Error by every rpm install with pre/post install/uninstall scripts:scriptlet failed, exit status 255

[Roberto GASPARI]

Dear All,

we installed redhat ES 4 on our Dell PowerEdge 2850, by downloading the
official ISO cds from redhat network. We then did a whole system update
using official up2date. Done this, it seems that every official rpm package
installation, de-installation fails during the execution of the pre-install,
post-install scripts:

[root at sulx01 ~]# rpm -evv mysql-server-4.1.7-4.RHEL4.1
D: opening  db environment /var/lib/rpm/Packages joinenv
D: opening  db index       /var/lib/rpm/Packages rdonly mode=0x0
D: locked   db index       /var/lib/rpm/Packages
D: opening  db index       /var/lib/rpm/Name rdonly mode=0x0
D: opening  db index       /var/lib/rpm/Pubkeys rdonly mode=0x0
D:  read h#     645 Header sanity check: OK
D: ========== DSA pubkey id 219180cddb42a60e
D:  read h#     468 Header V3 DSA signature: OK, key ID db42a60e
D: ========== --- mysql-server-4.1.7-4.RHEL4.1 x86_64/linux 0x2
D: opening  db index       /var/lib/rpm/Requirename rdonly mode=0x0
D: closed   db index       /var/lib/rpm/Pubkeys
D: closed   db index       /var/lib/rpm/Requirename
D: closed   db index       /var/lib/rpm/Name
D: closed   db index       /var/lib/rpm/Packages
D: closed   db environment /var/lib/rpm/Packages
D: opening  db environment /var/lib/rpm/Packages joinenv
D: opening  db index       /var/lib/rpm/Packages create mode=0x42
D: mounted filesystems:
D:     i    dev bsize       bavail       iavail mount point
			[...]
D: sanity checking 1 elements
D: computing 54 file fingerprints
D: computing file dispositions
D: opening  db index       /var/lib/rpm/Basenames create mode=0x42
D:  read h#     258 Header V3 DSA signature: OK, key ID db42a60e
D:  read h#     267 Header V3 DSA signature: OK, key ID db42a60e
D:  read h#     298 Header V3 DSA signature: OK, key ID db42a60e
D:  read h#     896 Header V3 DSA signature: OK, key ID db42a60e
D: ========== --- mysql-server-4.1.7-4.RHEL4.1 x86_64-linux 0x2
D:     erase: mysql-server-4.1.7-4.RHEL4.1 has 54 files, test = 0
D: opening  db index       /var/lib/rpm/Name create mode=0x42
D:  read h#     468 Header V3 DSA signature: OK, key ID db42a60e
D: opening  db index       /var/lib/rpm/Triggername create mode=0x42
D:     erase: %preun(mysql-server-4.1.7-4.RHEL4.1.x86_64) asynchronous
scriptlet start
D:     erase: %preun(mysql-server-4.1.7-4.RHEL4.1.x86_64)
execv(/bin/sh) pid 7405
D:     erase: waitpid(7405) rc 7405 status ff00 secs 0.000
error: %preun(mysql-server-4.1.7-4.RHEL4.1.x86_64) scriptlet failed, exit
status 255
D: closed   db index       /var/lib/rpm/Triggername
D: closed   db index       /var/lib/rpm/Basenames
D: closed   db index       /var/lib/rpm/Name
D: closed   db index       /var/lib/rpm/Packages
D: closed   db environment /var/lib/rpm/Packages

I was able to remove that package only with the command:
rpm -e --noscripts, but this isn't good at all!

If I try to install the newest version of the same pkg I always get this
"scriptlet failed, exit status 255".
[root at sulx01 My Downloads]# rpm -i mysql-server-4.1.10a-1.RHEL4.1.x86_64.rpm
error: %pre(mysql-server-4.1.10a-1.RHEL4.1.x86_64) scriptlet failed, exit
status 255
error:   install: %pre scriptlet failed (2), skipping
mysql-server-4.1.10a-1.RHEL4.1

Any ideas how to solve/investigate this?
Many thanks.
BR/Roberto