Error with sudo apt-get -f install (ldconfig not found)

Question

I am using 14.04 LTS. When I type sudo apt-get -f install into the terminal I get this error:

Can't exec "locale": No such file or directory at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Encoding.pm line 16.
Use of uninitialized value $Debconf::Encoding::charmap in scalar chomp at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Encoding.pm line 17.
dpkg: warning: 'ldconfig' not found in PATH or not executable
dpkg: error: 1 expected program not found in PATH or not executable
Note: root's PATH should usually contain /usr/local/sbin, /usr/sbin and /sbin
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)

Please help, thanks.

---

In response to Faizan who said "try executing sudo dpkg-reconfigure -a" in comments. When I tried that I got this message:

Can't exec "locale": No such file or directory at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Encoding.pm line 16.
Use of uninitialized value $Debconf::Encoding::charmap in scalar chomp at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Encoding.pm line 17.
acpid stop/waiting
acpid start/running, process 11426
/var/lib/dpkg/info/activity-log-manager.postinst: 5: /var/lib/dpkg/info/activity-log-manager.postinst: ldconfig: not found

Edit:

Can't exec "locale": No such file or directory at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Encoding.pm line 16.
Use of uninitialized value $Debconf::Encoding::charmap in scalar chomp at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Encoding.pm line 17.
dpkg: warning: 'ldconfig' not found in PATH or not executable
dpkg: error: 1 expected program not found in PATH or not executable
Note: root's PATH should usually contain /usr/local/sbin, /usr/sbin and /sbin
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)

Solution

Try this workaround if it works for you. Make sure you have not activated unstable repos for different releases or pre-released updates but for 14.04 LTS recommended only check in --> system settings/software & updates.

then run:

sudo apt-get -f install

sudo dpkg-reconfigure libc6

sudo dpkg-reconfigure libc-bin

sudo apt-get install --reinstall libc6

sudo apt-get install --reinstall libc-bin

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Other way:

Download libc-bin here e.g.

Then you'll have to extract it:

dpkg -x libc-bin*.deb unpacked/

copy the files to system:

sudo cp unpacked/sbin/ldconfig /sbin/

Or open Nautilus with:

gksudo nautilus

and do this GUI way, right click on a .deb package and choose extract here and copy to destination place.

And then:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall libc-bin

sudo apt-get install -f

Comments

[Jos]

I found a couple of related questions e.g. here. Could you try sudo su and then apt-get -f install as root?

[enduser]

Still doesn't work, sorry.

[Faizan Akram Dar]

try executing sudo dpkg-reconfigure -a

[enduser]

Didn't work either, message returned in edit above.

[JoKeR]

when this started to happen? it seems like you got unstable repos activated or from other uncompatible release.

[enduser]

I am not sure when this stated to happen. I foolishly downloaded multiple packages without really thinking. Is there a way I can have a look at all the repos I disable the latest one or something like that?

[enduser]

Still won't work, sorry.

[enduser]

It's saying the files don't exist.

[JoKeR]

can you show me the output for apt-cache policy libc-bin

[enduser]

Sorry it's an image, I couldn't format it on the site. imgur.com/kpipX5d

[JoKeR]

ok and you have to install it like it says in my answer if you don't have it at all. Did you do so? And when you have installed it also do apt-cache policy libc6 it has to be installed also.

[enduser]

when I do sudo apt-get -f install it comes up with the first error in the my question. When I try to reconfigure the files in step 2 & 3 it says those files do not exist.

[JoKeR]

run sudo apt-get install libc-bin and show me the output please

[enduser]

E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)

[enduser]

Full message in EDIT 2.

[enduser]

I can't install a package installer because each time I try to install something it comes up with the unmet dependencies error. When I just open it Ubuntu Software Centre it says it cannot install because of a problem with software currently installed. It tries, and fails, to repair the current software.

[JoKeR]

check my updated answer

[JoKeR]

I'm glad we solved this. Good luck!