Ubuntu
dpkg package

dpkg --configure -a

Asked by kenyon C

i started to update ubuntu from 8.04 to 8.10 but on accident i restartd my computer.when i logged back on all the graphics were old.when i tried the command (sudo --configure -a) this pops up

dpkg: parse error, in file `/var/lib/dpkg/updates/0078' near line 1:
 field name `odules' must be followed by colon

when i try all the other ones they dont work either...i dont know what to do can any 1 help me...ive been trying to fix it for weeks now

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Tom
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Robinson Tryon (colonelqubit) said : 		#1

Restarting your computer in the middle of an upgrade could cause a lot of things to break.

If you've got a good backup of your data and you've tested the backup, you could consider a clean install of 8.10 -- especially if you've been trying to figure this out for a couple of weeks. Ordinarily I wouldn't suggest a clean install, but a half-completed upgrade could really leave things in a wonky state.

Good Luck!
- Q

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Best Tom (tom6) said : 		#2

The command you needed to use was

sudo dpkg --configure -a

In the question you missed out the crucial "dpkg" part.
If you do have to reinstall then it makes sense to try downloading the new 9.04 and install that straight from the the cd you make
http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download

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

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BootFromCD
but when you install from here try choosing the "Manual Partitioning" rather than "Guided" or "Automatic" or anything because then you might be able to trick the installer into not wiping your data and settings. It is well worth copying your /home folder onto external drive or dvd's, although if everything goes well then you wont need this backup. This trick usually only goes wrong if you haven't got the backup, especially if you have settings or data you care about a fair bit and especially if you don't realise how much you cared until after losing it.

Anyway, from the "Manual Partitioning" menu make sure that all the partitions are UNticked in the "Format Partitions?" column and also set the "Mount Point" of your Ubuntu Partition to "/" as the / mark shows the installer where to put the bulk of the ubuntu system. The installer will, of course, give some pop-up box warnings but if you read these carefully and think about what you are doing then you'll probably see you're likely to be safe (and if it goes wrong you have the backups anyway, right?). Soon after the Partitioning Section you get a summary of what the installer thinks it has been told to do so look through this carefully and feel free to use the back button to correct any problems. You should be able to go backwards and forwards without it forgetting anything as long as you stick to the "Manual Partitioning" route each time it asks.

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

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kenyon C (ladysman29234) said : 		#3

Thanks Tom, that solved my question.

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Tom (tom6) said : 		#4

Congrats on fixing this problem :)) Nicely done :)
I hope all is going well now, or at least that you are getting good answers in these forums ;)
Good luck and regards from
Tom :)