dpkg: error processing package, Could not install any package

Question

I am new to Ubuntu. And I am using 14.04.

Whenever i try to install any software i get an error with dpkg. After browsing for some time, i get some commands to try out. Nothing really helped. The first one is to run, sudo dpkg --configure -a

But this is all I get when I run that,

dpkg: error processing package software-properties-common (--configure):
 package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should
 reinstall it before attempting configuration
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of software-properties-gtk:
 software-properties-gtk depends on software-properties-common; however:
  Package software-properties-common is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package software-properties-gtk (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 software-properties-common
 software-properties-gtk

When I tried the next command, sudo apt-get install -f I get this..,

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 17 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/9,370 B of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
dpkg: error processing package software-properties-common (--configure):
 package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should
 reinstall it before attempting configuration
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of software-properties-gtk:
 software-properties-gtk depends on software-properties-common; however:
  Package software-properties-common is not configured yet.
No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.

dpkg: error processing package software-properties-gtk (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 software-properties-common
 software-properties-gtk
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

FYI, don't have synaptic installed

Any Help is greatly appreciated.. Thanks..

Solution

Because the idea in the comment works, here is the answer:

1. To remove an eventually corrupted DEB package

   sudo apt-get clean
   

2. Force the reinstall of the corrupted package

   sudo apt-get install --reinstall software-properties-common
   

   Because that's only a reinstall of a package, no other packages will revive.

Comments

[A.B.]

Try a sudo apt-get clean; sudo apt-get install --reinstall software-properties-common and give me a ping with @A.B. in the comments.

[Byte Commander]

If that does not help, you might try to sudo apt-get purge software-properties-gtk software-properties-common followed by sudo apt-get install software-properties-gtk software-properties-common.

[SELVA]

sudo apt-get clean; sudo apt-get install --reinstall software-properties-common worked!! I also did reinstall software-properties-gtk.. Everything is fine now.. Thanks @A.B. ; Byte Commander

[SELVA]

Sorry A.B. I Have no idea how do I get into this situation :( @A.B. I just came to know when auto-update failed updating the installed packages.

[Sachin Kalia]

Hope you are doing good. I've been confronting an issue while installin .deb package on debian machine. i have tried various way but not able to install it.If i use "sudo dpkg -i HM_snowagent_6.0.0-1_amd64.deb" . it doesn't work and "sudo apt-get install" doesn't work for me. Please advise