I am trying to perform a apt-get dist upgrade under colinux 2.6.10 using debian, but it wont let me! I keep getting this error:

E: This installation run will require temporarily removing the essential package
e2fsprogs due to a Conflicts/Pre-Depends loop. This is often bad, but if you re
ally want to do it, activate the APT::Force-LoopBreak option.
E: Internal Error, Could not early remove e2fsprogs

I have tried this I found on a google search, but no avail:
apt-get -u -o=APT::Force-LoopBreak=true upgrade

so I altered the forceloopbreak back to false, because I heard it was bad, Can anyone give me help on get past this step? Also can anyone explain to me what the APT::Force-LoopBreak option does and is used for? Thanks in advance

My Woody -> Sarge upgrade doc states the APT::Force-LoopBreak should be;

apt-get -u -o APT::Force-LoopBreak=1

Hi,
I get the exact same message using synaptic to install webmin-samba... on debian 2.6.7 (Armada 7400).. what could happen?

The man page for apt.conf says ' ...-really- know what you are
doing...' but I don't know... would the file system be dismantled?
It's running ext3 on an Hitachi 80 Gig..

thanks

Ed

To tell you the truth I wouldn't know, but hey trial and error is the only way to learn

So, you did it by forcing the 'early remove' and it was successful?

Okay, I'll try that too.. but first I'll make a rescue floppy or 2 (;

tested on two of my machines with the same issue:

dpkg --remove --force-all e2fsprogs

then start aptitude
find e2fsprogs
"+"

make SURE it will be installed
"g"

Don't restart before being sure e2fsprogs is installed.

have fun. :-)
Try on your own risk. (as usual)

thanks guys.. FWIW: I used the following command:
apt-get -o APT::Force-LoopBreak=1 install webmin-samba

after doing mkrescue (I had to use old 2.4.26 vmlinuz as
the 2.6.7 one is over 1.44Mbytes..)

but the ISP didn't go down, and the wi-fi didn't interrupt and
all is well..

and then I ran aptitude and checked that e2fsprogs was at
status i (I now have version 1.38-2).

Ed

apt-get -o APT::Force-LoopBreak=yes install e2fsprogs
[ http://cryingwolf.net/archives/23-DE...oop-Break.html ]