Comment 3 for bug 1280183

Just so it's obvious what is happening:

# apt-get -y upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages will be upgraded:
  libgcc1
1 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 0 to remove and 0 not to upgrade.
Need to get 0 B/1,286 B of archives.
After this operation, 100 kB disk space will be freed.
(Reading database ... 54392 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libgcc1_1%3a4.9-20140213-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libgcc1:amd64 (1:4.9-20140213-0ubuntu1) over (1:4.8.2-15ubuntu3) ...
Setting up libgcc1:amd64 (1:4.9-20140213-0ubuntu1) ...

# apt-get update
apt-get: error while loading shared libraries: libgcc_s.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

# ls -al /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgcc_s.so.1
ls: cannot access /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgcc_s.so.1: No such file or directory

# dpkg -i libgcc1_4.8.2-15ubuntu3_amd64.deb
dpkg: warning: downgrading libgcc1:amd64 from 1:4.9-20140213-0ubuntu1 to 1:4.8.2-15ubuntu3
(Reading database ... 54391 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack libgcc1_4.8.2-15ubuntu3_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libgcc1:amd64 (1:4.8.2-15ubuntu3) over (1:4.9-20140213-0ubuntu1) ...
Setting up libgcc1:amd64 (1:4.8.2-15ubuntu3) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.18-0ubuntu6) ...

# ls -al /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgcc_s.so.1
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 88408 Feb 12 02:18 /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgcc_s.so.1

# apt-get update
Ign http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com trusty InRelease
Ign http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates InRelease
Ign http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-security InRelease
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com trusty Release.gpg
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates Release.gpg
...... etc.