Can not update because of of empty lzma filename

Asked by Gummi

I can't update ma' ubuntu because of a rather troublesome error

E: /var/cache/apt/archives/dash_0.5.4-8ubuntu1.1_i386.deb: files list file for package `lzma' contains empty filename

This is one of them (actually they're all the same but the filenames are different). I posted this on the ubuntu forum with no avail.

I tried to download the distro again and attempt to update from the .iso file but the update window wouldn't open.

Please help, I already have 427 updates 443.1 MB.

I'm using Ubuntu 8.04 by the way, because I can't upgrade to 9.04.

-Gummi

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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
Gummi (shinigamigummi) said :
#2

Thank you, this is what appears after each input.

sudo: unable to resolve host Gummi

Untill the

sudo mkdir /var/lib/apt/lists/partial

Then this happens:

sudo: unable to resolve host Gummi
mkdir: cannot create directory `/var/lib/apt/lists/partial': No such file or directory

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said :
#3

can you please provide the output of:

cat /etc/hostname; cat /etc/hosts

Thanks

Revision history for this message
Gummi (shinigamigummi) said :
#4

Don't see why.

Gummi
127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.1.1 Gummi.domain.com

# The following lines are desirable for IPv6 capable hosts
::1 ip6-localhost ip6-loopback
fe00::0 ip6-localnet
ff00::0 ip6-mcastprefix
ff02::1 ip6-allnodes
ff02::2 ip6-allrouters
ff02::3 ip6-allhosts

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said :
#5

ok run:

gksudo gedit /etc/hosts

and change:

127.0.0.1 localhost

to:

127.0.0.1 localhost Gummi

Save the new file and close gedit. Then run:

sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart

Then try Mark's commands again.

Revision history for this message
Gummi (shinigamigummi) said :
#6

Pretty much nothing happens untill the updating itself starts the everything goes as is should except when installing
Then this happens:
(Reading database ... dpkg: error processing acroread-plugins (--remove):
 files list file for package `lzma' contains empty filename
dpkg: ../../src/packages.c:252: process_queue: Assertion `!queuelen' failed.
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg exited unexpectedly

Revision history for this message
Mark Rijckenberg (markrijckenberg) said :
#7

This issue seems to be related to the following bug:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/dpkg/+bug/108189

Please try running these commands to try to fix it::

sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/info/lzma.list /var/lib/dpkg/info/lzma.list.bak
LANG=C;sudo aptitude purge lzma
LANG=C;sudo aptitude install lzma
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

Revision history for this message
Gummi (shinigamigummi) said :
#8

This is what happened when I tried the purge:

dpkg: serious warning: files list file for package `lzma' missing, assuming package has no files currently installed.

dpkg: serious warning: files list file for package `libpopt0' missing, assuming package has no files currently installed.
dpkg: error processing libcommoncpp2-dev (--remove):
 files list file for package `ttf-freefont' is missing final newline
dpkg: ../../src/packages.c:252: process_queue: Assertion `!queuelen' failed.
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg exited unexpectedly
A package failed to install.

A similar things happened when I tried to install

Revision history for this message
Mark Rijckenberg (markrijckenberg) said :
#9

Try purging and reinstalling all the packages that are mentioned as having no "files list file". So not only purge lzma, but also purge libpopt0 , libcommoncpp2-dev and ttf-freefont. Afterwards, try reinstalling those packages using the procedure I gave above.

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