package libqtcore4 (not installed) failed to install/upgrade: trying to overwrite shared '/etc/xdg/Trolltech.conf', which is different from other instances of package libqtcore4:i386

mv /etc/xdg/Trolltech.conf /etc/xdg/Trolltech.conf.old
and reinstall ia32libs and skype.

all ok :)

Thaaaaaanks!

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

Despite this bug is quite old, it is still encountered on latest LTS : 14.04.4

Here is the log on Xubuntu 14.04.4 :

$ LANG=C sudo apt-get install -f
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  linux-headers-3.16.0-60 linux-headers-3.16.0-60-generic
  linux-image-3.16.0-60-generic linux-image-extra-3.16.0-60-generic
  linux-signed-image-3.16.0-60-generic
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
  libqtcore4
Suggested packages:
  libicu48
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libqtcore4
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 12 not upgraded.
124 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/1 555 kB of archives.
After this operation, 5 174 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
debconf: delaying package configuration, since apt-utils is not installed
(Reading database ... 203111 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libqtcore4_4%3a4.8.5+git192-g085f851+dfsg-2ubuntu4.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libqtcore4:amd64 (4:4.8.5+git192-g085f851+dfsg-2ubuntu4.1) ...
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/libqtcore4_4%3a4.8.5+git192-g085f851+dfsg-2ubuntu4.1_amd64.deb (--unpack):
 trying to overwrite shared '/etc/xdg/Trolltech.conf', which is different from other instances of package libqtcore4:amd64
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/libqtcore4_4%3a4.8.5+git192-g085f851+dfsg-2ubuntu4.1_amd64.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

guys I use this

mv /etc/xdg/Trolltech.conf /etc/xdg/Trolltech.conf.old

and $ sudo apt-get -f install

that works for me

Thanks

google only finds a bunch of bug reports for "failed to install/upgrade: trying to overwrite shared" but no explanation.

bug 1533780
bug 1574351
bug 1279192
bug 1490282
bug 1290155
bug 1464735
bug 1471677

Could be an issue of a missing "Replaces"-declaration somewhere. Possibly related to multiarch, too. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/icedtea-web/+bug/1471677/comments/3 strongly suggests this.

I was with the same problem and
with these commands it was solved:

$ sudo mv /etc/xdg/Trolltech.conf /etc/xdg/Trolltech.conf.old
$ sudo apt-get -f install

Thank you very much, Haroldo Ramirez...