Suddenly can't install or update anything on LinuxMint 14 Cinnamon 32 bit

Don_Nadie · 08-20-2013, 01:19 PM

LinuxMint 14 Cinnamon 32 bit
mintUpdate 4.4.7
mintInstall 7.4.4

I've been using Mint 14 ever since it was released. I suddenly can no longer install or update anything. I always get this error message:

Code:

dpkg: unrecoverable fatal error, aborting:
 files list file for package `python-notify' contains empty filename
W: Waited for dpkg --assert-multi-arch but it wasn't there - dpkgGo (10: No child processes)
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)
A package failed to install.  Trying to recover:

I'm clueless regarding what to do about this, so TIA for useful guidance.

evo2 · 08-20-2013, 02:01 PM

Hi,

please run the following and post the full output (including the command that you ran).

Code:

sudo apt-get -f install

Evo2.

Don_Nadie · 08-21-2013, 04:53 AM

Code:

$ sudo apt-get -f install
[sudo] password for don: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 28 not upgraded

.

Firerat · 08-21-2013, 05:31 AM

never seen it...
guessing here..

Code:

apt-cache dump | sed '/Package: python-notify$/,/File:/!d'

Edit: actually, easier

Code:

apt-cache showpkg python-notify

I was winging it earlier

gets you something like

Code:

Package: python-notify
 Version: 0.1.1-3
     File: /var/lib/apt/lists/ftp.uk.debian.org_debian_dists_jessie_main_binary-amd64_Packages

I guess that 'file' is empty..
check with head /var/lib.......
do you have free space on var?

Code:

df -h /var

if not.. gain some space with

Code:

sudo apt-get clean

then

Code:

sudo apt-get update

and try again..

evo2 · 08-21-2013, 09:52 AM

Hi,

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don_Nadie

Code:

$ sudo apt-get -f install
[sudo] password for don: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 28 not upgraded

.

Ok, so what command(s) result in errors being reported (please provide terminal output)?

Evo2.

Don_Nadie · 08-21-2013, 11:10 AM

@Firerat

Code:

 $ apt-cache showpkg python-notify
Package: python-notify
Versions: 
0.1.1-3build1 (/var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_quantal_main_binary-i386_Packages) (/var/lib/dpkg/status)
 Description Language: 
                 File: /var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_quantal_main_binary-i386_Packages
                  MD5: 3392c017056c640af7d7190a16884e85
 Description Language: en
                 File: /var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_quantal_main_i18n_Translation-en
                  MD5: 3392c017056c640af7d7190a16884e85


Reverse Depends: 
  indicator-weather,python-notify
  sabnzbdplus,python-notify
  hijra-applet,python-notify
  xmms2tray,python-notify
  wicd-gtk,python-notify
  viridian,python-notify
  turpial,python-notify 0.1.1
  testdrive-gtk,python-notify
  tcosmonitor-common,python-notify
  stackapplet,python-notify
  specto,python-notify
  sbackup-gtk,python-notify
  rapid-photo-downloader,python-notify 0.1.1
  radiotray,python-notify 0.1.1
  python-loggingx,python-notify
  prelude-notify,python-notify
  pithos,python-notify
  phatch-cli,python-notify
  pam-dbus-notify,python-notify
  ontv,python-notify 0.1.1
  nicotine,python-notify
  monajat-applet,python-notify
  miro,python-notify
  memaker,python-notify
  lernid,python-notify
  indicator-weather,python-notify
  hplip-gui,python-notify
  hotot-gtk,python-notify
  hamster-applet,python-notify
  guake,python-notify
  gnome-btdownload,python-notify 0.1.1
  gm-notify,python-notify
  git-buildpackage,python-notify
  exaile,python-notify
  epoptes,python-notify
  emesene,python-notify
  dvcs-autosync,python-notify
  deluge-gtk,python-notify
  decibel-audio-player,python-notify 0.1
  controlaula,python-notify
  cameramonitor,python-notify
  bluemindo,python-notify
  blueman,python-notify
  bleachbit,python-notify
  backintime-gnome,python-notify
  autokey-qt,python-notify
  atheist,python-notify
  arista,python-notify
  system-config-printer-gnome,python-notify
  ibus,python-notify
  hplip,python-notify
  mate-applets,python-notify
  mintupload,python-notify
  mint-meta-kde,python-notify
Dependencies: 
0.1.1-3build1 - python2.7 (0 (null)) python (2 2.7.1-0ubuntu2) python (3 2.8) libc6 (2 2.1.3) libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0 (2 2.22.0) libglib2.0-0 (2 2.12.0) libnotify4 (2 0.7.0) python-gtk2 (2 2.10) 
Provides: 
0.1.1-3build1 - python2.7-notify 
Reverse Provides:

