I'm running into a strange issue when I run dpkg-reconfigure or apt-get install on a package that needs configuration (ie: postfix). The colors are all messed up in the ncurses window. The problem precisely is that the selection menus and the options in them as well as the text inputs have the same background and foreground color making it impossible to read what is being set up.

I have administered debian boxes in the past and have never seen this issue. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jason

I came across this problem a couple of times as well. Are you using LISH (the console) ?

Nope, ssh in from another nix box.

check your TERM variable, maybe the default is different from other systems?

try TERM=vt100

that's as basic as you can get