Ubuntu Software stopped working

What is the output of:

sudo apt-get update; lsb_release -a

Thanks

There is a known problem that Ubuntu-software might run stalled in the background, and then does not allow starting it again in the foreground.

In addition to the output requested by actionparsnip, please provide also the output of
ps ax | grep gnome-software

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

Please post the full Terminal output from step 6 and step 10 here:

https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/402351

Hi actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666), sorry for the delayed reply, I have very busy in life. The output is quoted bellow:

'[sudo] password for nik:
Hit:1 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial InRelease
Get:2 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates InRelease [95.7 kB]
Hit:3 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports InRelease
Get:4 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security InRelease [94.5 kB]
Get:5 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 Packages [395 kB]
Get:6 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main i386 Packages [390 kB]
Get:7 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe amd64 Packages [335 kB]
Get:8 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe i386 Packages [331 kB]
Fetched 1,642 kB in 11s (139 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS
Release: 16.04
Codename: xenial'

Hi Manfred Hampl (m-hampl), sorry for the delayed reply, I have very busy in life. The output is quoted bellow:

' 1675 ? Sl 0:02 /usr/bin/gnome-software --gapplication-service
 4064 ? Sl 0:02 /usr/bin/gnome-software --gapplication-service
 4097 pts/1 S+ 0:00 grep --color=auto gnome-software'

Hi Mark Rijckenberg (markrijckenberg), sorry for the delayed reply, I have very busy in life. The output from step 6 is quoted bellow:

'Support status summary of 'nik-desktop':

You have 2141 packages (100.0%) that can not/no-longer be downloaded
You have 0 packages (0.0%) that are unsupported

Run with --show-unsupported, --show-supported or --show-all to see more details
nik@nik-desktop:~$ cat /etc/dpkg/dpkg.cfg.d/multiarch
cat: /etc/dpkg/dpkg.cfg.d/multiarch: No such file or directory
nik@nik-desktop:~$ dpkg --print-foreign-architectures
i386
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo grep -R proxy /etc/apt/*
nik@nik-desktop:~$ grep proxy /etc/environment
nik@nik-desktop:~$ echo $http_proxy

