root@ubuntu:/home/ss# apt-get -f install minicom
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
lrzsz
The following NEW packages will be installed:
lrzsz minicom
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 139 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/409 kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,503 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? Y
Can't locate auto/POSIX/autosplit.ix in @INC (@INC contains: /etc/perl /usr/local/lib/perl/5.10.1 /usr/local/share/perl/5.10.1 /usr/lib/perl5 /usr/share/perl5 /usr/lib/perl/5.10 /usr/share/perl/5.10 /usr/local/lib/site_perl .) at /usr/share/perl/5.10/AutoLoader.pm line 173.
at /usr/lib/perl/5.10/POSIX.pm line 9
debconf: Perl may be unconfigured (Can't locate loadable object for module POSIX in @INC (@INC contains: /etc/perl /usr/local/lib/perl/5.10.1 /usr/local/share/perl/5.10.1 /usr/lib/perl5 /usr/share/perl5 /usr/lib/perl/5.10 /usr/share/perl/5.10 /usr/local/lib/site_perl .) at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Template.pm line 7
Compilation failed in require at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Template.pm line 7.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Template.pm line 7.
Compilation failed in require at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Question.pm line 8.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Question.pm line 8.
Compilation failed in require at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Config.pm line 7.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Config.pm line 7.
Compilation failed in require at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Log.pm line 10.
Compilation failed in require at (eval 1) line 4.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at (eval 1) line 4.
) -- aborting
Setting up libpam-runtime (1.1.2-2ubuntu8.3) ...
Can't locate auto/POSIX/autosplit.ix in @INC (@INC contains: /etc/perl /usr/local/lib/perl/5.10.1 /usr/local/share/perl/5.10.1 /usr/lib/perl5 /usr/share/perl5 /usr/lib/perl/5.10 /usr/share/perl/5.10 /usr/local/lib/site_perl .) at /usr/share/perl/5.10/AutoLoader.pm line 173.
at /usr/lib/perl/5.10/POSIX.pm line 9
Can't locate loadable object for module POSIX in @INC (@INC contains: /etc/perl /usr/local/lib/perl/5.10.1 /usr/local/share/perl/5.10.1 /usr/lib/perl5 /usr/share/perl5 /usr/lib/perl/5.10 /usr/share/perl/5.10 /usr/local/lib/site_perl .) at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Template.pm line 7
Compilation failed in require at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Template.pm line 7.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Template.pm line 7.
Compilation failed in require at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Question.pm line 8.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Question.pm line 8.
Compilation failed in require at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Config.pm line 7.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Config.pm line 7.
Compilation failed in require at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Log.pm line 10.
Compilation failed in require at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Db.pm line 7.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Db.pm line 7.
Compilation failed in require at /usr/share/debconf/frontend line 6.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at /usr/share/debconf/frontend line 6.
dpkg: error processing libpam-runtime (--configure):
subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2
Errors were encountered while processing:
libpam-runtime
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Apparently you somehow managed to break parts of perl
w/ something you did before trying to install minicom.

I'm moving this over to the ubuntu forum in the hopes
that someone can help you out w/ fixing that.


Cheers,
Tink

The first thing to do when having install problems is to run;
Then run;