Ok, first. The only reason I'm typing this is because I had firefox running at the time I was updating.

I did an apt-get update followed by apt-get install -f.

All files installed except

Unpacking replacement kdelibs-data ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/kdelibs-data_4%3a3.2.2-2_all.deb (--unpack):
trying to overwrite `/usr/share/mimelnk/application/vnd.sun.xml.calc.desktop', which is also in package openoffice-de-en
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Preparing to replace libgnutls7-dev 0.8.9-2 (using .../libgnutls7-dev_0.8.12-5_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement libgnutls7-dev ...
Errors were encountered while processing:


So basically, I have no kde-data because the darned thing won't install, and this has my system all screwed up. Can anyone help me resolve this error and get my system working?

I know I can not log out of kde because as soon as I do I'll get dcop server error message, (this has happened when I didn't update kde-data before) and I won't be able to log in, thus royally screwing myself.

I have knoppix/recent backups so if this problem is irreversible I can recover my files. However, I have no idea how to install debs under the other window managers I have running (not familiar with any but gnome).

If anyone has any solutions I'm desperate!

Thanks,

Harrison

Maybe cleaning up your /var helps. I once had problems installing because my /var was full. Is this possible? Apt-get stores downloaded packages in /var/cache/apt/archives. You can safely delete these downloaded packages.

You could also try reinstalling kde. Maybe that will solve it? Your configuration will be saved .

You can leave your kde by typing <ctrl> <alt> <F1> which will provide you a nice-looking white-on-black shell .

Succes!

Try this before doing another apt-get -f install

apt-get remove openoffice.org-mimelnk

Thank you very much. I solved the problem though and my computer is now working. I figured out how to force install a package from the commandline and so that solved the main problems. I had to update kpackage/konsole and will probably have to update more packages to get them to run properly. However, my computer is up and running!

Thanks a lot!

Harrison