Rednotebook: tried to load this:get message:
 

Reading package lists... Error!
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_saucy-updates_universe_i18n_Translation-en
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.

Where do I start to load this?

Still on LM 16?

Define "trying to load". Run, install, re-install?

Hi Habitual,
Thank you for response.
My use and experience of Linux (LM 16) is minimal and a simple reaction to wanting to be released from MS.

I have been using it purely for Internet, email and correspondence which is about all I need. I am trying to extend this of course and one of the things I wanted to do was install a diary and eventually (when more competent) my accounts and other software. As a start I chose Rednotebook.

However, I think I have more fundamental problems with Linux itself. I assume that to install software I need to access software manager or package manager which demand passwords. It is some time since I installed Linux and as far as I recollect I only have a password to access Linux Mint 16. If I had any other password I can't find it! It may mean that I have to re-install Linux itself to re-establish the passwords and I prefer not to do that as I will probably lose my email records. It follows that without the password I am stuffed and wasting everyone's time.

If you can help me with re-establishing the software password access it might help.

With than ks,
Wellington912

This is a correct assumption.

Try this:
Open your terminal and issue these commands:
When it asks for the password (and it will), enter your usual Login Password.
It will not be echoed to the screen and is case-sensitive.

Please let us know.

Thank you.

I have pasted the commands and as you say it asks for the password. I have entered the usual linux login password and it rejects it. I have also tried a variety of passwords I normaly use in upper and lower case and all rejected.

Wellington912

I suggest upgrading to an LTS version of LM, since 16 is not supported any longer.
See http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=173378 on how to do that, and why.

The password you need to install software is the password you created with the primary user during installation of Linux Mint. Unfortunately, Mint 16 is no longer supported and you will not be able to install software through its software center/manager or through a terminal by then normal methods. Mint 13 and Mint 17 are the currently supported versions.

Thanks for that.

I guess I have to keep my email history separately prior to clean upgrade. But more importantly, will the clean upgrade to 17 affect my existing windows partition where I have my accounts software, or will it either adopt the existing Linux partition or allow me to set the LM17 partition?

Wellington912

With Mint, you will have several Installation Type options. One is "Install Alongside" which is basically a semi-auto install over which you have little control, hope for the best. If you select the Manual option which is called "Something Else", you will have full control over where the install goes. If you know the partition on which you currently have Mint and want to install over it, just select that partition to install to and select the Format box. If you aren't sure which partition it is on, boot the current Mint, open a terminal and run the command: df -h
Look under the "Mounted on" column for the root symol ( / ) and on the extreme left of that row it will show the partition on which the current Mint is.