Unable to install update-alternatives package

Question

I am setting up my new Ubuntu 15.10 VM. I need to install update-alternatives on it. I ran the command sudo apt-get install update-alternatives, however, I get the following output in the terminal:

Reading package lists... Done 
Building dependency tree 
Reading state information... Done 
E: Unable to locate package update-alternatives

I can install all other packages I've wanted till now, exceptupdate-alternatives. Is this a repo issue? Do I need to add a repo name in the sources? Any suggestions on this will be really helpful.

Solution

You already have update-alternatives; there is nothing to install. Run which update-alternatives to check where it is on your $PATH.

Comments

[Knud Larsen]

/usr/bin/update-alternatives is provided by the package dpkg

[Valencia Serrao]

Yes! got it. It was in /usr/sbin. Thanks!

[Valencia Serrao]

@Knud Larsen.......Thanks for your pointers too

[Valencia Serrao]

I need to confirm one point. "A fresh Ubuntu setup by default has the "update-alternatives" package and there is no need to install it explicitly". Am I right ?

[Knud Larsen]

dpkg is always installed. Else no package handling. packages.ubuntu.com/wily-updates/amd64/dpkg/filelist

[Valencia Serrao]

ok. Thanks, Knud Larsen. That was really helpful!