Ubuntu

Can't install VLC on ubuntu 14.04

Asked by dinkar verma

hello,
With mishap, I did few bad things after installing youtube-dl package. After that I faced few problems just like, smplayer was not playing .mp4 videos. Then I installed and uninstalled some packages after seeking help from internet. Now when I am trying to install VLC, it is returning with the following output.

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 vlc : Depends: vlc-nox (= 2.1.4+git20150226+r54594+19+11~ubuntu14.04.1) but it is not going to be installed
       Depends: libvlccore7 (>= 2.1.0) but it is not going to be installed
       Recommends: vlc-plugin-notify (= 2.1.4+git20150226+r54594+19+11~ubuntu14.04.1) but it is not going to be installed
       Recommends: vlc-plugin-pulse (= 2.1.4+git20150226+r54594+19+11~ubuntu14.04.1) but it is not going to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

Also I am getting following output if I try to install libavformat54

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 libavformat54 : Depends: libavcodec54 (>= 7:1.2.5~) but it is not going to be installed or
                          libavcodec-extra-54 (>= 7:1.2.5~) but it is not going to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

I have checked few solutions available here as well as on internet but nothing is working out. Please help me out.
Many thanks in advance.

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Revision history for this message
arochester (arochester) said : 		#1

" Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages."

Have you got Synaptic? If so go Synaptic>Edit>Fix Broken Packages. Or, in a Terminal issue the command: sudo apt-get install -f

Also do:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get install vlc

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#2

What is the output of the commands

uname -a
lsb_release -crid
sudo dpkg --audit
apt-cache policy
apt-cache policy vlc vlc-nox libvlccore7
apt-cache policy libavformat54 libavcodec54 libavcodec-extra-54

Revision history for this message
dinkar verma (v-dinkar-z) said : 		#3

Thanks to all for replying.

@arochester (arochester)
synaptic is not showing any broken package and the remedy you suggested I have already tried but no success.

Manfred Hampl (m-hampl)
The output is

Linux nirvana 3.16.0-31-generic #43~14.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Tue Mar 10 20:13:38 UTC 2015 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS
Release: 14.04
Codename: trusty

Package files:
 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     release a=now
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/videolan/stable-daily/ubuntu/ trusty/main Translation-en
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/videolan/stable-daily/ubuntu/ trusty/main i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=LP-PPA-videolan-stable-daily,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=VLC Daily Build of stable branch,c=main
     origin ppa.launchpad.net
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/videolan/stable-daily/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=LP-PPA-videolan-stable-daily,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=VLC Daily Build of stable branch,c=main
     origin ppa.launchpad.net
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/tualatrix/ppa/ubuntu/ trusty/main i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=LP-PPA-tualatrix,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu Tweak Stable PPA,c=main
     origin ppa.launchpad.net
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/tualatrix/ppa/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=LP-PPA-tualatrix,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu Tweak Stable PPA,c=main
     origin ppa.launchpad.net
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/numix/ppa/ubuntu/ trusty/main Translation-en
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/numix/ppa/ubuntu/ trusty/main i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=LP-PPA-numix,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=PPA for the Numix Project,c=main
     origin ppa.launchpad.net
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/numix/ppa/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=LP-PPA-numix,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=PPA for the Numix Project,c=main
     origin ppa.launchpad.net
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/noobslab/deepin-sc/ubuntu/ trusty/main Translation-en
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/noobslab/deepin-sc/ubuntu/ trusty/main i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=LP-PPA-noobslab-deepin-sc,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=Linux Deepin Applications,c=main
     origin ppa.launchpad.net
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/noobslab/deepin-sc/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=LP-PPA-noobslab-deepin-sc,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=Linux Deepin Applications,c=main
     origin ppa.launchpad.net
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/kirillshkrogalev/ffmpeg-next/ubuntu/ trusty/main Translation-en
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/kirillshkrogalev/ffmpeg-next/ubuntu/ trusty/main i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=LP-PPA-kirillshkrogalev-ffmpeg-next,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=FFmpeg next,c=main
     origin ppa.launchpad.net
 500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/kirillshkrogalev/ffmpeg-next/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=LP-PPA-kirillshkrogalev-ffmpeg-next,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=FFmpeg next,c=main
     origin ppa.launchpad.net
 500 http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable/main i386 Packages
     release v=1.0,o=Google, Inc.,a=stable,n=stable,l=Google,c=main
     origin dl.google.com
 500 http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable/main amd64 Packages
     release v=1.0,o=Google, Inc.,a=stable,n=stable,l=Google,c=main
     origin dl.google.com
 500 http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=LP-PPA-app-review-board,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=Application Review Board PPA,c=main
     origin extras.ubuntu.com
 500 http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=LP-PPA-app-review-board,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=Application Review Board PPA,c=main
     origin extras.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/universe Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/restricted Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/multiverse Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/main Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/multiverse i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-security,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=multiverse
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/universe i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-security,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=universe
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/restricted i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-security,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=restricted
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/main i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-security,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=main
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/multiverse amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-security,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=multiverse
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/universe amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-security,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=universe
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/restricted amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-security,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=restricted
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/main amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-security,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=main
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/universe Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/restricted Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/multiverse Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/main Translation-en
 100 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/multiverse i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-backports,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=multiverse
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 100 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/universe i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-backports,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=universe
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 100 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/restricted i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-backports,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=restricted
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 100 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/main i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-backports,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=main
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 100 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/multiverse amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-backports,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=multiverse
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 100 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/universe amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-backports,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=universe
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 100 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/restricted amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-backports,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=restricted
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 100 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/main amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-backports,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=main
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/universe Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/restricted Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/multiverse Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/multiverse i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-updates,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=multiverse
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/universe i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-updates,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=universe
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/restricted i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-updates,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=restricted
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-updates,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=main
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/multiverse amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-updates,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=multiverse
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/universe amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-updates,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=universe
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/restricted amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-updates,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=restricted
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty-updates,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=main
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/restricted Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/multiverse Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main Translation-en
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/multiverse i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=multiverse
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=universe
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/restricted i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=restricted
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main i386 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=main
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/multiverse amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=multiverse
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=universe
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/restricted amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=restricted
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
 500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
     release v=14.04,o=Ubuntu,a=trusty,n=trusty,l=Ubuntu,c=main
     origin archive.ubuntu.com
Pinned packages:

