apt-get install always fails with "failed to preconfigure, with exit status 1" message

I am having trouble with the apt-get install when attempting to install ANY package. For example:

  dev16:~# apt-get install nedit
  Reading package lists... Done
  Building dependency tree... Done
  You might want to run `apt-get -f install' to correct these:
  The following packages have unmet dependencies:
    kdm: Depends: kdebase-bin (= 4:3.5.5a.dfsg.1-6etch1) but 4:3.5.5a.dfsg.1-6etch2 is to be installed
    nedit: Depends: lesstif2 but it is not going to be installed
  E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).
  dev16:~#

If I try to run "apt-get -f install" to correct I get the following result. I get pretty much same result if I specify kdm or kdebase-bin as the target:

  dev16:~# apt-get -f install
  Reading package lists... Done
  Building dependency tree... Done
  Correcting dependencies... Done
  The following extra packages will be installed:
    kdm
  The following packages will be upgraded:
    kdm
  1 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 3 not upgraded.
  6 not fully installed or removed.
  Need to get 0B/637kB of archives.
  After unpacking 160kB disk space will be freed.
  Do you want to continue [Y/n]? Y
  Preconfiguring packages ...
  kdm failed to preconfigure, with exit status 1
  (Reading database ... 96836 files and directories currently installed.)
  Preparing to replace kdm 4:3.5.5a.dfsg.1-6etch1 (using .../kdm_4%3a3.5.5a.dfsg.1-6etch2_i386.deb) ...
  dpkg: warning - old pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
  dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ...
  dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/kdm_4%3a3.5.5a.dfsg.1-6etch2_i386.deb (--unpack):
   subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
  dpkg: error while cleaning up:
   subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
  Errors were encountered while processing:
   /var/cache/apt/archives/kdm_4%3a3.5.5a.dfsg.1-6etch2_i386.deb
  E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
  dev16:~#

I do not know how to use dselect to fix dependencies but I stepped through a how-to to have it select default packages to update. It came back with "The following packages will be upgraded: kdm sun-java5-bin sun-java5-jre" but with the same errors resulting when it tries to do the update.

I tried running the kdm preconfigure script "/var/lib/dpkg/info/kdm.preinst" and it does return 1 if no argument is specified:

  dev16:~# /var/lib/dpkg/info/kdm.preinst
  preinst called with unknown argument `'
  dev16:~# echo $?
  1
  dev16:~#                                                   

I checked the script and it contains the following:

  ! /bin/sh -e
  case "$1" in
      upgrade)
          rm -f /etc/kde3/debian/kdm-update-menu.sh
          rm -f /etc/kde3/debian/kdm.options
          rm -f /etc/kde3/kdm/pixmaps/XFree86bw.xpm
          rm -f /etc/kde3/kdm/pixmaps/XFree86.xpm
          rm -f /etc/kde3/kdm/Xresources
          rm -f /etc/menu-methods/kdm
      ;;
      install)
      ;;
      abort-upgrade)
      ;;
      *)
          echo "preinst called with unknown argument \`$1'" >&2
          exit 1
      ;;
  esac
  exit 0

Obviously running it with "upgrade" then returns 0:

  dev16:~# /var/lib/dpkg/info/kdm.preinst upgrade
  dev16:~# echo $?
  0
  dev16:~#     

I tried modifying the script to assume upgrade just in case it wasn't receiving the parameter, but still get an error during apt-get. I don't know if it is even running the script because if I remove it entirely it still gives me the same error.

I'm out of ideas on how to fix this. Does anybody have any suggestions as to what I might try or what is causing this error?