dpkg-divert: error: rename involves overwriting error after upgrading from 16.04 to 16.10

Question

I got a strange error after upgrading Ubuntu 16.04 to 16.10.

The Software Updater suggests a partial update:

Could not install 'systemd-shim'

The upgrade will continue but the 'systemd-shim' package may not be in a working state. Please consider submitting a bug report about it.

subprocess installed post-removal script returned error exit status 2

sudo apt-get update finishes without any error.

sudo apt-get remove outputs this

The following packages will be REMOVED:
  systemd-shim
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 1 to remove and 0 not to upgrade.
1 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 71.7 kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
(Reading database ... 1451244 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing systemd-shim (9-1bzr4ubuntu1) ...
Removing 'diversion of /usr/share/dbus-1/system-services/org.freedesktop.systemd1.service to /usr/share/dbus-1/system-services/org.freedesktop.systemd1.service.systemd by systemd-shim'
dpkg-divert: error: rename involves overwriting '/usr/share/dbus-1/system-services/org.freedesktop.systemd1.service' with
  different file '/usr/share/dbus-1/system-services/org.freedesktop.systemd1.service.systemd', not allowed
dpkg: error processing package systemd-shim (--remove):
 subprocess installed post-removal script returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
 systemd-shim
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Please help me to fix this error. Thank you.

Solution

1. Using the terminal, rename /usr/share/dbus-1/system-services/org.freedesktop.systemd1.service to /usr/share/dbus-1/system-services/org.freedesktop.systemd1.service.bak:

   sudo mv /usr/share/dbus-1/system-services/org.freedesktop.systemd1.service /usr/share/dbus-1/system-services/org.freedesktop.systemd1.service.bak
   

2. Proceed to run sudo apt upgrade again.

Hopefully no more systemd-shim errors should appear.

Rename the file back to what it was if you have any issues.

Comments

[Haydentech]

Also had this problem going from 16.04 to 18.04. Your solution works there too.

[baptx]

@Haydentech me too, Ubuntu upgrades are such a pain askubuntu.com/questions/1085665/…

[Silver Moon]

faced this problem when upgrading my server from 16.04 to 18.04. This rename trick worked fine, and the server was able to install all upgrades.

[Ville Laitila]

I had it when going from 14.04 to 16.04. Solution worked, thanks!