[HELP] I can't Update nor Install anything in Linux (Ubuntu)

Hi Lawrence,

Would you mind to give us more explanation about those error messages?
Or perhaps, your internet connection has failed making connection to the internet. Check your LAN Cable or Wireless Configuration or call your internet provider.

Cheers..
-Luky-

its better if u copy and paste what are the error messages popping out and advised to attach log file.

hey, check ur internet connection, firstly ping ur gateway. hope fully it will work
terminal- ping gateway (ex-10.129.225.1)

Here is the link of a screen shot of one of the errors that I have been encountering:

http://www.drivehq.com/file/DF.aspx/320456331.png?isGallery=&share=&shareID=0&fileID=320456331&size=pv&ft=4/22/2009%206:11:21%20AM&pay=&n=156

Here is another one:

http://www.drivehq.com/file/DF.aspx/320475887.png?isGallery=&share=&shareID=0&fileID=320475887&size=pv&ft=4/22/2009%207:05:42%20AM&pay=&n=656

Hi Lawrence,

I'm really sorry, I cannot open the link that you gave to use. Perhaps, you just copy those error messages then paste them here, dude. Cheers..

-Luky-

Lawrence,
your link says,

There was an error processing your request. The error message is:

Permission denied!

so provide more info on your problem

When I started the "Downloading Package Information", it says it's downloading files, but the bar actually never moves.
And when I clicked "Show for individual files", I found out that that are lots of files that their "Status" are "Failed".
Does anyone know why?

Are you behind a proxy?

What do you mean?
I have not applied any settings to proxy.

Steven means if your computer behind proxy server or not?
How about browsing to any kind of website (e.g. http://www.ubuntu.com)? Can you do that? I'm afraid there's something wrong with your internet connection. But, if you can browsing to that web site or another, but you still have the same problem, perhaps there's something wrong with the repository you're using now.

Here are the link that discuss about repository:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories

Hopefully that will help you. Cheers..
-Luky-

I can browse any websites I want.
Perhaps, there is something wrong with my computer connecting the Linux's server, I don't really know.

Okay.. Now, you can try my answer before. Seems you problem is the repository. Try to change to another. Good luck Lawrence...

-Luky-

I have just tried to select the best server from "Software Sources", but the result is "No suitable download server was found".
Can anyone explain the phenomenon?

hmmm... How about this one:

Open your terminal (Applications > Accessories > Terminal), then run this command:
$ sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
Password: [put_your_password_here]

Please copy the output of that command then paste them here. Cheers...
-Luky-

Here are the results:

lawrence@lawrence-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get update
[sudo] password for lawrence:
E: Could not get lock /var/lib/apt/lists/lock - open (11 Resource temporarily unavailable)
E: Unable to lock the list directory

lawrence@lawrence-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

lawrence@lawrence-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get update
[sudo] password for lawrence:
E: Could not get lock /var/lib/apt/lists/lock - open (11 Resource temporarily unavailable)
E: Unable to lock the list directory

This is mean that your synaptic package manager is open. Try to close it, then run that command again. Cheers..
-Luky-

I see, here is the result:

lawrence@lawrence-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get update
[sudo] password for lawrence:
Ign cdrom://Ubuntu 8.10 _Intrepid Ibex_ - Release i386 (20081029.5) intrepid/main Translation-en_HK
Ign cdrom://Ubuntu 8.10 _Intrepid Ibex_ - Release i386 (20081029.5) intrepid/restricted Translation-en_HK
31% [Waiting for headers]

Okay.. would you mind to let that command finish, then paste them here. So, we can analyze what is your problem. Cheers...

-Luky-

Oh, I didn't know.
I have closed it already!
So, what do I do now?

Hehehee.. never mind. Just open your terminal (Applications > Accessories > Terminal) again, then run that command:
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Don't forget, wait until its finish, then copy and paste them here.
Cheers...
-Luky-

I can't seem to start the update after I closed the first terminal.
What do I do now?

Anyway, here is the result:

lawrence@lawrence-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get update
[sudo] password for lawrence:
E: Could not get lock /var/lib/apt/lists/lock - open (11 Resource temporarily unavailable)
E: Unable to lock the list directory

lawrence@lawrence-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

Okay.. now close all terminal. Then open one terminal only, run that command again, and let me see if you have any problem.

-Luky-

I have just opened one terminal only, but the results are still the same:

lawrence@lawrence-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get update
E: Could not get lock /var/lib/apt/lists/lock - open (11 Resource temporarily unavailable)
E: Unable to lock the list directory

Wow.. I missed one thing. Your system already run that command before. Hehehe LOL..... I'm sorry.
To solve it, just reboot your system, then open your terminal run that command again.

-Luky-

I have been waiting for like an hour already. But I don't think the percentage has changed much. I mean it started at 31%, then after a while, it turned 30%. And for a while there, it was like 28% or 27%, but now it's 31% again. I don't really get what's going on.
Can you explain it?

