Ubuntu Mate 16.04 will not update software

What is the output of:

sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get upgrade

Thanks

Thanks actionparsnip. It's a lot of output, I'm afraid but it does look rather like a complete set of updates. Does that mean I have to do this every time? If so, it's not answered my question really - I want the automatic notification of updates to work!

norman@norman:~$ sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get upgrade
[sudo] password for norman:
E: The update command takes no arguments
norman@norman:~$ sudo apt-get update: sudo apt-get upgrade
E: Invalid operation update:
norman@norman:~$ sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get upgrade
[sudo] password for norman:
Hit:1 http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Hit:2 http://ppa.launchpad.net/appgrid/stable/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Hit:3 http://ppa.launchpad.net/flexiondotorg/hal-flash/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Hit:4 http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-mate-dev/welcome/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Hit:5 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Get:6 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates InRelease [94.5 kB]
Get:7 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security InRelease [93.3 kB]
Hit:8 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports InRelease
Get:9 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 Packages [87.6 kB]
Get:10 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main i386 Packages [85.4 kB]
Get:11 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe amd64 Packages [29.9 kB]
Get:12 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe i386 Packages [29.3 kB]
Fetched 420 kB in 5s (70.1 kB/s)
/usr/share/appgrid/appdata/helpers.py:9: PyGIWarning: Soup was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('Soup', '2.4') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
  from gi.repository import GLib, GObject, Soup
Reading package lists... Done
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  kde-l10n-engb libmotif-common libxm4
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following packages will be upgraded:
  accountsservice firefox firefox-locale-en libaccountsservice0 libarchive13
  libexpat1 libexpat1-dev libksba8 libndp0 thunderbird thunderbird-locale-en
  thunderbird-locale-en-gb thunderbird-locale-en-us ubuntu-mate-welcome
  xul-ext-calendar-timezones xul-ext-gdata-provider xul-ext-lightning
17 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 0 to remove and 0 not to upgrade.
Need to get 91.5 MB of archives.
After this operation, 1,011 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]
Get:1 http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-mate-dev/welcome/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 ubuntu-mate-welcome all 16.10.0~xenial1.6 [9,796 kB]
Get:2 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 libksba8 amd64 1.3.3-1ubuntu0.16.04.1 [90.2 kB]
Get:3 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 libexpat1-dev amd64 2.1.0-7ubuntu0.16.04.1 [115 kB]
Get:4 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 libexpat1 amd64 2.1.0-7ubuntu0.16.04.1 [71.2 kB]
Get:5 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 accountsservice amd64 0.6.40-2ubuntu11.1 [56.2 kB]
Get:6 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 libaccountsservice0 amd64 0.6.40-2ubuntu11.1 [67.0 kB]
Get:7 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 firefox amd64 46.0.1+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.2 [45.1 MB]
Get:8 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 firefox-locale-en amd64 46.0.1+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.2 [594 kB]
Get:9 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 libarchive13 amd64 3.1.2-11ubuntu0.16.04.1 [260 kB]
Get:10 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 libndp0 amd64 1.4-2ubuntu0.16.04.1 [10.6 kB]
Get:11 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 thunderbird-locale-en amd64 1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 [350 kB]
Get:12 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe amd64 xul-ext-gdata-provider amd64 1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 [60.5 kB]
Get:13 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe amd64 xul-ext-lightning amd64 1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 [1,521 kB]
Get:14 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 thunderbird amd64 1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 [33.4 MB]
Get:15 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 thunderbird-locale-en-gb all 1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 [10.1 kB]
Get:16 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 thunderbird-locale-en-us all 1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 [10.1 kB]
Get:17 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe amd64 xul-ext-calendar-timezones amd64 1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 [10.1 kB]
Fetched 91.5 MB in 2min 43s (560 kB/s)
(Reading database ... 267793 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../ubuntu-mate-welcome_16.10.0~xenial1.6_all.deb ...
Unpacking ubuntu-mate-welcome (16.10.0~xenial1.6) over (16.10.0~xenial1.4) ...
Preparing to unpack .../libksba8_1.3.3-1ubuntu0.16.04.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libksba8:amd64 (1.3.3-1ubuntu0.16.04.1) over (1.3.3-1) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1ubuntu5) ...
Processing triggers for bamfdaemon (0.5.3~bzr0+16.04.20160415-0ubuntu1) ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/bamf-2.index...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.59ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.15-0ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.23-0ubuntu3) ...
Setting up libksba8:amd64 (1.3.3-1ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.23-0ubuntu3) ...
(Reading database ... 267799 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libexpat1-dev_2.1.0-7ubuntu0.16.04.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libexpat1-dev:amd64 (2.1.0-7ubuntu0.16.04.1) over (2.1.0-7) ...
Preparing to unpack .../libexpat1_2.1.0-7ubuntu0.16.04.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libexpat1:amd64 (2.1.0-7ubuntu0.16.04.1) over (2.1.0-7) ...
Preparing to unpack .../accountsservice_0.6.40-2ubuntu11.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking accountsservice (0.6.40-2ubuntu11.1) over (0.6.40-2ubuntu11) ...
Preparing to unpack .../libaccountsservice0_0.6.40-2ubuntu11.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libaccountsservice0:amd64 (0.6.40-2ubuntu11.1) over (0.6.40-2ubuntu11) ...
Preparing to unpack .../firefox_46.0.1+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking firefox (46.0.1+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.2) over (46.0+build5-0ubuntu0.16.04.2) ...
Preparing to unpack .../firefox-locale-en_46.0.1+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking firefox-locale-en (46.0.1+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.2) over (46.0+build5-0ubuntu0.16.04.2) ...
Preparing to unpack .../libarchive13_3.1.2-11ubuntu0.16.04.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libarchive13:amd64 (3.1.2-11ubuntu0.16.04.1) over (3.1.2-11build1) ...
Preparing to unpack .../libndp0_1.4-2ubuntu0.16.04.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libndp0:amd64 (1.4-2ubuntu0.16.04.1) over (1.4-2) ...
Preparing to unpack .../thunderbird-locale-en_1%3a38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking thunderbird-locale-en (1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) over (1:38.7.2+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Preparing to unpack .../xul-ext-gdata-provider_1%3a38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking xul-ext-gdata-provider (1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) over (1:38.7.2+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Preparing to unpack .../xul-ext-lightning_1%3a38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking xul-ext-lightning (1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) over (1:38.7.2+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Preparing to unpack .../thunderbird_1%3a38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking thunderbird (1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) over (1:38.7.2+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Preparing to unpack .../thunderbird-locale-en-gb_1%3a38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1_all.deb ...
Unpacking thunderbird-locale-en-gb (1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) over (1:38.7.2+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Preparing to unpack .../thunderbird-locale-en-us_1%3a38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1_all.deb ...
Unpacking thunderbird-locale-en-us (1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) over (1:38.7.2+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Preparing to unpack .../xul-ext-calendar-timezones_1%3a38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking xul-ext-calendar-timezones (1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) over (1:38.7.2+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.23-0ubuntu3) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1ubuntu5) ...
Processing triggers for bamfdaemon (0.5.3~bzr0+16.04.20160415-0ubuntu1) ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/bamf-2.index...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.59ubuntu1) ...
Setting up ubuntu-mate-welcome (16.10.0~xenial1.6) ...
Setting up libexpat1:amd64 (2.1.0-7ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Setting up libexpat1-dev:amd64 (2.1.0-7ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Setting up libaccountsservice0:amd64 (0.6.40-2ubuntu11.1) ...
Setting up accountsservice (0.6.40-2ubuntu11.1) ...
Setting up firefox (46.0.1+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.2) ...
Please restart all running instances of firefox, or you will experience problems.
Setting up firefox-locale-en (46.0.1+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.2) ...
Setting up libarchive13:amd64 (3.1.2-11ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Setting up libndp0:amd64 (1.4-2ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Setting up thunderbird (1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Setting up thunderbird-locale-en (1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Setting up xul-ext-lightning (1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Setting up xul-ext-gdata-provider (1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Setting up thunderbird-locale-en-gb (1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Setting up thunderbird-locale-en-us (1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Setting up xul-ext-calendar-timezones (1:38.8.0+build1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) ...
Processing triggers for dbus (1.10.6-1ubuntu3) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.23-0ubuntu3) ...

