#1129469 fails to upgrade when service was disabled

Package:
fetchmail
Source:
fetchmail
Description:
SSL enabled POP3, APOP, IMAP mail gatherer/forwarder
Submitter:
Eduard Bloch
Date:
2026-03-13 12:15:02 UTC
Severity:
normal
#1129469#5
Date:
2026-03-01 21:41:40 UTC
From:
To:
Basically this:

(Reading database ... 824383 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../fetchmail_6.6.2-3_amd64.deb ...
Failed to stop fetchmail.service: Unit fetchmail.service not loaded.
dpkg: warning: old fetchmail package prerm maintainer script subprocess failed with exit status 5
dpkg: trying prerm maintainer script from the new fetchmail package instead ...
Failed to stop fetchmail.service: Unit fetchmail.service not loaded.
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/fetchmail_6.6.2-3_amd64.deb (--unpack):
 new fetchmail package prerm maintainer script subprocess failed with exit status 5
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/fetchmail_6.6.2-3_amd64.deb
needrestart is being skipped since dpkg has failed
Error: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Currently installed version: 6.6.2-2

However:

$ systemctl disable fetchmail
Failed to disable unit: Unit fetchmail.service does not exist
$ systemctl enable fetchmail
Failed to enable unit: Unit fetchmail.service does not exist

$ wc /usr/lib/systemd/user/fetchmail.service
 13  23 288 /usr/lib/systemd/user/fetchmail.service


Best regards,
Eduard.

#1129469#10
Date:
2026-03-13 12:07:14 UTC
From:
To: