[SOLVED] Synaptic package manager won't open due to faulty package

nine9nine · 09-13-2011, 05:58 PM

Hi, everyone. I just recently encountered a problem where whenever I try to install or remove software, I would get an error, but it would still install anyway. I opened up the package manager and this error came up:

Code:

E: The package mfc210clpr needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find an archive for it.
E: Internal error opening cache (1). Please report.

I redownloaded the driver that needs to be reinstalled, but it won't reinstall. Please help because now I can't properly add or remove software.

nine9nine · 09-13-2011, 08:34 PM

Now I can't install or remove software. I tried to uninstall the driver that keeps appearing in the error messages, but it won't let me uninstall.

frankbell · 09-13-2011, 09:31 PM

In a terminal, try running sudo apt-get -f (-f means "fix")

Post any error messages you get here.

You might also post the contents of your /etc/apt/sources.list file (you can see it by running the command cat /etc/apt/sources.list.

If you do, please click the Go Advanced button at the bottom of the screen and surround the code excerpts with "code" tags.

nine9nine · 09-14-2011, 01:53 PM

I tried the first command and got:

Code:

colin@TheDarkSideOfTheMoon:~$ sudo apt-get -f
apt 0.8.3ubuntu7.1 for i386 compiled on Apr 26 2011 21:09:26
Usage: apt-get [options] command
       apt-get [options] install|remove pkg1 [pkg2 ...]
       apt-get [options] source pkg1 [pkg2 ...]

apt-get is a simple command line interface for downloading and
installing packages. The most frequently used commands are update
and install.

Commands:
   update - Retrieve new lists of packages
   upgrade - Perform an upgrade
   install - Install new packages (pkg is libc6 not libc6.deb)
   remove - Remove packages
   autoremove - Remove automatically all unused packages
   purge - Remove packages and config files
   source - Download source archives
   build-dep - Configure build-dependencies for source packages
   dist-upgrade - Distribution upgrade, see apt-get(8)
   dselect-upgrade - Follow dselect selections
   clean - Erase downloaded archive files
   autoclean - Erase old downloaded archive files
   check - Verify that there are no broken dependencies
   markauto - Mark the given packages as automatically installed
   unmarkauto - Mark the given packages as manually installed

Options:
  -h  This help text.
  -q  Loggable output - no progress indicator
  -qq No output except for errors
  -d  Download only - do NOT install or unpack archives
  -s  No-act. Perform ordering simulation
  -y  Assume Yes to all queries and do not prompt
  -f  Attempt to correct a system with broken dependencies in place
  -m  Attempt to continue if archives are unlocatable
  -u  Show a list of upgraded packages as well
  -b  Build the source package after fetching it
  -V  Show verbose version numbers
  -c=? Read this configuration file
  -o=? Set an arbitrary configuration option, eg -o dir::cache=/tmp
See the apt-get(8), sources.list(5) and apt.conf(5) manual
pages for more information and options.
                       This APT has Super Cow Powers.

The source list is:

Code:

colin@TheDarkSideOfTheMoon:~$ cat /etc/apt/sources.list
# deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 10.10 _Maverick Meerkat_ - Release i386 (20101007)]/ maverick main restricted
# See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.

deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick main restricted
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick main restricted

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the
## distribution.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-updates main restricted
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-updates main restricted

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team. Also, please note that software in universe WILL NOT receive any
## review or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick universe
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick universe
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-updates universe
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-updates universe

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu 
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to 
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in 
## multiverse WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu
## security team.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick multiverse
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick multiverse
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-updates multiverse
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-updates multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'backports'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
# deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-backports main restricted universe multiverse
# deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick-backports main restricted universe multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's
## 'partner' repository.
## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by Canonical and the
## respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu users.
# deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu maverick partner
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu maverick partner

## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by third-party
## developers who want to ship their latest software.
deb http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu maverick main
deb-src http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu maverick main

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu maverick-security main restricted
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu maverick-security main restricted
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu maverick-security universe
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu maverick-security universe
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu maverick-security multiverse
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu maverick-security multiverse
deb http://ubuntu.mirror.cambrium.nl/ubuntu/ lucid main universe
deb-src http://ubuntu.mirror.cambrium.nl/ubuntu/ lucid main universe

I also tried this:

Code:

colin@TheDarkSideOfTheMoon:~$ sudo dpkg --remove --force-remove-reinstreq mfc210clpr
[sudo] password for colin: 
dpkg: warning: overriding problem because --force enabled:
 Package is in a very bad inconsistent state - you should
 reinstall it before attempting a removal.
(Reading database ... 152124 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing mfc210clpr ...
start: Unknown job: lprng
dpkg: error processing mfc210clpr (--remove):
 subprocess installed post-removal script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 mfc210clpr

I'm not sure what to do now.

frankbell · 09-14-2011, 08:10 PM

Hmmm, I would have expected more from apt-get -f. Maybe it needs the package name specified.

The repos in your sources list all appear to pretty normal Debian and Ubuntu repos. For comparison, here's mine from my Debian box.

Code:

deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main contrib non-free
deb-src http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main contrib non-free

deb http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main contrib non-free

deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze-proposed-updates contrib non-free main
deb-src http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze-proposed-updates contrib non-free main

Never having had to solve this kind of problem, I'm running out of ideas. Hopefully someone else with more smarts will help.

Here's one thought: Open Synaptic. If it reports any broken packages in the bottom margin, try Edit-->Fix Broken Packages.

nine9nine · 09-15-2011, 01:56 PM

I fixed it. I lost the link I found, but it said run the command

Code:

gksudo nautilus /var/lib/dpkg/info

Once it loads all of the files (it may take a while), delete all files associated with the problem package. I then tried to remove the package from the terminal, it said it couldn't find it, and then everything was fixed.

TobiSGD · 09-15-2011, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankbell

Hmmm, I would have expected more from apt-get -f.

May be that is because the correct command is

Code:

sudo apt-get -f install

frankbell · 09-15-2011, 07:30 PM

Thanks, TobiSGD. I must have misread something at the link where I found it.