Update mamanger asks me to report a problem, but does not tell me how

Asked by David Holdsworth

Could not initialise the package information

An unresolvable problem occurred while initialising the package information.

Please report this bug for the 'update-manager' package and try to include the following error message:

'E:Problem parsing dependency Replaces, E:Error occurred while processing ppp (NewVersion1), E:Problem with MergeList /var/lib/dpkg/status, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.'
----------------------------------------
I got the above after I did the following:

I ran update manager, and got an error, which told me to repeat with apt-get, which gave an error (see below) and when I clicked the red circle in the top panel, I got the error above. So I am hoping that this is the right way to report it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
root@vaio:/home/ecldh/cycling# apt-get update
Get: 1 http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security Release.gpg [198B]
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main Translation-en_GB
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/universe Translation-en_GB
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/multiverse Translation-en_GB
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ lucid/partner Translation-en_GB
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid Release.gpg
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main Translation-en_GB
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/universe Translation-en_GB
Get: 2 http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security Release [57.3kB]
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid Release
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/multiverse Translation-en_GB
Get: 3 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates Release.gpg [198B]
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main Translation-en_GB
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/universe Translation-en_GB
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/multiverse Translation-en_GB
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid Release
Get: 4 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates Release [58.3kB]
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid/partner Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/universe Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/universe Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/multiverse Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/multiverse Sources
Get: 5 http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/main Packages [500kB]
Get: 6 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/main Packages [701kB]
Get: 7 http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/main Sources [238kB]
Get: 8 http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/universe Packages [147kB]
Get: 9 http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/universe Sources [46.7kB]
Get: 10 http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/multiverse Packages [5,366B]
Get: 11 http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/multiverse Sources [2,347B]
Get: 12 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/main Sources [332kB]
Get: 13 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/universe Packages [295kB]
Get: 14 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/universe Sources [110kB]
Get: 15 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/multiverse Packages [11.5kB]
Get: 16 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/multiverse Sources [5,817B]
Fetched 2,511kB in 5s (445kB/s)
Reading package lists... Error!
E: Problem parsing dependency Replaces
E: Error occurred while processing ppp (NewVersion1)
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/dpkg/status
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
root@vaio:/home/ecldh/cycling# which ppp
root@vaio:/home/ecldh/cycling# exit
exit

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Revision history for this message
Warren Hill (warren-hill) said :
#1

It looks like you are still using 10.04. If you are its only supported as a Server now the Desktop version stopped being supported May 9 2013.

I suggest you backup then do a clean install with either

Ubuntu 12.04 http://www.ubuntu.com/download

Xubuntu 12.04 http://xubuntu.org/getxubuntu/

or Lubuntu 13.04 http://www.lubuntu.net/

All 3 are supported You may want to try them all from a live CD or USB stick first then install the one you prefer.

Ubuntu 12.04 needs a reasonably powerful PC so on older hardware Xubuntu or Lubuntu may be prefered. The Xubuntu desktop is most similar to Ubuntu 10.04 and Lubuntu is the lightest fastest variant.

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said :
#2

What is the output of :

uname -a; cat /etc/issue; apt-cache policy xorg

Thanks

Revision history for this message
David Holdsworth (ecldh) said :
#3

ecldh@vaio:~$ uname -a; cat /etc/issue; apt-cache policy xorg
Linux vaio 2.6.32-49-generic #111-Ubuntu SMP Thu Jun 20 21:28:42 UTC
2013 i686 GNU/Linux
Ubuntu 10.04.4 LTS \n \l

xorg:
   Installed: 1:7.5+5ubuntu1.1
   Candidate: 1:7.5+5ubuntu1.1
   Version table:
  *** 1:7.5+5ubuntu1.1 0
         500 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main Packages
         500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main Packages
         100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
      1:7.5+5ubuntu1 0
         500 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main Packages

B U T
I only did this after reverting to the old status file, as advised by
: Daniel Letzeisen <email address hidden>. I have attached
the old status file to this message
--
David H
http://www.personal.leeds.ac.uk/~ecldh

----- Message from <email address hidden> ---------
     Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2013 18:01:38 -0000
     From: actionparsnip <email address hidden>
Reply-To: <email address hidden>
  Subject: Re: [Question #232603]: Update mamanger asks me to report a
problem, but does not tell me how
       To: <email address hidden>

> Your question #232603 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/232603
>
> actionparsnip requested more information:
> What is the output of :
>
> uname -a; cat /etc/issue; apt-cache policy xorg
>
> Thanks
>
> --
> To answer this request for more information, you can either reply to
> this email or enter your reply at the following page:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/232603
>
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.
>

----- End message from <email address hidden> -----

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said :
#4

Then you are using Lucid on the desktop. It is no longer suported. You can upgrade directly to Precise which is the next LTS and will give support til April 2017

Why install such an ancient release?

Revision history for this message
David Holdsworth (ecldh) said :
#5

Hi,

On 18 Jul 2013 at 11:31, actionparsnip wrote:

> actionparsnip proposed the following answer:
> Then you are using Lucid on the desktop. It is no longer suported. You
> can upgrade directly to Precise which is the next LTS and will give
> support til April 2017
>
> Why install such an ancient release?

Hop you wanted an answer to this question, because here it is :-)

It was not ancient when I installed it. A message that came out about May 2013 gave me to
understand that the server upgrades to the underlying GNU/Linux would continue to arrive, and my
machine would just not get updates to packages. Sounds OK to me.

I tried 12.04LTS and it runs like a snail on my laptop. Also I do not like the Mac-like dash. I have to
learn what all the pictures mean, whereas, I can read words quite quickly.

On my laptop 10.04LTS runs like a dream. Quick with a sensible user interface, but then I often use
UNIX commands. 12.04LTS runs like a nightmare with (in my view) a stupid user interface.

I may try Warren Hill's advice and go for Xubuntu 12.04, when I can work up the enthusiasm for the
hassle involved in changing versions, and the bravado for the risk that it might be a disappointment.

My laptop is a Sony vaio with 512Mbyte RAM and 2.66GHz CPU. In my young days that was a
supercomputer :-)

--
David
http://www.personal.leeds.ac.uk/~ecldh/
<email address hidden>

Revision history for this message
Ads20000 (ads20000) said :
#6

Well, you have 3 main options:
1. Run Ubuntu GNOME Fallback 13.04 (You get the normal Ubuntu (GNOME 3) notifications in the top-right and a similar interface to GNOME 2)
2. Run Xubuntu 13.04 (If the above doesn't work)
3. Run Lubuntu 13.04 (If the above doesn't work - designed for older computers)
4. Run Xubuntu 12.04.2 LTS (If you need an LTS or you need a non-PAE kernal. You can then upgrade to Ubuntu GNOME Fallback 13.04 through:
sudo do-release-upgrade
sudo do-release-upgrade
sudo apt-get install gnome && sudo apt-get remove xubuntu-desktop

Revision history for this message
Ads20000 (ads20000) said :
#7

(GNOME 2 was used in Ubuntu 10.04)

Revision history for this message
David Holdsworth (ecldh) said :
#8

On 18 Jul 2013 at 13:56, David Holdsworth wrote:

> Your question #232603 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/232603
>
> Status: Answered => Open
>
> You are still having a problem:

No -- Reverting to the old status file as recommended earlier fixed the problem.

Thanks.

I reported it because the update manager software requested that I did.

--
David
http://www.personal.leeds.ac.uk/~ecldh/
<email address hidden>

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