Code:

$ head /var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_quantal_main_binary-i386_Packages
Package: account-plugin-aim
Priority: optional
Section: gnome
Installed-Size: 935
Maintainer: Ubuntu Core Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Original-Maintainer: Debian Telepathy maintainers <pkg-telepathy-maintainers@lists.alioth.debian.org>
Architecture: i386
Source: empathy
Version: 3.6.0.3-0ubuntu1
Replaces: account-plugin-empath

Code:

$ df -h /var
Filesystem      Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda5        14G  9.4G  3.8G  72% /

================================================

@evo2

If I:

Open update manager.
Click Refresh.
Click Install Updates.

I receive error in my original post. See attachment.

Or

Code:

 $ sudo apt-get install aria2
[sudo] password for don: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  aria2
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 28 not upgraded.
Need to get 1,464 kB of archives.
After this operation, 4,037 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal/universe aria2 i386 1.15.1-1 [1,464 kB]
Fetched 1,464 kB in 4s (300 kB/s)  
Selecting previously unselected package aria2.
dpkg: unrecoverable fatal error, aborting:
 files list file for package `python-notify' contains empty filename
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)

Doesn't matter much what I try to install; this is just an example.

Firerat · 08-21-2013, 02:08 PM

looks like you are not alone

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...kg/+bug/108189

reading that it seems to point towards a hardware problem.. disk/memory etc..
You should probably look at backing up your important data as soon as you can.

run fschk , and badblocks ( assuming you have it installed )
memtest ( from boot or livecd )

have a look at files

Code:

less /var/lib/dpkg/info/python-notify.{list,md5sums,postinst,prerm}

use :n and :p to navigate between files ( next / previous )

if anything 'looks odd' remove and

Code:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall python-notify

evo2 · 08-21-2013, 02:29 PM

Hi,

looks like your /var/lib/dpkg/info/python-notify.list may be corrupted. I have no idea how that could happen. Please try to reinstall it. You may need to download the .deb and install on the command line using dpkg. Or, even manually unpack the .deb (using ar and tar) and replace the python-notify.list file.

Evo2.

Don_Nadie · 08-26-2013, 12:34 PM

If I have any hardware problems, they are beyond the power of software to detect them. I ran memtest86+ : 2 passes, no errors. I have Puppy Linux (frugal?) installed inside my Window$ partition and ran e2fsck and badblocks on my Mint partition from inside Puppy : no problems. I ran the diagnostic software that came in a separate partition on my Dell laptop : no problems, although it takes HOURS to get through all the diagnostics. I have a Seagate internal HD and Seagate Tools for DOS on a bootable device. Booted into Seagate Tools and ran the Seagate Long Test : no problems. Booted into Window$ and ran the latest version of PC Doctor, which Dell is nice enough to give to everyone including owners whose hardware is out of warranty : no problems.

My Mint partition is small since I keep most of my data on the old Window$ XP partition which I hardly ever boot into anymore. I backup my entire Mint partition to a big external HD twice a week with Clonezilla, so I just restored the most recent Mint partition that didn't have the problem. I did a simple copy of my home directory to an external HD first, so I could bring that last working backup to about the same state as my Mint installation that had the posted problem.

I couldn't reinstall python-notify since it seems to need itself for the Debian package manager to work, but of course python-notify is broken. I got tired of all this Linux mumbo-jumbo which is not for ordinary people who want to use their computer instead of forever fiddling with abstruse script files, so I implemented a solution that worked for me.