Ubuntu
synaptic package

package manager/ synaptic failure

Asked by redmike

'E:Encountered a section with no Package: header, E:Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/gb.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_jaunty_restricted_binary-i386_Packages, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.'

it tells me to report this to someone, hope you can help, Mike

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Ubuntu synaptic Edit question
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Solved by:
Mark Rijckenberg
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Best Mark Rijckenberg (markrijckenberg) said : 		#1

Hi,

First please make sure to close all open programs, including all package managers like Synaptic, Add/remove programs, etc ...

Then please try this procedure:

Step 1: Open Terminal from "Applications->Accessories->
Terminal"

Step 2: Please COPY-PASTE each line below into the Terminal then hit <enter> after each line)

sudo cp -arf /var/lib/dpkg /var/lib/dpkg.backup
sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status-old /var/lib/dpkg/status
sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/available-old /var/lib/dpkg/available
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/dpkg/updates/*
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists
sudo mkdir /var/lib/apt/lists
sudo mkdir /var/lib/apt/lists/partial
LANG=C;sudo aptitude clean
LANG=C;sudo aptitude autoclean
LANG=C;sudo apt-get update
sudo dpkg --clear-avail
sudo dpkg --configure -a
LANG=C;sudo aptitude install -f
LANG=C;sudo aptitude update
LANG=C;sudo aptitude dist-upgrade

Step 3: Please post results (copy/paste terminal output from each command) on this thread

Hope it helps,

Regards,

Mark

Revision history for this message
redmike (xair) said : 		#2

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Initializing package states... Done
Writing extended state information... Done
mike@Burt2:~$
LANG=C;sudo aptitude autoclean
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information
Initializing package states... Done
Freed 0B of disk space
mike@Burt2:~$
LANG=C;sudo apt-get update
Get:1 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty Release.gpg [189B]
Get:2 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security Release.gpg [189B]
Get:3 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty Release [74.6kB]
Get:4 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security Release [57.9kB]
Get:5 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/main Packages [1253kB]
Get:6 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main Packages [120kB]
Get:7 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/restricted Packages [2599B]
Get:8 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main Sources [31.4kB]
Get:9 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/restricted Sources [509B]
Get:10 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/universe Packages [61.9kB]
Get:11 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/universe Sources [14.9kB]
Get:12 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/multiverse Packages [1662B]
Get:13 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/multiverse Sources [588B]
Get:14 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/restricted Packages [8848B]
Get:15 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/main Sources [555kB]
Get:16 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/restricted Sources [3156B]
Get:17 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/universe Packages [4757kB]
Get:18 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/universe Sources [2375kB]
Get:19 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/multiverse Packages [197kB]
Get:20 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/multiverse Sources [107kB]
Fetched 9622kB in 1min 8s (140kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
mike@Burt2:~$
sudo dpkg --configure -a
Setting up libphysfs-1.0-0 (1.0.0-5) ...

Setting up libsdl-net1.2 (1.2.7-2) ...

Setting up libsdl-image1.2 (1.2.6-3) ...

Setting up wormux-data (1:0.8.2-1) ...
Setting up libsdl-gfx1.2-4 (2.0.13-4) ...

Setting up libsmpeg0 (0.4.5+cvs20030824-2.2) ...

Setting up libsdl-ttf2.0-0 (2.0.9-1) ...

Setting up libmikmod2 (3.1.11-a-6ubuntu3) ...

Setting up netpanzer-data (0.8.2-2) ...
Setting up libsdl-mixer1.2 (1.2.8-5) ...

Setting up netpanzer (0.8.2-2) ...

Setting up wormux (1:0.8.2-1) ...

Processing triggers for libc6 ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
mike@Burt2:~$
LANG=C;sudo aptitude install -f
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information
Initializing package states... Done
No packages will be installed, upgraded, or removed.
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 7 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B of archives. After unpacking 0B will be used.
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information
Initializing package states... Done

mike@Burt2:~$
LANG=C;sudo aptitude update
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty Release.gpg
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security Release.gpg
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty Release
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security Release
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/main Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/restricted Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/main Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/restricted Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/restricted Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/universe Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/universe Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/multiverse Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/multiverse Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/restricted Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/universe Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/universe Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/multiverse Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/multiverse Sources
Reading package lists... Done

mike@Burt2:~$
LANG=C;sudo aptitude dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information
Initializing package states... Done
The following packages will be upgraded:
  firefox firefox-3.0 firefox-3.0-branding firefox-3.0-gnome-support
  firefox-gnome-support xulrunner-1.9 xulrunner-1.9-gnome-support
7 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 8917kB of archives. After unpacking 8192B will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] Y
Writing extended state information... Done
Get:1 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main firefox-3.0-branding 3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 [203kB]
Get:2 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main xulrunner-1.9-gnome-support 1.9.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 [39.4kB]
Get:3 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main xulrunner-1.9 1.9.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 [7564kB]
Get:4 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main firefox-3.0-gnome-support 3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 [84.9kB]
Get:5 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main firefox-3.0 3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 [888kB]
Get:6 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main firefox 3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 [69.4kB]
Get:7 http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main firefox-gnome-support 3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 [69.4kB]
Fetched 8917kB in 1min 2s (142kB/s)
(Reading database ... 164209 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace firefox-3.0-branding 3.0.14+build2+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 (using .../firefox-3.0-branding_3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement firefox-3.0-branding ...
Preparing to replace xulrunner-1.9-gnome-support 1.9.0.14+build2+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 (using .../xulrunner-1.9-gnome-support_1.9.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement xulrunner-1.9-gnome-support ...
Preparing to replace xulrunner-1.9 1.9.0.14+build2+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 (using .../xulrunner-1.9_1.9.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1_i386.deb) ...
Removing obsolete conffile /etc/gre.d/1.9.0.14.system.conf ...
Unpacking replacement xulrunner-1.9 ...
Preparing to replace firefox-3.0-gnome-support 3.0.14+build2+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 (using .../firefox-3.0-gnome-support_3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement firefox-3.0-gnome-support ...
Preparing to replace firefox-3.0 3.0.14+build2+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 (using .../firefox-3.0_3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement firefox-3.0 ...
Preparing to replace firefox 3.0.14+build2+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 (using .../firefox_3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1_all.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement firefox ...
Preparing to replace firefox-gnome-support 3.0.14+build2+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1 (using .../firefox-gnome-support_3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1_all.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement firefox-gnome-support ...
Setting up xulrunner-1.9 (1.9.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1) ...

Setting up xulrunner-1.9-gnome-support (1.9.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1) ...

Setting up firefox-3.0-branding (3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1) ...
Setting up firefox-3.0 (3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1) ...
Please restart all running instances of firefox-3.0, or you will experience problems.

Setting up firefox-3.0-gnome-support (3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1) ...

Setting up firefox (3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1) ...
Setting up firefox-gnome-support (3.0.15+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1) ...
Processing triggers for libc6 ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information
Initializing package states... Done

Current status: 0 updates [-7].
mike@Burt2:~$

The no entry sign disappeared part way through and update manager appeared shortly after. Tried synaptic and got a list without an error. Thanks for your help, i think its solved but i guess the problem was with one of the packages i installed rather than myself, Mike

Revision history for this message
redmike (xair) said : 		#3

Thanks Mark Rijckenberg, that solved my question.