/etc/mailcap formatting error

TheOneKEA · 02-19-2007, 02:43 PM

Whenever I perform a major system update using apt-get, I have noticed the following error (or a variant thereof) appearing during the package configuration phase:

Code:

Error: '/etc/mailcap' is not in required format -- not updated
       Restore from backup or delete and re-install mime-support package

I attempted to reinstall the mime-support package using apt-get --reinstall install mime-support but got the same error message. Uninstalling mime-support would delete most of my window manager, office tools and other major system programs, so is there a less invasive way of fixing this problem?

unSpawn · 02-20-2007, 09:35 AM

Backup /etc/mailcap, download and unpack "mime-support" package, replace /etc/mailcap?

nx5000 · 02-20-2007, 11:57 AM

Yep, and
If you have done apt-get --reinstall install mime-support
Then you have the package in /var/cache/apt/archives/
so:

Code:

cd /tmp
mkdir mime
cd mime
dpkg -x /var/cache/apt/archives/mime-support*.deb
as root:
cp /tmp/etc/mailcap /etc/mailcap

edit: not using ar but dpkg

TheOneKEA · 02-21-2007, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nx5000

Yep, and
If you have done apt-get --reinstall install mime-support
Then you have the package in /var/cache/apt/archives/
so:

Code:

cd /tmp
mkdir mime
cd mime
dpkg -x /var/cache/apt/archives/mime-support*.deb
as root:
cp /tmp/etc/mailcap /etc/mailcap

edit: not using ar but dpkg

mime-support-3.39-1 doesn't have a mailcap file - it has mailcap.order; does this file need to be postprocessed?

nx5000 · 02-21-2007, 12:09 PM

True.

I looked at it and yes, you have to put the /etc/mailcap.order and then launch as root:
update-mime

TheOneKEA · 02-22-2007, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nx5000

True.

I looked at it and yes, you have to put the /etc/mailcap.order and then launch as root:
update-mime

I tried that, and got the same error message as above.

nx5000 · 02-22-2007, 07:55 AM

Arggg!

Do you have a /etc/mime-type ?
You get the error when you use update-mime or just after when using apt-get or anything?

Did update-mime recreate the /etc/mailcap?

Otherwise I send you my mailcap