nik@nik-desktop:~$ echo $ftp_proxy

nik@nik-desktop:~$ grep proxy /etc/bash.bashrc
nik@nik-desktop:~$ grep proxy ~/.bashrc
nik@nik-desktop:~$ cat /etc/apt/apt.conf
cat: /etc/apt/apt.conf: No such file or directory
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo fuser -vvv /var/lib/dpkg/lock
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo fuser -vvv /var/cache/apt/archives/lock
nik@nik-desktop:~$ cat /etc/lsb-release
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=16.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=xenial
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS"
nik@nik-desktop:~$ uname -a
Linux nik-desktop 4.4.0-38-generic #57-Ubuntu SMP Tue Sep 6 15:42:33 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/lock
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo cp -arf /var/lib/dpkg /var/lib/dpkg.backup
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/status /var/lib/dpkg/status-bad
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status-old /var/lib/dpkg/status || sudo cp /var/backups/apt.extended_states.0 /var/lib/dpkg/status
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/available /var/lib/dpkg/available-bad
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/available-old /var/lib/dpkg/available
cp: cannot stat '/var/lib/dpkg/available-old': No such file or directory
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo rm -rf /var/lib/dpkg/updates/*
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo rm /var/cache/apt/*.bin
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo mkdir /var/lib/apt/lists
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo mkdir /var/lib/apt/lists/partial
nik@nik-desktop:~$ LANG=C;sudo apt-get clean
nik@nik-desktop:~$ LANG=C;sudo apt-get autoclean
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo dpkg --clear-avail
nik@nik-desktop:~$ LANG=C;sudo apt-get -f install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  audacity-data fetchyahoo getlive gnome-icon-theme kde-l10n-engb libbonobo2-0 libbonobo2-common libconvert-binhex-perl libgnome-2-0 libgnome2-0 libgnome2-bin libgnome2-common libgnomevfs2-0 libgnomevfs2-common
  libgnomevfs2-extra libid3tag0 libio-multiplex-perl liblilv-0-0 libmime-tools-perl libnet-cidr-perl libnet-server-perl liborbit-2-0 libportsmf0v5 libsbsms10 libserd-0-0 libsord-0-0 libsoundtouch1 libsratom-0-0
  libsuil-0-0 libterm-readkey-perl libtorrent-rasterbar8 libvamp-hostsdk3v5 libwxbase3.0-0v5 libwxgtk3.0-0v5 linux-headers-4.4.0-21 linux-headers-4.4.0-21-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-24
  linux-headers-4.4.0-24-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-28 linux-headers-4.4.0-28-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-31 linux-headers-4.4.0-31-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-34 linux-headers-4.4.0-34-generic
  linux-image-4.4.0-21-generic linux-image-4.4.0-24-generic linux-image-4.4.0-28-generic linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic linux-image-4.4.0-34-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-21-generic
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-24-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-28-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-31-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-34-generic
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
nik@nik-desktop:~$ LANG=C;sudo apt-get --fix-missing install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  audacity-data fetchyahoo getlive gnome-icon-theme kde-l10n-engb libbonobo2-0 libbonobo2-common libconvert-binhex-perl libgnome-2-0 libgnome2-0 libgnome2-bin libgnome2-common libgnomevfs2-0 libgnomevfs2-common
  libgnomevfs2-extra libid3tag0 libio-multiplex-perl liblilv-0-0 libmime-tools-perl libnet-cidr-perl libnet-server-perl liborbit-2-0 libportsmf0v5 libsbsms10 libserd-0-0 libsord-0-0 libsoundtouch1 libsratom-0-0
  libsuil-0-0 libterm-readkey-perl libtorrent-rasterbar8 libvamp-hostsdk3v5 libwxbase3.0-0v5 libwxgtk3.0-0v5 linux-headers-4.4.0-21 linux-headers-4.4.0-21-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-24
  linux-headers-4.4.0-24-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-28 linux-headers-4.4.0-28-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-31 linux-headers-4.4.0-31-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-34 linux-headers-4.4.0-34-generic
  linux-image-4.4.0-21-generic linux-image-4.4.0-24-generic linux-image-4.4.0-28-generic linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic linux-image-4.4.0-34-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-21-generic
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-24-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-28-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-31-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-34-generic
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
nik@nik-desktop:~$ LANG=C;sudo apt-get --purge autoremove
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  audacity-data* fetchyahoo* getlive* gnome-icon-theme* kde-l10n-engb* libbonobo2-0* libbonobo2-common* libconvert-binhex-perl* libgnome-2-0* libgnome2-0* libgnome2-bin* libgnome2-common* libgnomevfs2-0*
  libgnomevfs2-common* libgnomevfs2-extra* libid3tag0* libio-multiplex-perl* liblilv-0-0* libmime-tools-perl* libnet-cidr-perl* libnet-server-perl* liborbit-2-0* libportsmf0v5* libsbsms10* libserd-0-0*
  libsord-0-0* libsoundtouch1* libsratom-0-0* libsuil-0-0* libterm-readkey-perl* libtorrent-rasterbar8* libvamp-hostsdk3v5* libwxbase3.0-0v5* libwxgtk3.0-0v5* linux-headers-4.4.0-21*
  linux-headers-4.4.0-21-generic* linux-headers-4.4.0-24* linux-headers-4.4.0-24-generic* linux-headers-4.4.0-28* linux-headers-4.4.0-28-generic* linux-headers-4.4.0-31* linux-headers-4.4.0-31-generic*
  linux-headers-4.4.0-34* linux-headers-4.4.0-34-generic* linux-image-4.4.0-21-generic* linux-image-4.4.0-24-generic* linux-image-4.4.0-28-generic* linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic* linux-image-4.4.0-34-generic*
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-21-generic* linux-image-extra-4.4.0-24-generic* linux-image-extra-4.4.0-28-generic* linux-image-extra-4.4.0-31-generic* linux-image-extra-4.4.0-34-generic*
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 54 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
After this operation, 1545 MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]'

The output from step 10 is quoted bellow:

