Eureka !!!! I am using Ubuntu 14.10 and am online. I can stop using my
phone.

Thank you for all your support, especially Manfred. I might have given up
if someone hadn't kept answering all my lame questions.

Love and Peace Be the Journey - For Us All !
On Nov 26, 2015 3:12 PM, "Micheal Leroy Rainwater" <
<email address hidden>> wrote:
>
> Your question #275241 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/275241
>
> You gave more information on the question:
> Hey Manfred,
>
> I hit Ctrl/Alt/Escp - all at the same time - i dont know why i did that
> but someething flashed across the top of the screen when i did. So i did
> it again ... to see what it aid and those 4 dots running across the
> 15.10 start up screen seem to be connected to something going on in the
> background on my system.
>
> I saw the following:
>
>
> 》》 [*** ] A start job is running for Wait for...o Quit (4h 47min
12s / no limit)
>
>
> the asterics in the square brackets are 'red' in color and cycling back
and forth inside the brackets.
>
> Does that mean anything or help in any way?
>
> --
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.

Installed 14.04 and system works now.

Thank you for tryig to help.

rebooted and dang it now it somehow sends me to the grub rescue prompt.

followed the set of instructions on the page for grub rescue errors page and got as far as the insmod normal.mod and system cannot find it ...

the error message reads:

> error: attempt to read or write outside of disk 'hd0'

no matter if I use the 'set' commands like they are described (i.e. - set prefix=(hd0,msdos1) ... etc

or tried using ls to find the grub like they said and using set to get to the correct directory (i.e. - set prefix=(hd0,1) ... etc

I keep getting the error message ----

when i entered the error message in search for Launchpad i get kicked to a page for Ubuntu Documents that says it's loading but never does.

should this be a 'new; question or a continuance of the old one, since it's only come about due to 'fixing' the last problem by reinstalling 14.04 and upgrading to 15.04 ?

I do not know what there is going on with your computer. It is not normal behaviour that a system that boots well (after the reinstallation of Ubuntu 14.04), suddenly fails with "attempt to read or write outside of disk 'hd0'".

Maybe the best approach would be to install 14.04 again and leave it as it is, i.e. do not try upgrading to a higher version unless you have the immediate need to do so (e.g. because of hardware that needs updated drivers that are only available in a higher Ubuntu version).

Maybe you should also test your hardware (memtest and hard disk checks).