Ubuntu

problem that seemed to stump everybody

Asked by redmike

my update manager hasn't worked for several weeks after producing this error message. No one seems to be able to help so I will post again in hope...

'E:Encountered a section with no Package: header, E:Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/gb.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_jaunty_restricted_binary-i386_Packages, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.'

Many thanks, Mike

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actionparsnip
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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

If you run:

sudo apt-get update

Does it make the error vanish?

If you change server using software sources does it help?

Revision history for this message
redmike (xair) said : 		#2

No it produces the following error, thanks for your attempt, Mike

Get: 1 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty Release.gpg [189B]
Get: 2 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/main Translation-en_GB [52.6kB]
Get: 3 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security Release.gpg [198B]
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main Translation-en_GB
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/restricted Translation-en_GB
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/universe Translation-en_GB
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/multiverse Translation-en_GB
Get: 4 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security Release [57.9kB]
Get: 5 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/restricted Translation-en_GB [4640B]
Get: 6 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/universe Translation-en_GB [35.2kB]
Get: 7 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/multiverse Translation-en_GB [47.5kB]
Get: 8 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty Release [74.6kB]
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/main Packages
Get: 9 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main Packages [243kB]
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/restricted Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/main Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/restricted Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/universe Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/universe Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/multiverse Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/multiverse Sources
Get: 10 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/restricted Packages [2590B]
Get: 11 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main Sources [131kB]
Get: 12 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/restricted Sources [693B]
Get: 13 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/universe Packages [118kB]
Get: 14 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/universe Sources [45.3kB]
Get: 15 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/multiverse Packages [2001B]
Get: 16 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/multiverse Sources [653B]
Fetched 816kB in 7s (105kB/s)
Reading package lists... Error!
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/gb.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_jaunty_restricted_binary-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#3

sudo dpkg clear-avail
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt-get -f install
sudo apt-get --fix-missing install
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get autoremove
sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/status /var/lib/dpkg/status-old
sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status-old /var/lib/dpkg/status-old
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

Revision history for this message
redmike (xair) said : 		#4

This produced the following error

sudo dpkg clear-avail
dpkg: need an action option

Type dpkg --help for help about installing and deinstalling packages [*];
Use `dselect' or `aptitude' for user-friendly package management;
Type dpkg -Dhelp for a list of dpkg debug flag values;
Type dpkg --force-help for a list of forcing options;
Type dpkg-deb --help for help about manipulating *.deb files;
Type dpkg --license|--licence for copyright licence and lack of warranty (GNU GPL) [*].

Options marked [*] produce a lot of output - pipe it through `less' or `more' !

its probably me being a bit thick, too many grey hairs etc. Mike

Revision history for this message
Best actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#5

Try the rest of the commands, also try this:

sudo cp -arf /var/lib/dpkg /var/lib/dpkg.backup
sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status-old /var/lib/dpkg/status
sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/available-old /var/lib/dpkg/available
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/dpkg/updates/*
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists
sudo mkdir /var/lib/apt/lists
sudo mkdir /var/lib/apt/lists/partial
LANG=C;sudo aptitude clean
LANG=C;sudo aptitude autoclean
LANG=C;sudo apt-get update
sudo dpkg --clear-avail
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo aptitude reinstall gzip
LANG=C;sudo aptitude install -f
LANG=C;sudo aptitude update
LANG=C;sudo aptitude dist-upgrade

Revision history for this message
Sam_ (and-sam) said : 		#6

Just for the record, it's always regarding jaunty, jaunty, jaunty.
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/88949

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/PackageManagerTroubleshootingProcedure

Revision history for this message
redmike (xair) said : 		#7

Hi thanks for your help - i had had enough last night at 2:30 am. Tried the first method again tonight - mucho errors so gave up. The second method seemed to go ok, when got to the sudo apt get update the no entry sign disappeared and package update window appeared. Carried on with terminal entry code and update was roughly same size as the auto windowed one. Produced a couple of dodgy "stopping" messages during update but so far it seems to be working as it should. I've relaunched firefox and still no error messages, so i am going to warmly thank you (I hope I am not tempting fate by being premature) for your efforts. Much appreciated, I know roughly what went wrong and what the instructions did to rectify it, but nowadays solving things like that are beyond me, I can manage html code and thats about it!! Mike

Revision history for this message
redmike (xair) said : 		#8

Thanks actionparsnip, that solved my question.