vlc:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 2.1.4+git20150226+r54594+19+11~ubuntu14.04.1
  Version table:
     2.1.4+git20150226+r54594+19+11~ubuntu14.04.1 0
        500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/videolan/stable-daily/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
     2.1.4-0ubuntu14.04.1 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/universe amd64 Packages
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/universe amd64 Packages
     2.1.2-2build2 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe amd64 Packages
vlc-nox:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 2.1.4+git20150226+r54594+19+11~ubuntu14.04.1
  Version table:
     2.1.4+git20150226+r54594+19+11~ubuntu14.04.1 0
        500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/videolan/stable-daily/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
     2.1.4-0ubuntu14.04.1 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/universe amd64 Packages
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/universe amd64 Packages
     2.1.2-2build2 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe amd64 Packages
libvlccore7:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 2.1.4+git20150226+r54594+19+11~ubuntu14.04.1
  Version table:
     2.1.4+git20150226+r54594+19+11~ubuntu14.04.1 0
        500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/videolan/stable-daily/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
     2.1.4-0ubuntu14.04.1 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/universe amd64 Packages
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/universe amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     2.1.2-2build2 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe amd64 Packages

libavformat54:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 7:1.2.5-1~trusty1
  Version table:
     7:1.2.5-1~trusty1 0
        500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/noobslab/deepin-sc/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
     6:9.18-0ubuntu0.14.04.1 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/universe amd64 Packages
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/universe amd64 Packages
     6:9.16-0ubuntu0.14.04.1 0
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     6:9.11-2ubuntu2 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe amd64 Packages
libavcodec54:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 7:1.2.5-1~trusty1
  Version table:
     7:1.2.5-1~trusty1 0
        500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/noobslab/deepin-sc/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
     6:9.18-0ubuntu0.14.04.1 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/universe amd64 Packages
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/universe amd64 Packages
     6:9.16-0ubuntu0.14.04.1 0
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     6:9.11-2ubuntu2 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe amd64 Packages
libavcodec-extra-54:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 7:1.2.5-1~trusty1
  Version table:
     7:1.2.5-1~trusty1 0
        500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/noobslab/deepin-sc/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
     6:9.18-0ubuntu0.14.04.1 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/universe amd64 Packages
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/universe amd64 Packages
     6:9.11-2ubuntu2 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe amd64 Packages

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#4

You are trying to install packages from PPAs. If you have problems with that please contact the maintainer of that PPA.

For finding the root cause, you could proceed as follows:

Issue the command

sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends vlc

If that fails with a message like

 vlc : Depends: vlc-nox ...) but it is not going to be installed
        Depends: libvlccore7 (>= 2.1.0) but it is not going to be installed

then try

sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends vlc-nox libvlccore7

If that fails again, check what the output is of installing the next row of dependent packages and so on, until you get a different error message.

Can you help with this problem?

Provide an answer of your own, or ask dinkar verma for more information if necessary.

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