whenever i opened the add/remove programs from applications the following message is displaying.

Software index is broken

This is a major failure of your software management system. Please check for broken packages with synaptic, check the file permissions and correctness of the file '/etc/apt/sources.list' and reload the software information with: 'sudo apt-get update' and 'sudo apt-get install -f'.

could anyone tell me how to solve this problem.

It looks to me as though you have already been given the solution:
Did you try this?

If so, what happened?

will u explain me clearly, i am new to linux.

You'll need to open a command shell to execute the commands. I don't know which distro you're using, but with Fedora, from the desktop you go to 'Applications -> System Tools -> Terminal'. It's similar, if not exact, with most systems. From there, run the commands as indicated in the posts above. They should rebuild the software index.

BTW, running the command 'uname -a' will tell us a lot about your system.

-Mats

no it doesn't work. "Could not get lock /var/lib/apt/lists/lock "

Go to your upper task bar to Applications > Accessories > Terminal press Terminal this will start a terminal. Now at the prompt type the commands the error message told you to.

type sudo apt-get update you will be asked for a password give the password you log in with.
After the first command finishes type the second command sudo apt-get install -f

Note: Linux is case sensitive, so dog, Dog, DOG are seen as three separate words.

This usually means that another application (like synaptic) is using the database.

Close synaptic, then give the commands in a terminal.

Hello,

I found this thread doing a search for a very similar problem. I have tried the above steps also with no results.

When I enter "sudo apt-get install -f" I get "E: The package symphony needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find an archive for it." This is probably from a failed attempt to load IBM Lotus Symphony, but now the system will not let me install or uninstall anything. I tried to re-install from a new Symphony .deb file, but I get an error dialog saying the file is corrupted.

Is there a way to remove the corrupted Symphony package that has apparently only partially installed?

FYI - My system is a Compaq Presario 2100 laptop running Ubuntu 8.04.

Thank you.

Did you try "sudo apt-get clean" yet?

To what end?

Evo2.

Did you try redownloading the file?

Yes, please try:
If that fails, try:
Evo2.

UncleCyrus -

Please try the "sudo apt-get clean": it's good advice.

Why?

It is my understanding that this is a package downloaded by hand from
http://symphony.lotus.com/software/l...tallGuide#5333

Can UncleCyrus please confirm where the package came from?

Evo2.

I downloaded directly from the IBM Lotus site, as linked above. I did download the file again, before I wrote the last post.

I will try some of the suggestions and let you know what happens.

Thank you.

Thanks! That worked. Update and package manager are working again. I had to perform both steps.

Thanks again to all.