If you're running Debian 12 and come across the error related to dpkg-deb failing due to a corrupted package during an update, don't worry! This is a fairly common issue that can easily be fixed. In this blog post, we'll walk you through simple steps to resolve this error and get your system back on track.
Table of Contents
The Problem
The error message might look something like this:
[...]
Unpacking libreoffice-common (4:24.8.2-1~bpo12+1) over (4:24.2.6-2~bpo12+1) ...
dpkg-deb (subprocess): decompressing archive '/var/cache/apt/archives/libreoffice-common_4%3a24.8.2-1~bpo12+1_all.deb' (size=19330668) member 'data.tar': lzma error: compressed data is corrupt
dpkg-deb: error: <decompress> subprocess returned error exit status 2
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/libreoffice-common_4%3a24.8.2-1~bpo12+1_all.deb (--unpack):
cannot copy extracted data for './usr/lib/libreoffice/share/template/common/presnt/Freshes.otp' to '/usr/lib/libreoffice/share/template/common/presnt/Freshes.otp.dpkg-new': unexpected end of file or stream
rmdir: failed to remove '/var/lib/libreoffice/share/prereg/': No such file or directory
rmdir: failed to remove '/var/lib/libreoffice/share/': No such file or directory
rmdir: failed to remove '/var/lib/libreoffice/program/': No such file or directory
rmdir: failed to remove '/var/lib/libreoffice': No such file or directory
rmdir: failed to remove '/var/lib/libreoffice': No such file or directory
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/libreoffice-common_4%3a24.8.2-1~bpo12+1_all.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
This occurs when the package manager (dpkg) encounters a corrupted .deb file. In this case, the problem is with the LibreOffice package, but the solution applies to other packages too.
Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing "dpkg-deb: lzma error: compressed data is corrupt"
1. Clean the APT Cache
The first step is to clean out the APT cache, where the corrupted package is stored. You can do this by running:
sudo apt clean
This command removes all .deb files from /var/cache/apt/archives, including any corrupted files that may have been downloaded.
2. Update the Package List
Once the cache is cleaned, you’ll want to make sure your system’s package list is up-to-date. This will ensure that you're working with the latest package information:
sudo apt update
3. Upgrade the Packages
After updating the package list, try upgrading your packages. This will attempt to download and install the latest versions:
sudo apt upgrade
If the corrupted package is still causing issues, don't worry—there’s one more step that should solve the problem.
4. Fix Broken Packages
If you still encounter errors after running the above commands, you can use the following command to fix broken dependencies:
sudo apt --fix-broken install
Or shortly:
sudo apt install -f
This command will re-download and reinstall the problematic package, fixing any issues with corrupted files or dependencies.
Conclusion
If you encounter the "dpkg-deb: lzma error: compressed data is corrupt" error on Debian 12 or any Ubuntu versions, following the above steps will help you fix it. Start by cleaning the cache and updating your package list, then upgrade your packages. If that doesn’t work, use the --fix-broken (-f) option to repair any corrupted files or broken dependencies.
Solutions to other common problems in Debian and Ubuntu:
- Fix “Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)” In Ubuntu
- How To Fix Broken Ubuntu OS Without Reinstalling It
- How To Fix Busybox Initramfs Error On Ubuntu
- Fix “Encountered a section with no Package: header” Error In Ubuntu
- Fix “W: Some index files failed to download.” Error In Ubuntu
- Fix ‘E: The package cache file is corrupted, it has the wrong hash’ Error In Ubuntu
- How To Fix “E: Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock” Error On Ubuntu
- Fix “dpkg: error: parsing file ‘/var/lib/dpkg/updates/0014′” Error In Ubuntu
