Cannot remove JDK – /usr/sbin/alternatives: No such file or directory

Question

When I try to remove Java with sudo apt-get remove jdk1.8.0-40 I get this:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  jdk1.8.0-40
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 245 MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
(Reading database ... 231488 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing jdk1.8.0-40 (1.8.040-1) ...
find: `/usr/java/*': No such file or directory
/var/lib/dpkg/info/jdk1.8.0-40.postrm: line 586: /usr/sbin/alternatives: No such file or directory
/var/lib/dpkg/info/jdk1.8.0-40.postrm: line 598: /usr/sbin/alternatives: No such file or directory
dpkg: error processing package jdk1.8.0-40 (--remove):
 subprocess installed post-removal script returned error exit status 127
Errors were encountered while processing:
 jdk1.8.0-40
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Output of ls -1 /var/cache/apt/archives/*jdk*:

openjdk-7-jre_7u75-2.5.4-1~trusty1_amd64.deb
openjdk-7-jre-headless_7u75-2.5.4-1~trusty1_amd64.deb

Output of sudo dpkg --purge --force-all jdk1.8.0-40:

(Reading database ... 231488 files and directories currently installed.)
removing jdk1.8.0-40 (1.8.040-1) ...
/var/lib/dpkg/info/jdk1.8.0-40.postrm: line 586: /usr/sbin/alternatives: No such file or directory
/var/lib/dpkg/info/jdk1.8.0-40.postrm: line 598: /usr/sbin/alternatives: No such file or directory
dpkg: error processing package jdk1.8.0-40 (--purge):
subprocess installed post-removal script returned error exit status 127
Errors were encountered while processing:
 jdk1.8.0-40

When trying the edit I get this:

(Reading database ... 231488 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing jdk1.8.0-40 (1.8.040-1) ...
/var/lib/dpkg/info/jdk1.8.0-40.postrm: line 586: /usr/sbin/alternatives: Permission denied
/var/lib/dpkg/info/jdk1.8.0-40.postrm: line 598: /usr/sbin/alternatives: Permission denied
dpkg: error processing package jdk1.8.0-40 (--remove):
 subprocess installed post-removal script returned error exit status 126
Errors were encountered while processing:
 jdk1.8.0-40
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Solution 1

Try creating a file in that folder and executing the uninstall command then:

sudo mkdir -p /usr/java
sudo touch /usr/java/aa
sudo touch /usr/sbin/alternatives
sudo apt-get remove jdk1.8.0-40

EDIT:

---

Try this: echo "" | sudo tee /var/lib/dpkg/info/jdk1.8.0-40.postrm

Solution 2

/usr/sbin/alternatives: No such file or directory

There is no /usr/sbin/alternatives in Debian, Ubuntu, etc. Debian clones. Instead there is /usr/bin/update-alternatives.

I suggest a temporary symbolic link to work around the badly converted RPM package:

mkdir -p /usr/sbin
ln -sT -- /usr/bin/update-alternatives /usr/sbin/alternatives

^(source)

Comments

[sugab]

try this first, and then try to remove again, sudo dpkg-reconfigure jdk1.8.0-40

[Adrian Christensen]

Now i get this: Removing jdk1.8.0-40 (1.8.040-1) ... /var/lib/dpkg/info/jdk1.8.0-40.postrm: line 586: /usr/sbin/alternatives: No such file or directory /var/lib/dpkg/info/jdk1.8.0-40.postrm: line 598: /usr/sbin/alternatives: No such file or directory dpkg: error processing package jdk1.8.0-40 (--remove): subprocess installed post-removal script returned error exit status 127 Errors were encountered while processing: jdk1.8.0-40 E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

[Adrian Christensen]

When running sudo dpkg-reconfigure i get: /usr/sbin/dpkg-reconfigure: jdk1.8.0-40 is broken or not fully installed

[0x2b3bfa0]

Please update your post with the output of this command: ls /var/cache/apt/archives/ | grep -i jdk

[Adrian Christensen]

Now i have updated the post.

[0x2b3bfa0]

Try this: sudo dpkg --purge --force-all jdk1.8.0-40

[Adrian Christensen]

Dosent Work Output in main post.

[0x2b3bfa0]

Let's try the edit to my answer

[Adrian Christensen]

Then i get permission denied error specific in main post.

[0x2b3bfa0]

Try this: echo "" | sudo tee /var/lib/dpkg/info/jdk1.8.0-40.postrm and then uninstall.