What happens if you try starting System/Administration/Software Updater ?

Thank you Manfred Hampl. System/Administration/Software Updater does absolutely nothing. It used to show updates and give me the option of carrying them out, but not any longer

Open a terminal window and issue the command

update-manager

What output do you get?

Dear Manfred,

The information you requested is below. Please note that after I had done this, a window came up saying "Updates available". On clicking it it appeared to install them but the last three lines of this output appeared in the terminal. Hope this helps.

Norman

(update-manager:1937): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme parsing error: gtk-main.css:71:33: Failed to import: Error opening file: No such file or directory
/usr/bin/update-manager:28: PyGIWarning: Gtk was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
  from gi.repository import Gtk
/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/UpdateManager/UnitySupport.py:29: PyGIWarning: Dbusmenu was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('Dbusmenu', '0.4') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
  from gi.repository import Dbusmenu, Unity
/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/UpdateManager/UnitySupport.py:29: PyGIWarning: Unity was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('Unity', '7.0') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
  from gi.repository import Dbusmenu, Unity
debconf: DbDriver "passwords" warning: could not open /var/cache/debconf/passwords.dat: Permission denied
debconf: DbDriver "passwords" warning: could not open /var/cache/debconf/passwords.dat: Permission denied
debconf: DbDriver "passwords" warning: could not open /var/cache/debconf/passwords.dat: Permission denied

Those messages are only warnings and should not prevent updates from installing.
I suggest you keep an eye on your system and watch the status of updates during the coming days.
If you see errors or strange things happening, please report them.

Problem solved! I was using compiz as my window manager but returned to marco, which I believe is standard. Now there is no problem: when "Software updates" is found I click on it and get the updates. Far easier!

Thanks for your efforts
Norman