hi all, im really loving ubuntu. but im haveing the below problem, could you be so kind as to point me in the right direction.
i get this when i try to open synapic package manager, and update manager
hope i have given all you need to help me.




E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/gb.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_jaunty_main_binary-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
E: _cache->open() failed, please report.

Open a terminal window

sudo apt-get clean

exit


Then try again

thanks for you responce, but it is still the same, any other ideas bud

Plan B

It appears you /etc/apt/sources.list is somehow in error or corrupt, or a sub list such as the Medibuntu one if you have installed that.

Step one

Open a terminal window and type

sudo apt-get update

and see what error it pops up, probably same as the error message you are getting now, but maybe a bit extra that will give a clue.

Try this

Open Synaptic

then select Setting -> Repositories

On the first tab select "Download from" and change it to some thing else. Use the main sever, or if it is the main server try a mirror.

On the second tab deselect all the third party software

On the third tab "Updates" deselect all the Ubuntu Updates

click on close and the program will prompt you to reload

click on the reload icon (top left)

If it reloads without error you can put back the third party and updates one at a time until you find the culprit.


You may also try sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list
and look for any obvious errors, like the d missing from deb at the beginning of a line.

good luck

Dunno if you've fixed this but I had a similar issue: "Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/gb.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_jaunty_main_binary-i386_Packages"

It turned out that the BT Total Cretins (don't ask; just... don't) "clever" Home Hub had managed to overwrite the above (and seven similar files) with the "Cannot Connect to Broadband" hijack page (how on earth it wangled privs to do this I'm unclear but I shall be investigating; must be something to do with my running something as root at the time).

The remedy was simply to delete the files completely (as root) and then run the update manager. Hey presto, update completed and the correct version of the files re-appeared.

Umm... what? I think you may be mistaken there.

Which part do you think I'm mistaken about?

1. The files did contain not what they should but the BT Total Broadband hijack page (when sudo-d into gedit) and

2. Deleting them as root and then running update did result in their being replaced with the correct versions.