I have unstable woody (?) installed on my iBook, and I recently tried apt-get upgrading the system (first through synaptic package manager). It didn't successfully install everything, and then I tried rebooting (to see if anything screwed up)...and, sure enough, gdm couldn't load up, nor x. I then tried apt-get upgrade again, but got an error. I tried apt-get -f upgrade (whatever THAT does)...it downloaded everything, and then when it tried to install the packages I got the same error, which is the following:

While processing: /var/cache/apt/archives/libxft-dev-2.1.2.6_powerpc.deb
E: Sup-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

After rebooting, I was able to run Window Manager (through "startx")...but certain programs wouldn't run (like Mozilla).

What the heck's going on? And how can I fix this?

p.s. And every two minutes it tries to run gdm (even with Windowmaker running)...and real pain - how can I temporarily disable that?

"I have unstable woody (?) installed on my iBook"

woody=stable
sarge=testing
sid=unstable

which one is it?
Please take the time and go to www.debian.org and read about Debian's basics

".and I recently tried apt-get upgrading the system (first through synaptic package manager)."

Did you do:
apt-get update
apt-get upgrade

If not, it is not going to work. Please read the APT-HOWTO at:
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/ap.../index.en.html

"It didn't successfully install everything, and then I tried rebooting (to see if anything screwed up)...and, sure enough, gdm couldn't load up, nor x. I then tried apt-get upgrade again, but got an error. I tried apt-get -f upgrade (whatever THAT does)...it downloaded everything, and then when it tried to install the packages I got the same error, which is the following:"
<snip>

apt-get update
apt-get -f install

I know that it's the unstable version...I just couldn't remember if that was woody or not.

And I tried all of those things...when I try apt-get -f install I get the same sort of error...same with apt-get upgrade (even if I apt-get update beforehand).

Update to my problem: I ran "dpkg --configure -a" (I'm not sure what that does...I found this suggestion in a google search). It pulled up two error messages at the end - it couldn't configure "fam" or "gnome-commander" - I don't know how problematic that is. Anyway, after I ran it, gdm and gnome started working again, but I SITLL can't update or install anything (I think I've tried 'apt-get -f install' and 'apt-get upgrade"). I get the same error messages.

I don't know if this is helpful, but here is the entire output I get when I run "apt-get -f install":

Reading Package Lists...
Building Dependency Tree...
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
libxft-dev
The following packages will be upgraded:
libxft-dev
1 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 390 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0B/64.6kB of archives.
After unpacking 4096B disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] (Reading database ... 124828 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace libxft-dev 2.1.2-5 (using .../libxft-dev_2.1.2-6_powerpc.deb) ...
diversion of /usr/X11R6/include/X11/Xft/Xft.h to /usr/X11R6/include/X11/Xft/Xft1.h by libxft-dev
Removing `diversion of /usr/X11R6/include/X11/Xft/Xft.h to /usr/X11R6/include/X11/Xft/Xft1.h by libxft-dev'
dpkg-divert: rename involves overwriting `/usr/X11R6/include/X11/Xft/Xft.h' with
different file `/usr/X11R6/include/X11/Xft/Xft1.h', not allowed
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libxft-dev_2.1.2-6_powerpc.deb (--unpack):
subprocess pre-installation script returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/libxft-dev_2.1.2-6_powerpc.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

It is a reported bug,
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=237509

A solution posted was to (re)move
to /tmp, and then do an
to upgrade the package.

That worked! Thanks a lot!