Whenever I try to apt-get install something or use the Synaptic Package Manager to install / uninstall something, I have to wait for > 10 minutes and the following report is generated:

(Reading database ... 146959 files and directories currently installed.)

Removing multitail ...

Processing triggers for man-db ...



Setting up linux-image-2.6.32-41-generic (2.6.32-41.94) ...

Running depmod.

update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-41-generic

Running postinst hook script /usr/sbin/update-grub.

Generating grub.cfg ...

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-45-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-45-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-43-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-43-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-42-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-42-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-41-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-41-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic

Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin

done

Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.

run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 2.6.32-41-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-41-generic

run-parts: failed to exec /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms: Exec format error

run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms exited with return code 1

Failed to process /etc/kernel/postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-2.6.32-41-generic.postinst line 1003.

dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.32-41-generic (--configure):

 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2



Setting up linux-image-2.6.32-42-generic (2.6.32-42.96) ...

Running depmod.

update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-42-generic

Running postinst hook script /usr/sbin/update-grub.

Generating grub.cfg ...

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-45-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-45-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-43-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-43-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-42-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-42-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-41-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-41-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic

Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin

done

Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.

run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 2.6.32-42-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-42-generic

run-parts: failed to exec /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms: Exec format error

run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms exited with return code 1

Failed to process /etc/kernel/postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-2.6.32-42-generic.postinst line 1003.

dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.32-42-generic (--configure):

 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2



Setting up linux-image-2.6.32-43-generic (2.6.32-43.97) ...

Running depmod.

update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-43-generic

Running postinst hook script /usr/sbin/update-grub.

Generating grub.cfg ...

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-45-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-45-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-43-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-43-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-42-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-42-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-41-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-41-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic

Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin

done

Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.

run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 2.6.32-43-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-43-generic

run-parts: failed to exec /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms: Exec format error

run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms exited with return code 1

Failed to process /etc/kernel/postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-2.6.32-43-generic.postinst line 1003.

dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.32-43-generic (--configure):

 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2



Setting up linux-image-2.6.32-45-generic (2.6.32-45.102) ...

Running depmod.

update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-45-generic



Running postinst hook script /usr/sbin/update-grub.

Generating grub.cfg ...

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-45-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-45-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-43-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-43-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-42-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-42-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-41-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-41-generic

Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic

Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic

Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin

done

Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.

run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 2.6.32-45-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-45-generic

run-parts: failed to exec /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms: Exec format error

run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms exited with return code 1

Failed to process /etc/kernel/postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-image-2.6.32-45-generic.postinst line 1003.

dpkg: error processing linux-image-2.6.32-45-generic (--configure):

 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2



dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-generic:

 linux-image-generic depends on linux-image-2.6.32-45-generic; however:

  Package linux-image-2.6.32-45-generic is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing linux-image-generic (--configure):

 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-generic:

 linux-generic depends on linux-image-generic (= 2.6.32.45.52); however:

  Package linux-image-generic is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing linux-generic (--configure):

 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

Setting up linux-headers-2.6.32-45-generic (2.6.32-45.102) ...



No apport report written because MaxReports has already been reached

No apport report written because MaxReports has already been reached

No apport report written because MaxReports has already been reached



Examining /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d.



run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d/dkms 2.6.32-45-generic /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-45-generic

run-parts: failed to exec /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d/dkms: Exec format error

run-parts: /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d/dkms exited with return code 1



Failed to process /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d at /var/lib/dpkg/info/linux-headers-2.6.32-45-generic.postinst line 110.



dpkg: error processing linux-headers-2.6.32-45-generic (--configure):

 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2



dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-headers-generic:

 linux-headers-generic depends on linux-headers-2.6.32-45-generic; however:

  Package linux-headers-2.6.32-45-generic is not configured yet.



dpkg: error processing linux-headers-generic (--configure):

 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured



No apport report written because MaxReports has already been reached

No apport report written because MaxReports has already been reached



Errors were encountered while processing:

 linux-image-2.6.32-41-generic

 linux-image-2.6.32-42-generic

 linux-image-2.6.32-43-generic

 linux-image-2.6.32-45-generic

 linux-image-generic

 linux-generic

 linux-headers-2.6.32-45-generic

 linux-headers-generic

E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

There's a great delay whenever this line is shown:

update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-XXX-generic

...where XXX in my case takes values from 41 to 45.

My uname -srv reports:

Linux 2.6.32-45-generic #102-Ubuntu SMP Wed Jan 2 21:53:06 UTC 2013

I've tried sudo apt-get install -f but it did not solve my issue.

I don't know if it helps but the final dialog box that Synaptic package manager shows whenever a package is removed or added is:

E: linux-image-2.6.32-41-generic: subprocess installed post-installation script     returned error exit status 2

E: linux-image-2.6.32-42-generic: subprocess installed post-installation script     returned error exit status 2

E: linux-image-2.6.32-43-generic: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2

E: linux-image-2.6.32-45-generic: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 2

E: linux-image-generic: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

E: linux-generic: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

E: linux-headers-2.6.32-45-generic: subprocess installed post-installation script     returned error exit status 2

E: linux-headers-generic: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

Oh, and I'm on Ubuntu 10.04LTS.

@Wolfer: The command outputs the following:

> dpkg -l | grep linux-header

ii  linux-headers-2.6.32-45              2.6.32-45.102                                       Header files related to Linux kernel version

iF  linux-headers-2.6.32-45-generic      2.6.32-45.102                                   Linux kernel headers for version 2.6.32 on x

iU  linux-headers-generic                2.6.32.45.52                                    Generic Linux kernel headers

I'm not a power user (yet? :)) This VM was given to me from work and I was simply trying to "tidy up" / personalise. No idea when this was created (year ago? Maybe more?).

dpkg -l | grep linux-image reports the following:

> dpkg -l | grep linux-image

pi  linux-image-2.6.32-21-generic        2.6.32-21.32       Linux kernel image for version 2.6.32 on x86

iF  linux-image-2.6.32-41-generic        2.6.32-41.94       Linux kernel image for version 2.6.32 on x86

iF  linux-image-2.6.32-42-generic        2.6.32-42.96       Linux kernel image for version 2.6.32 on x86

iF  linux-image-2.6.32-43-generic        2.6.32-43.97       Linux kernel image for version 2.6.32 on x86

iF  linux-image-2.6.32-45-generic        2.6.32-45.102      Linux kernel image for version 2.6.32 on x86

iU  linux-image-generic                  2.6.32.45.52       Generic Linux kernel image

@Wolfer: apt-get install linux-generic gives me:

[sudo] password for ubuntu: 

Reading package lists... Done

Building dependency tree       

Reading state information... Done

linux-generic is already the newest version.

0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 18 not upgraded.

8 not fully installed or removed.

After this operation, 0B of additional disk space will be used.

...and then the same thing all over again, it starts with:

Setting up linux-image-2.6.32-41-generic (2.6.32-41.94) ...

Running depmod.

update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-41-generic

... and on and on ...