Synaptic Won't Open

Emerson · 05-07-2016, 06:45 PM

This is not good, do

Code:

ls -l /usr/bin/dpkg

is it there?

sdenethor · 05-07-2016, 06:53 PM

Doesn't look like it. Thanks for your patience!

Code:

[root@localhost person]# ls -l /usr/bin/dpkg
ls: cannot access /usr/bin/dpkg: No such file or directory

mark_alfred · 05-07-2016, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emerson

It probably needs to be run by root, if I remember correctly from my Debian days dpkg is the tool apt-get is using. As long as dpkg works you can fix your Linux.

But it's PCLinuxOS, which is an rpm distro based on (I think) Mandriva rather than on Debian. It's styled in the same way as Debian in that it has a mock Synaptic program, but it's not Debian based. So I suspect there is no "dpkg" program.

mark_alfred · 05-07-2016, 07:12 PM

I'm just gonna take a few shots in the dark. First, try running synaptic (as root) by entering the following command in your terminal:

Code:

/usr/sbin/synaptic

sdenethor · 05-07-2016, 07:22 PM

Does not recognize that command. Has Synaptic disappeared?

Code:

[root@localhost person]# /usr/sbin/synaptic
/usr/libexec/synaptic: symbol lookup error: /lib64/libnssutil3.so: undefined symbol: PR_GetEnvSecure

mark_alfred · 05-07-2016, 07:37 PM

ETA: Just noticed in post #9 that apt isn't working for you. So ignore the suggestion below.

I'm sure it's still there. I'm more familiar with Debian, so I'm gonna hope that PCLinuxOS has incorporated some of the following commands I'm gonna suggest. I feel that running another upgrade may do the trick. So run the following as root:

Code:

apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade

Then, if that works out, try opening synaptic again. If it doesn't open after the upgrade commands are run, try reinstalling it:

Code:

apt-get install --reinstall synaptic

Emerson · 05-07-2016, 07:39 PM

Whoops, my bad. I didn't know apt-get is used with RPM distros! Anyhow, there seems to be a partial/broken upgrade. Can rpm tool be used as dpkg in DEB distros to fix it?

mark_alfred · 05-07-2016, 07:51 PM

I'm not sure. I used PCLinuxOS a long time ago, but I'm not that familiar with it. I agree with you that that it seems to be an issue with a faulty upgrade.

mark_alfred · 05-07-2016, 07:54 PM

Oh, just noticed in post #9 that "apt-get update" command isn't working either. Hmm.

Emerson · 05-07-2016, 07:56 PM

Yup, that's why I recommended using lower level tool to fix it, but I went wrong with dpkg ... what is the underlying tool for RPM distros, rpm?

mark_alfred · 05-07-2016, 08:10 PM

Perhaps. Maybe the following would do something:

Code:

rpm -U apt

I just took that from the rpm manpage I found: http://www.rpm.org/max-rpm/rpm.8.html

I figure this would upgrade the program 'apt'. Or perhaps,

Code:

rpm -U synaptic

Or "rpm -i synaptic".

sdenethor · 05-09-2016, 06:07 AM

I appreciate everyone's input! Here are the code results for the rpm commands.

Code:

[root@localhost person]# rpm -U apt
rpm: symbol lookup error: /lib64/libnssutil3.so: undefined symbol: PR_GetEnvSecure
[root@localhost person]# rpm -U synaptic
rpm: symbol lookup error: /lib64/libnssutil3.so: undefined symbol: PR_GetEnvSecure
[root@localhost person]# rpm -i synaptic
rpm: symbol lookup error: /lib64/libnssutil3.so: undefined symbol: PR_GetEnvSecure

I believe you are correct that there is a faulty upgrade issue. The Qt-update-notifier widget checks for updates, and returns a "repository is in an unknown state" message.

mark_alfred · 05-09-2016, 09:51 AM

It's the same error every time, I notice. So, I think it seems to be some deeper problem with the libraries and/or the links to the libraries, specifically with libnssutil3.so. Here is the rpm with that file:

http://ftp.nluug.nl/pub/os/Linux/dis...016.x86_64.rpm

I am assuming you use 64bit Linux (IE, for laptops). If you're using 32bit for older desktops, then it would be here.

From here (installing Software without Synaptic), I found the following:

Quote:

To install an rpm, open a terminal, su to root, and [..] use the command

Code:

rpm -Uvh /path/to/the/package/you/want/to/install.rpm

So, maybe try to download the lib64nss3 rpm file (or the libnss3 file if you're using a 32bit system), and then install it with the rpm command given above. Hopefully this would fix the links and allow you to resume using Synaptic again.

The exact command, run in the same directory in which you downloaded the rpm file (assuming you're using the 64bit version) would be:

Code:

rpm -Uvh lib64nss3-3.23.0-1pclos2016.x86_64.rpm

Now, the disclaimer: I'm not an expert, so back up your system (or at least save files that are most important to you) first before trying any suggestion (by me, or by anyone, for that matter).

I did a search and found a similar issue here, which inspired me to look at the nss stuff: https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=579486

Note: when running the rpm command above, it may give you dependencies that will first have to be satisfied. If so, you would also have to download those and install them. I assume the main repository for 64bit PCLinuxOS is here.

sdenethor · 05-10-2016, 06:37 AM

Yes, I am running the 64-bit version (on a USB drive, if that matters). I have attempted to follow your instructions exactly, and keep getting the same error message. Although I'm sure from what you have said, and other documentation I have read, that some dependencies may be the issue, I'm not sure how to identify the culprits.

Code:

[root@localhost person]# cd /home/person/Misc/lib64
[root@localhost lib64]# rpm -Uvh lib64nss3-3.23.0-1pclos2016.x86_64.rpm
rpm: symbol lookup error: /lib64/libnssutil3.so: undefined symbol: PR_GetEnvSecure

Seems that "lib64nss3-3.23.0-1pclos2016.x86_64.rpm" is not locating "libnssutil3.so" even though I can see it in the same directory.

mark_alfred · 05-10-2016, 08:13 AM

I guess the program 'rpm' is also broken. Well, I'm stumped. Not sure how you can fix synaptic. Maybe running ldd (regular user okay) would give a clue as to the shared libraries required (and as to which requirements aren't being fulfilled):

Code:

ldd /usr/sbin/synaptic

Could also run it on apt or rpm:

Code:

ldd /usr/bin/apt

Code:

ldd /usr/bin/rpm

I think apt and rpm are located in '/usr/bin' as opposed to '/usr/sbin'.

Anyway, I'm not sure how to fix the issue you're having with Synaptic (or apt or rpm). Perhaps the pclinuxos forum would have people who would know.