Package problems - how to resolve?

Asked by Jens Bremmekamp

Running an up to date Luna Beta2 where I'm running into major package resolve problems since today.

Yesterday apt-get told me about a whole bunch of packages that could be "safely removed". Made sense, since I recently installed and removed a bunch of apps for MP3 tagging, so there where bound to be unneeded packages on my system.

Ran apt-get autoremove.

Today I started Skype and noticed it not having it's usual nicely integrated appearance but sporting the default style. Quick research showed the problem most likely to be ia32-libs missing.

Now on trying to install that package I get
_

$ sudo apt-get install ia32-libs
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 ia32-libs : Depends: ia32-libs-multiarch
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

_
Now of course I can add the unmet dependencies to the install command, which iteratively gets me as far as:
_

$ sudo apt-get install ia32-libs ia32-libs-multiarch gstreamer0.10-plugins-good:i386 gvfs:i386 libgudev-1.0-0:i386 libudev0:i386 libcanberra-gtk-module:i386 libgphoto2-2:i386 libqt4-opengl:i386 libqt4-qt3support:i386 libqt4-scripttools:i386 libqt4-svg:i386 libqtgui4:i386 libqtwebkit4:i386 libsane:i386 libsdl-mixer1.2:i386 libxaw7:i386 xaw3dg:i386 bluez-alsa:i386 libxt6:i386 usbmuxd libudev0
Reading package lists... Done
(...)
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 libgudev-1.0-0 : Breaks: libgudev-1.0-0:i386 (!= 1:175-0ubuntu9.4) but 1:175-0ubuntu9.3 is to be installed
 libgudev-1.0-0:i386 : Breaks: libgudev-1.0-0 (!= 1:175-0ubuntu9.3) but 1:175-0ubuntu9.4 is to be installed
 libudev0 : Breaks: libudev0:i386 (!= 175-0ubuntu9.4) but 175-0ubuntu9.3 is to be installed
 libudev0:i386 : Breaks: libudev0 (!= 175-0ubuntu9.3) but 175-0ubuntu9.4 is to be installed
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.

_
FYI, I don't have any held packages. "dpkg --get-selections | grep hold" comes up empty.

What to do? Beyond the ugly look of Skype I fear for some reason the whole system might be in a state where the whole package structure becomes instable.

More information:

