Ubuntu
apt package

Can't update software packages

Asked by Michele

I am using the latest version on laptop and desktop of ubuntu. I recently received the following message regarding a bug on both machines.

Could not initialize the package information

An unresolvable problem occurred while initializing the package information.

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

'E:Encountered a section with no Package: header, E:Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_oneiric-security_main_i18n_Translation-en, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.'

I am trying to get this reported so I can update the software. Please help.
Michele

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Revision history for this message
William Ranvaud (wiranvaud) said : 		#1

Hello,
This is the guide to help you report the bug https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs

If I remember well I had this problem once and could solve the problem going to the update manager > settings (at the bottom of the window) > Ubuntu software > and changing the "Download from" to any other option of the drop down list, doing the update and then changing back to whatever source you use now.

Hope this helps.

Revision history for this message
Sam_ (and-sam) said : 		#2

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

Revision history for this message
Michele (mycooks63) said : 		#3

I found the guide to help me report the bug but how do I get to open apport so I can report the bug.

Revision history for this message
William Ranvaud (wiranvaud) said : 		#4

On step 4 of the guide (under the image):

"Press Alt+F2 to open the "Run Application" window, pictured above. Type ubuntu-bug <package name> and click Run. If you're not sure which package has the problem, refer to the instructions for finding the right package. "

You have to follow all the instructions of the guide.
Have you tried changing the software source? or the page by Sam_? did it work?

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#5

see https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+faq/1591

Revision history for this message
Michele (mycooks63) said : 		#6

I changed sources as suggested to Main Server which enabled me to get the newest updates. The system kept getting stuck on the Adobe flashplayer plugin updates. I disabled those 2 only and was able to get all the other updates installed.

These updates are from Canonical. I looked at the issue with the adobe plugin updates and here are the notes for each update

GTK+control panel for Adobe Flash player plugin version 11

Adobe® Flash® Player is a cross-platform, browser-based application runtime that provides uncompromised viewing of expressive applications, content, and videos across browsers and operating systems.
This package provides the GTK+ control panel for the Flash plugin.

Changes for the versions:
Installed version: 11.0.1.152-0oneiric1
Available version: 11.1.102.55-0oneiric1

This update does not come from a source that supports changelogs.

and the second one
Adobe Flash player plugin version 11

Adobe® Flash® Player is a cross-platform, browser-based application runtime that provides uncompromised viewing of expressive applications, content, and videos across browsers and operating systems.

Changes for the versions:
Installed version: 11.0.1.152-0oneiric1
Available version: 11.1.102.55-0oneiric1

This update does not come from a source that supports changelogs.

I also tried the instructions from Manfred. I inputted the first line and I came back with a syntax error on the first line.

Any help, explanation would be appreciated. I am so glad to be able to use ubuntu again.

Revision history for this message
Sam_ (and-sam) said : 		#7

Please open a terminal: ctrl+alt+t
and post output of:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

Revision history for this message
Michele (mycooks63) said : 		#8

Here is the output

Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric InRelease
Ign http://archive.canonical.com oneiric InRelease
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric InRelease
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates InRelease
Hit http://archive.canonical.com oneiric Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security InRelease
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric Release
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric Release.gpg
Hit http://archive.canonical.com oneiric Release
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates Release.gpg
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security Release.gpg
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric/main Sources
Hit http://archive.canonical.com oneiric/partner i386 Packages
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric/main i386 Packages
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric Release
Ign http://archive.canonical.com oneiric/partner TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates Release
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security Release
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/main Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/restricted Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/universe Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/multiverse Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/main i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/restricted i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/universe i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/multiverse i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/multiverse TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/restricted TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/universe TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/main Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/restricted Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/universe Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/multiverse Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/main i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/restricted i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/universe i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/multiverse i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/multiverse TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/restricted TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/universe TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/main Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/restricted Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/universe Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/multiverse Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/main i386 Packages
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric/main Translation-en_US
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/restricted i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/universe i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/multiverse i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/multiverse TranslationIndex
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric/main Translation-en
Ign http://archive.canonical.com oneiric/partner Translation-en_US
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/restricted TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/universe TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/main Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/restricted Translation-en
Ign http://archive.canonical.com oneiric/partner Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/universe Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/main Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/universe Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/main Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/universe Translation-en
Reading package lists... Done
palaymic@melmick-P4M800-8237:~$ sudo apt-get upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be upgraded:
  adobe-flash-properties-gtk adobe-flashplugin
2 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 6,432 kB/6,562 kB of archives.
After this operation, 32.8 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
Get:1 http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ oneiric/partner adobe-flashplugin i386 11.1.102.55-0oneiric1 [6,432 kB]
Fetched 6,432 kB in 11s (576 kB/s)
Failed to fetch http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/pool/partner/a/adobe-flashplugin/adobe-flashplugin_11.1.102.55-0oneiric1_i386.deb Hash Sum mismatch
E: Unable to fetch some archives, maybe run apt-get update or try with --fix-missing?
palaymic@melmick-P4M800-8237:~$

Revision history for this message
Sam_ (and-sam) said : 		#9

flashplugin is available now in multiverse. I'd close firefox, remove all installed versions of adobe-flash, clean-up package cache and install flashplugin-installer.
To find installed flash packages:
dpkg -l flash* | grep ii

Example of removal:
sudo apt-get purge adobe-flashplugin

Clean-up:
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get autoclean
sudo apt-get autoremove

New installation of flash (from multiverse):
sudo apt-get install flashplugin-installer

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