'sudo rm /usr/lib/python*/dist-packages/__pycache__/*pyc
rm: cannot remove '/usr/lib/python*/dist-packages/__pycache__/*pyc': No such file or directory
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get install --reinstall python3-gi
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Reinstallation of python3-gi is not possible, it cannot be downloaded.
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  audacity-data fetchyahoo getlive gnome-icon-theme kde-l10n-engb libbonobo2-0
  libbonobo2-common libconvert-binhex-perl libgnome-2-0 libgnome2-0
  libgnome2-bin libgnome2-common libgnomevfs2-0 libgnomevfs2-common
  libgnomevfs2-extra libid3tag0 libio-multiplex-perl liblilv-0-0
  libmime-tools-perl libnet-cidr-perl libnet-server-perl liborbit-2-0
  libportsmf0v5 libsbsms10 libserd-0-0 libsord-0-0 libsoundtouch1
  libsratom-0-0 libsuil-0-0 libterm-readkey-perl libtorrent-rasterbar8
  libvamp-hostsdk3v5 libwxbase3.0-0v5 libwxgtk3.0-0v5 linux-headers-4.4.0-21
  linux-headers-4.4.0-21-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-24
  linux-headers-4.4.0-24-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-28
  linux-headers-4.4.0-28-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-31
  linux-headers-4.4.0-31-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-34
  linux-headers-4.4.0-34-generic linux-image-4.4.0-21-generic
  linux-image-4.4.0-24-generic linux-image-4.4.0-28-generic
  linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic linux-image-4.4.0-34-generic
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-21-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-24-generic
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-28-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-31-generic
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-34-generic
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 0 to remove and 0 not to upgrade.
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get purge software-center
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Package 'software-center' is not installed, so not removed
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  audacity-data fetchyahoo getlive gnome-icon-theme kde-l10n-engb libbonobo2-0
  libbonobo2-common libconvert-binhex-perl libgnome-2-0 libgnome2-0
  libgnome2-bin libgnome2-common libgnomevfs2-0 libgnomevfs2-common
  libgnomevfs2-extra libid3tag0 libio-multiplex-perl liblilv-0-0
  libmime-tools-perl libnet-cidr-perl libnet-server-perl liborbit-2-0
  libportsmf0v5 libsbsms10 libserd-0-0 libsord-0-0 libsoundtouch1
  libsratom-0-0 libsuil-0-0 libterm-readkey-perl libtorrent-rasterbar8
  libvamp-hostsdk3v5 libwxbase3.0-0v5 libwxgtk3.0-0v5 linux-headers-4.4.0-21
  linux-headers-4.4.0-21-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-24
  linux-headers-4.4.0-24-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-28
  linux-headers-4.4.0-28-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-31
  linux-headers-4.4.0-31-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-34
  linux-headers-4.4.0-34-generic linux-image-4.4.0-21-generic
  linux-image-4.4.0-24-generic linux-image-4.4.0-28-generic
  linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic linux-image-4.4.0-34-generic
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-21-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-24-generic
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-28-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-31-generic
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-34-generic
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 0 to remove and 0 not to upgrade.
nik@nik-desktop:~$ rm -rf ~/.cache/software-center
nik@nik-desktop:~$ rm -rf ~/.config/software-center
nik@nik-desktop:~$ rm -rf ~/.cache/update-manager-core
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo rm /var/lib/apt-xapian-index/cataloged_times.p
rm: cannot remove '/var/lib/apt-xapian-index/cataloged_times.p': No such file or directory
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo rm /var/lib/apt-xapian-index/values
rm: cannot remove '/var/lib/apt-xapian-index/values': No such file or directory
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo update-apt-xapian-index --verbose --force
sudo: update-apt-xapian-index: command not found
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo update-apt-xapian-index --force
sudo: update-apt-xapian-index: command not found
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get update
Get:1 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial InRelease [247 kB]
Get:2 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates InRelease [95.7 kB]
Get:3 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports InRelease [92.2 kB]
Get:4 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security InRelease [94.5 kB]
Get:5 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 Packages [1,201 kB]
Get:6 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main i386 Packages [1,196 kB]
Get:7 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main Translation-en_AU [420 kB]
Get:8 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main Translation-en [568 kB]
Get:9 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [733 kB]
Get:10 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main DEP-11 64x64 Icons [409 kB]
Get:11 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe amd64 Packages [7,532 kB]
Get:12 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe i386 Packages [7,512 kB]
Get:13 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe Translation-en_AU [3,039 kB]
Get:14 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe Translation-en [4,354 kB]
Get:15 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [3,410 kB]
Get:16 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe DEP-11 64x64 Icons [7,448 kB]
Get:17 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/multiverse amd64 Packages [144 kB]
Get:18 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/multiverse i386 Packages [140 kB]
Get:19 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/multiverse Translation-en_AU [67.7 kB]
Get:20 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/multiverse Translation-en [106 kB]
Get:21 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/multiverse amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [63.8 kB]
Get:22 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/multiverse DEP-11 64x64 Icons [230 kB]
Get:23 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 Packages [395 kB]
Get:24 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main i386 Packages [390 kB]
Get:25 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main Translation-en [150 kB]
Get:26 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [298 kB]