The packages I autoremoved:
_

2013-07-22 17:33:10 remove ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu36 <none>
2013-07-22 17:33:10 remove ia32-libs-multiarch:i386 20090808ubuntu36 <none>
2013-07-22 17:33:10 remove gstreamer0.10-plugins-good:i386 0.10.31-1ubuntu1.2 <none>
2013-07-22 17:33:10 remove gvfs:i386 1.12.1-0ubuntu1.2 <none>
2013-07-22 17:33:11 remove libgudev-1.0-0:i386 1:175-0ubuntu9.3 <none>
2013-07-22 17:33:11 remove libudev0:i386 175-0ubuntu9.3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:39 startup packages remove
2013-07-25 18:53:39 remove bluez-alsa:i386 4.98-2ubuntu7 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:40 remove libesd0:i386 0.2.41-10build3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:40 remove esound-common 0.2.41-10build3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:40 remove gir1.2-ubuntuoneui-3.0 3.0.1-0ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:40 remove libsoup-gnome2.4-1:i386 2.38.1-1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:40 remove libsoup2.4-1:i386 2.38.1-1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:40 remove glib-networking:i386 2.32.1-1ubuntu2 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:40 remove gstreamer0.10-x:i386 0.10.36-1ubuntu0.1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:41 remove gtk2-engines:i386 1:2.20.2-1ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:41 remove gtk2-engines-murrine:i386 0.98.2-0ubuntu1+elementary2~precise1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:41 remove gtk2-engines-oxygen:i386 1.2.2-0ubuntu1.1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:41 remove gtk2-engines-pixbuf:i386 2.24.10-0ubuntu6 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:41 remove gvfs-libs:i386 1.12.1-0ubuntu1.2 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:41 remove ibus-gtk:i386 1.4.1-3ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:42 remove kde-l10n-engb 4:4.8.5-0ubuntu0.1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:42 remove libaa1:i386 1.4p5-39ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:42 remove libaio1:i386 0.3.109-2ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:42 remove libao4:i386 1.1.0-1ubuntu2 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:42 remove libao-common 1.1.0-1ubuntu2 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:42 remove libaudiofile1:i386 0.3.3-2 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:42 remove libavc1394-0:i386 0.5.3-1ubuntu2 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:43 remove libsdl-ttf2.0-0:i386 2.0.9-1.1ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:43 remove libsdl-net1.2:i386 1.2.7-5 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:43 remove libsdl-mixer1.2:i386 1.2.11-7 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:43 remove libsdl-image1.2:i386 1.2.10-3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:43 remove libsdl1.2debian:i386 1.2.14-6.4ubuntu3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:43 remove libcaca0:i386 0.99.beta17-2.1ubuntu2 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:43 remove libcairo-gobject2:i386 1.10.2-6.1ubuntu3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:44 remove libcanberra-gtk-module:i386 0.28-3ubuntu3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:44 remove libcanberra-gtk0:i386 0.28-3ubuntu3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:44 remove libcanberra0:i386 0.28-3ubuntu3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:44 remove libcap2:i386 1:2.22-1ubuntu3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:44 remove libcupsimage2:i386 1.5.3-0ubuntu8 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:44 remove libcurl3:i386 7.22.0-3ubuntu4.2 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:45 remove libdb4.8 4.8.30-11ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:45 remove libgconf-2-4:i386 3.2.5-0ubuntu2 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:45 remove libdbus-glib-1-2:i386 0.98-1ubuntu1.1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:45 remove libdv4:i386 1.0.0-3ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:45 remove libgail-common:i386 2.24.10-0ubuntu6 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:45 remove libgail18:i386 2.24.10-0ubuntu6 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:45 remove libgdbm3:i386 1.8.3-10 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:46 remove libgnome-keyring0:i386 3.2.2-2 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:46 remove libibus-1.0-0:i386 1.4.1-3ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:46 remove libidn11:i386 1.23-2 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:46 remove libiec61883-0:i386 1.2.0-0.1ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:46 remove libmad0:i386 0.15.1b-7ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:47 remove libmikmod2:i386 3.1.12-2 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:47 remove libnss3:i386 3.14.3-0ubuntu0.12.04.1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:47 remove libnspr4:i386 4.9.5-0ubuntu0.12.04.1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:47 remove libodbc1:i386 2.2.14p2-5ubuntu3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:47 remove libproxy1:i386 0.4.7-0ubuntu4.1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:47 remove libpulse-mainloop-glib0:i386 1:1.1-0ubuntu15.3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:47 remove libpulsedsp:i386 1:1.1-0ubuntu15.3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:48 remove libqt4-qt3support:i386 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.4+elementary5~precise1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:48 remove libqt4-designer:i386 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.4+elementary5~precise1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:48 remove libqt4-opengl:i386 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.4+elementary5~precise1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:48 remove libqt4-scripttools:i386 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.4+elementary5~precise1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:48 remove libqt4-svg:i386 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.4+elementary5~precise1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:48 remove libqt4-test:i386 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.4+elementary5~precise1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:49 remove libraw1394-11:i386 2.0.7-1ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:49 remove librtmp0:i386 2.4~20110711.gitc28f1bab-1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:49 remove libshout3:i386 2.2.2-7ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:49 remove libspeex1:i386 1.2~rc1-3ubuntu2 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:49 remove libssl0.9.8:i386 0.9.8o-7ubuntu3.1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:49 remove libstdc++5:i386 1:3.3.6-25ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:49 remove libubuntuoneui-3.0-1 3.0.1-0ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:50 remove libsyncdaemon-1.0-1 3.0.2-0ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:50 remove libtag1c2a:i386 1.7-1ubuntu5 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:50 remove libtag1-vanilla:i386 1.7-1ubuntu5 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:50 remove libtdb1:i386 1.2.9-4 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:50 remove libvorbisfile3:i386 1.3.2-1ubuntu3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:50 remove libwavpack1:i386 4.60.1-2 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:51 remove libxaw7:i386 2:1.0.9-3ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:51 remove xaw3dg:i386 1.5+E-18.1ubuntu1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:51 remove libxmu6:i386 2:1.1.0-3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:51 remove libxp6:i386 1:1.0.1-2ubuntu0.12.04.1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:51 remove libxtst6:i386 2:1.2.0-4ubuntu0.1 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:51 remove odbcinst1debian2:i386 2.2.14p2-5ubuntu3 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:52 remove language-pack-kde-en-base 1:12.04+20130128 <none>
2013-07-25 18:53:52 remove language-pack-kde-en 1:12.04+20130128 <none>

