package problem

mstep · 09-09-2005, 04:53 PM

I decided to install the package easytag a little while ago to convert the filenames of some music files to their id tag titles. However, for some idiotic reason, now unknown to me, I downloaded the latest version from the debian sid repositories and attempted to install it using dpkg (I am running stable).

It threw up some dependancy errors, that I had expected, 5 in total. However there is a problem with each of them. the first requires me to stop running kdm, xdm and xscreensaver. I'm not 100% sure how to do that. I tried 'kill xscreensaver' but was told there was no such pid.

the next needed two more dependancies, which I got and one installed correctly but the other told me it could not install without first configuring the package I was installing this new dependancy for.

the next two depend on the first one and the last one installed without error.

So with all these set backs I decided just to leave the damn thing alone and install an older version of easytag using apt. For this I used synaptic. But synaptic says I have broken packages. It lists 3 including easytag itself and a couple of the dependancies I tried. When I tried to mark these for removal it said I had to also remove lots of crucial programs that I need. Including kde. Trying to remove the packages in the terminal just gave errors.

So I'm completely stuck. Any help would be appreciated.

Xian · 09-09-2005, 05:19 PM

The very first thing you need is to remove the pkg errors.
This can be done in Synaptic by the following:

From the main toolbar:
Edit > Fix Broken Packages
Click Apply

It can also be done from a terminal:

Code:

$ su
# apt-get -f install

mstep · 09-09-2005, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Xian
The very first thing you need is to remove the pkg errors.
This can be done in Synaptic by the following:

From the main toolbar:
Edit > Fix Broken Packages
Click Apply

It can also be done from a terminal:

Code:

$ su # apt-get -f install

No can do. It requires removing vital applications such as kde, synaptic, gstreamer and numerous other programs along with even more libraries. Don't know why that is. Also I have already tried apt-get -f install but just got error messages.

EDIT: and apparently the problem is worse than that. I can't even install anything using synaptic anymore. It just tells me that the same packages need to be removed. There are 35 of them! What is going on?

Xian · 09-09-2005, 05:53 PM

Maybe you could post the output of the 'apt-get -f install' command.

mstep · 09-10-2005, 03:20 AM

yup sure

Code:

Reading Package Lists...
Building Dependency Tree...
easytag is already the newest version.
You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
  easytag: Depends: libc6 (>= 2.3.5-1) but 2.3.2.ds1-22 is to be installed
  libglib2.0-dev: Depends: libglib2.0-0 (= 2.6.4-1) but 2.8.0-1 is to be installed
  libid3-3.8.3c2: Depends: libgcc1 (>= 1:4.0.0-9) but 1:3.4.3-13 is to be installed
  libpango1.0-0: Depends: libpango1.0-common (>= 1.8.2-1) but 1.8.1-1 is to be installed
                 Depends: libxrender1 (> 1:0.9.0-1) but 0.8.3-7 is to be installed
  libstdc++6: Depends: gcc-4.0-base (= 4.0.1-6) but it is not installable
              Depends: libgcc1 (>= 1:4.0.1) but 1:3.4.3-13 is to be installed
E: Unmet dependancies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

Note that these dependancies are mostly the ones I've been having trouble with (along with one I can see, curiously, that I thought had installed correctly). Also doing apt-get -f install with no packages simply attempts to remove the 35 files that synaptic tried to remove.

Xian · 09-10-2005, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mstep
Note that these dependancies are mostly the ones I've been having trouble with (along with one I can see, curiously, that I thought had installed correctly). Also doing apt-get -f install with no packages simply attempts to remove the 35 files that synaptic tried to remove.

I see an immediate problem that needs to be fixed before anyting else. Your easytag is dependent upon a libc6 version that apparently is not compatible with your system. The libc6 package is a system-wide critical file. If the proper version is not installed nothing will work as it should.

I would advise removing easytag and then again trying to let apt sort itself out by doing another '-f install' command. Post back the results of the following commands:

Code:

# apt-get remove easytag
# apt-get -f install

mstep · 09-10-2005, 09:50 AM

Again, this problem can't be solved using apt. Apt-get remove easytag only results in the error message I posted above. The only way to remove it would be to simultaneously remove 35 critical programs and libraries. I can't install, fix or remove anything at the present time.

craigevil · 09-10-2005, 10:43 AM

Enable the unstable repositories, then under preferences in Synaptic choose highest number or unstable.

The errors showing uninstallable are packages that are in Sid/unstable.

mstep · 09-10-2005, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by craigevil
Enable the unstable repositories, then under preferences in Synaptic choose highest number or unstable.

The errors showing uninstallable are packages that are in Sid/unstable.

That seems to be an excellent solution. Thankyou. However I cannot fix the broken packages until I figure out how to stop kdm, xdm and xscreensaver from running. The kill command only returns no such pid and killall returns xdm (kdm, xscreensaver) no process killed. How do I shut down these programs?

Xian · 09-10-2005, 11:28 AM

From the keyboard: Alt + Ctrl + F1

This will drop you out of X and to a command shell.
Then you just need to kill X. This works if using GDM:

# invoke-rc.d gdm stop

If using another dm just substitute for gdm.

mstep · 09-10-2005, 11:33 AM

yup thanks did something similar. Just closed down x and for some reason killall worked. And so does easytag

Thankyou both very much for all of your help. I am so never going to mess with unstable packages again.