Get:27 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main DEP-11 64x64 Icons [184 kB]
Get:28 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe amd64 Packages [335 kB]
Get:29 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe i386 Packages [331 kB]
Get:30 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe Translation-en [116 kB]
Get:31 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [101 kB]
Get:32 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/universe DEP-11 64x64 Icons [98.4 kB]
Get:33 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/multiverse amd64 Packages [5,492 B]
Get:34 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/multiverse i386 Packages [4,280 B]
Get:35 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/multiverse Translation-en [2,428 B]
Get:36 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/multiverse amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [2,473 B]
Get:37 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/multiverse DEP-11 64x64 Icons [2,699 B]
Get:38 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/main amd64 Packages [1,540 B]
Get:39 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/main i386 Packages [1,540 B]
Get:40 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/main Translation-en [1,484 B]
Get:41 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/main amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [196 B]
Get:42 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/universe amd64 Packages [1,000 B]
Get:43 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/universe i386 Packages [1,000 B]
Get:44 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/universe Translation-en [584 B]
Get:45 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/universe amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [201 B]
Get:46 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports/multiverse amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [194 B]
Get:47 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/main amd64 Packages [152 kB]
Get:48 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/main i386 Packages [148 kB]
Get:49 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/main Translation-en [62.9 kB]
Get:50 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/main amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [80.0 kB]
Get:51 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/main DEP-11 64x64 Icons [62.9 kB]
Get:52 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/universe amd64 Packages [44.4 kB]
Get:53 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/universe i386 Packages [44.4 kB]
Get:54 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/universe Translation-en [26.7 kB]
Get:55 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/universe amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [2,266 B]
Get:56 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/universe DEP-11 64x64 Icons [4,103 B]
Get:57 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/multiverse amd64 Packages [1,176 B]
Get:58 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/multiverse i386 Packages [1,340 B]
Get:59 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/multiverse Translation-en [628 B]
Get:60 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/multiverse amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [201 B]
Fetched 42.2 MB in 5min 6s (137 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
nik@nik-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
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:
  audacity-data fetchyahoo getlive gnome-icon-theme kde-l10n-engb libbonobo2-0 libbonobo2-common libconvert-binhex-perl libgnome-2-0 libgnome2-0 libgnome2-bin libgnome2-common libgnomevfs2-0 libgnomevfs2-common
  libgnomevfs2-extra libid3tag0 libio-multiplex-perl liblilv-0-0 libmime-tools-perl libnet-cidr-perl libnet-server-perl liborbit-2-0 libportsmf0v5 libsbsms10 libserd-0-0 libsord-0-0 libsoundtouch1 libsratom-0-0
  libsuil-0-0 libterm-readkey-perl libtorrent-rasterbar8 libvamp-hostsdk3v5 libwxbase3.0-0v5 libwxgtk3.0-0v5 linux-headers-4.4.0-21 linux-headers-4.4.0-21-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-24
  linux-headers-4.4.0-24-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-28 linux-headers-4.4.0-28-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-31 linux-headers-4.4.0-31-generic linux-headers-4.4.0-34 linux-headers-4.4.0-34-generic
  linux-image-4.4.0-21-generic linux-image-4.4.0-24-generic linux-image-4.4.0-28-generic linux-image-4.4.0-31-generic linux-image-4.4.0-34-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-21-generic
  linux-image-extra-4.4.0-24-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-28-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-31-generic linux-image-extra-4.4.0-34-generic
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following packages will be upgraded:
  gnome-calendar ifupdown initramfs-tools initramfs-tools-bin initramfs-tools-core isc-dhcp-client isc-dhcp-common klibc-utils libgweather-3-6 libgweather-common libklibc libnm-glib-vpn1 libnm-glib4 libnm-util2
  libnm0 libpython3.5 libpython3.5-minimal libpython3.5-stdlib network-manager python3.5 python3.5-minimal snap-confine snapd ubuntu-core-launcher ubuntu-drivers-common xserver-common xserver-xorg-core
27 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 0 to remove and 0 not to upgrade.
Need to get 17.2 MB of archives.
After this operation, 519 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]'

Thanks

There seem to be two (!) gnome-software processes running in the background. This can be the reason for not being able to run ubuntu-software in the GUI.

Re-run the command
ps ax | grep gnome-software

note down the process numbers (first column) of the lines ending with gapplication-service and issue the command

sudo kill <processnumber>

e.g. based on the listing above it would be
sudo kill 1657
sudo kill 4064

Then re-try running Ubuntu-software. Does it work now?

The output for Mark's commands is incomplete. You should have confirmed the question "Do you want to continue? [Y/n]" by hitting the return key to continue.

I tried using the commands and it didn't work because the processes restart automatically. I know this because after trying what you said I got curious and killed the processes again but before trying to run Ubuntu Software I used the command 'ps ax | grep gnome-software' and the processes were running again with different process numbers.

Mark's command is complete. He didn't say to answer the question the program asked, he just asked for the output. That's what I gave him.
I just ran the command now and it is downloading what looks like updates.

Thanks

Talk to you next week maybe..

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