_
My package sources:
_

/etc/apt/sources.list:deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise main restricted
/etc/apt/sources.list:deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise restricted main multiverse universe #Added by software-properties
/etc/apt/sources.list:deb http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates restricted main
/etc/apt/sources.list:deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise universe
/etc/apt/sources.list:deb http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates universe
/etc/apt/sources.list:deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise multiverse
/etc/apt/sources.list:deb http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates multiverse
/etc/apt/sources.list:deb http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-backports restricted main multiverse universe
/etc/apt/sources.list:deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu precise partner
/etc/apt/sources.list:deb http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list:deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-security restricted main multiverse universe
/etc/apt/sources.list:deb http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-proposed restricted main multiverse universe
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/alexmurray-indicator-sensors-precise.list:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/alexmurray/indicator-sensors/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/alexmurray-indicator-sensors-precise.list.save:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/alexmurray/indicator-sensors/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/dominik-stadler-subversion-1_7-precise.list:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/dominik-stadler/subversion-1.7/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/dominik-stadler-subversion-1_7-precise.list:deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/dominik-stadler/subversion-1.7/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/dominik-stadler-subversion-1_7-precise.list.save:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/dominik-stadler/subversion-1.7/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/dominik-stadler-subversion-1_7-precise.list.save:deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/dominik-stadler/subversion-1.7/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/ehoover-compholio-precise.list:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ehoover/compholio/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/ehoover-compholio-precise.list:deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/ehoover/compholio/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/ehoover-compholio-precise.list.save:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ehoover/compholio/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/ehoover-compholio-precise.list.save:deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/ehoover/compholio/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/elementary.list:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/elementary-os/daily/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/elementary.list.save:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/elementary-os/daily/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/git-core-ppa-precise.list:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/git-core/ppa/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/git-core-ppa-precise.list:deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/git-core/ppa/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/git-core-ppa-precise.list.save:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/git-core/ppa/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/git-core-ppa-precise.list.save:deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/git-core/ppa/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/linrunner-tlp-precise.list:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/linrunner/tlp/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/linrunner-tlp-precise.list.save:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/linrunner/tlp/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/otto-kesselgulasch-gimp-precise.list:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/otto-kesselgulasch/gimp/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/otto-kesselgulasch-gimp-precise.list:deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/otto-kesselgulasch/gimp/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/otto-kesselgulasch-gimp-precise.list.save:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/otto-kesselgulasch/gimp/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/otto-kesselgulasch-gimp-precise.list.save:deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/otto-kesselgulasch/gimp/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/patches.list:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/elementary-os/os-patches/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/patches.list.save:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/elementary-os/os-patches/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/spotify.list:deb http://repository.spotify.com stable non-free
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/spotify.list.save:deb http://repository.spotify.com stable non-free
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/steam.list:deb http://repo.steampowered.com/steam/ precise steam
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/steam.list.save:deb http://repo.steampowered.com/steam/ precise steam
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/tualatrix-ppa-precise.list:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/tualatrix/ppa/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/tualatrix-ppa-precise.list.save:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/tualatrix/ppa/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu-x-swat-x-updates-precise.list:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu-x-swat-x-updates-precise.list.save:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates/ubuntu precise main

_
Input much appreciated!

Edit: maybe there is some sort of meta package (like ubuntu-desktop on a clean Ubuntu machine) I could install to reach a defined, clean "elementary os state"?

Edit2: reinstalled elementary-desktop via apt-get install --reinstall, but that didn't add or remove anything new.

Question information

Language:
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Status:
Solved
For:
elementary OS Edit question
Assignee:
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Solved by:
Jens Bremmekamp
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
Jens Bremmekamp (nem75) said :
#1

Solved!

After quite some researching I was able to find help in a Google cached page of the currently inactive Ubuntu forums. Turns out my apt package lists where corrupted. Steps to fix it:

cd /var/lib/apt
sudo rm -rf lists
sudo mkdir -p lists/partial
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get update

Then the packages which were not installable before (in my case ia32-libs, in your case it might be anything else) can be installed as usual.

Oh, and Skype also looks integrated again. :)