[PS: Here is the result:]
lawrence@lawrence-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get update
Ign cdrom://Ubuntu 8.10 _Intrepid Ibex_ - Release i386 (20081029.5) intrepid/main Translation-en_HK
Ign cdrom://Ubuntu 8.10 _Intrepid Ibex_ - Release i386 (20081029.5) intrepid/restricted Translation-en_HK
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid Release.gpg
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/main Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/restricted Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/universe Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates Release.gpg
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/main Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/restricted Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/universe Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security Release.gpg
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/main Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/restricted Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/universe Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid Release
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates Release
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security Release
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/main Packages
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/restricted Packages
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/universe Packages
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/main Sources
31% [Waiting for headers]

It has finished.
There are lots of errors, can anyone solve it?

Here is the result:
lawrence@lawrence-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get update
Ign cdrom://Ubuntu 8.10 _Intrepid Ibex_ - Release i386 (20081029.5) intrepid/main Translation-en_HK
Ign cdrom://Ubuntu 8.10 _Intrepid Ibex_ - Release i386 (20081029.5) intrepid/restricted Translation-en_HK
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid Release.gpg
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/main Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/restricted Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/universe Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates Release.gpg
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/main Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/restricted Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/universe Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security Release.gpg
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/main Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/restricted Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/universe Translation-en_HK
  Connection failed
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid Release
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates Release
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security Release
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/main Packages
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/restricted Packages
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/universe Packages
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/main Sources
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/restricted Sources
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/main Packages
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/restricted Packages
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/universe Packages
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/main Sources
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/restricted Sources
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/main Packages
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/restricted Packages
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/universe Packages
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/main Sources
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/restricted Sources
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/main Packages
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/restricted Packages
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/universe Packages
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/main Sources
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/restricted Sources
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/main Packages
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/restricted Packages
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/universe Packages
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/main Sources
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-updates/restricted Sources
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/main Packages
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/restricted Packages
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/universe Packages
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/main Sources
  Connection failed
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid-security/restricted Sources
  Connection failed
W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid/Release.gpg Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid/main/i18n/Translation-en_HK.bz2 Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid/restricted/i18n/Translation-en_HK.bz2 Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid/universe/i18n/Translation-en_HK.bz2 Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-updates/Release.gpg Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-updates/main/i18n/Translation-en_HK.bz2 Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-updates/restricted/i18n/Translation-en_HK.bz2 Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-updates/universe/i18n/Translation-en_HK.bz2 Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-security/Release.gpg Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-security/main/i18n/Translation-en_HK.bz2 Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-security/restricted/i18n/Translation-en_HK.bz2 Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-security/universe/i18n/Translation-en_HK.bz2 Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid/main/binary-i386/Packages.gz Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid/restricted/binary-i386/Packages.gz Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid/universe/binary-i386/Packages.gz Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid/main/source/Sources.gz Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid/restricted/source/Sources.gz Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-updates/main/binary-i386/Packages.gz Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-updates/restricted/binary-i386/Packages.gz Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-updates/universe/binary-i386/Packages.gz Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-updates/main/source/Sources.gz Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-updates/restricted/source/Sources.gz Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-security/main/binary-i386/Packages.gz Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-security/restricted/binary-i386/Packages.gz Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-security/universe/binary-i386/Packages.gz Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-security/main/source/Sources.gz Connection failed

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/intrepid-security/restricted/source/Sources.gz Connection failed

E: Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

Besides, after the update.
I still cannot play videos and music (.mp3, .wmv, .wma etc)

@ Lawerence

"I have been waiting for like an hour already. But I don't think the percentage has changed much. I mean it started at 31%, then after a while, it turned 30%. And for a while there, it was like 28% or 27%, but now it's 31% again. I don't really get what's going on."

this is usual because those are different repositories loading 1 after another.don't mess with it.

first i recommend you to re-boot because there may be running synaptic.
then
System>administration>software sources

in "Ubuntu Software" tab select what type of soft ware you want to install.if you select all including source codes its ok.

Then the most important thing is
server

first select main server because it is recommended.(follow # at end)

then i advice you to uncheck all "Installabe from CD-rom/DVD"because you may not find updates on them for now(follow * at end)

then in update tab under ubuntu updates checked athleast first two.

then close and then reload and wait until it closes automatically.
and then System>Adminnistration>Update Maneger
wait till it works and check for updates.

dont 4get to paste your results

#it is recomended to use nearest server.if it doesnt work then a server for your country.then the main server.(4 me almost all servers worked but far servers response quit delayed.)although the main server is busy these days try it.

*Cd/DVD are useful when installing new software which are not installed but available on the cd.but updates are found rarely they should be downloaded.
you can update using cd for example when you are 8.04 and you have got 8.10 cd.

I tried asking the computer to look for the best server, but it couldn't find any.
And I opened the "Update Manager", and I clicked "Check".
But a pop-up message says that "Could not download all repository indexes".
And when I closed it, another pop-up message says that:

An error occured

The following details are provided
E: Could not get lock /var/lib/apt/lists/lock - open (11 Resource temporarily unavailable)
E: Unable to lock the list directory

So, what should I do now?

E: Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock - open (11 Resource temporarily unavailable)...

for above error

First thing you need to check Synaptic Package Manager open at the same time
or
That happens when synaptic or another package update / installation application is already running. Close any other package managers (including Add/Remove application, language pack installer, etc.) and retry.(thats why i asked you to reboot!)

Dont ask computer to select server just select it manually.the main server. if it doesnt work then try randomly from your country. again select all manually!