hey, so I posted a little while ago on a package manager error I have. it is keeping me from doing any kind of apt-get or any kind of updates.

i already tried running apt-get install updates in terminal but not getting anywhere with it.

this is what I got with the sudo apt-get install apt-get install updates.

E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-updates_multiverse_binary-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or open

if I delete the file above would that remove the package manager or what would the consequences be?

Does anyone have any ideas on how to solve this?

i tried to remove the file that appears to be causing the issue but it won't delete.


sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists-precise-updates_multiverse_binary-i386_Packages
rm: cannot remove `/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists-precise-updates_multiverse_binary-i386_Packages': No such file or directory


that's what I get with the rm but when I do ls, i see the packages file right above the input line.

i removed the file, ran an apt-get install updates and ended up with the obvious "unable to locate package updates" because I deleted it. so basically the updates didn't install because I now no longer have the "/var/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists-precise-updates_multiverse_binary-i386_Packages" file.

here is a copy of my sources.list file.

# deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 12.04 LTS _Precise Pangolin_ - Release i386 (20120423)]/ precise main restricted

# See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise main restricted
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise main restricted

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the
## distribution.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates main restricted
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates main restricted

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team. Also, please note that software in universe WILL NOT receive any
## review or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise universe
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise universe
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates universe
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates universe

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
## multiverse WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu
## security team.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise multiverse
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise multiverse
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates multiverse
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates multiverse

## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-backports main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise-security main restricted
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise-security main restricted
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise-security universe
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise-security universe
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise-security multiverse
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise-security multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's
## 'partner' repository.
## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by Canonical and the
## respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu users.
# deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu precise partner
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu precise partner

## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by third-party
## developers who want to ship their latest software.
deb http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise main
deb-src http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu precise main

Hi,

did you remember to run:
?

Also, I just did a quick search at packages.ubuntu.com and there doesn't appear to be any package called "updates", so I would not expect "sudo apt-get install updates" to work anyway. What is it that you are trying to do?

Evo2.

okay. so from what I can tell is that there is a problem with the packages file under the multiverse section because both of those were part of the file name "us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-updates_multiverse_binary-i386_Packages" so, what do I need to do to repair this?

yes I did sudo apt-get update, and got what it said, and then I thought I put it in wrong and tried sudo apt-get install updates and got the same thing coming up.

my package manager is not functioning. I can't download anything, I can't get updates, I can't get any kind of new software on my computer. the only way of getting new software on my computer is through the browser.

ha, got it. I tried running the apt-get update again because the red circle went away in the top right of the screen for the back package manager and it seems to be working.

now it won't let me install the updates because "this action requires the installation of untrusted packages" how do I fix this?

Hi,

Your earlier posts did not mention it.

Please try running
again and cut and paste the command you ran and all the output (in [code] tags) here on the forum.


The error message you posted is constant with running "sudo apt-get install updates", but not not with running "sudo apt-get update".


Evo2.

ok. I pressed detail and it says the package "patch" was the untrusted one. I unchecked it and it still says it is trying to install "patch"

Hi,

Hmm, so I take it you are using some sort of gui package manager now instead of apt-get...

Anyway you should be able to tell apt to not install that package by running the following command:
Unfortunately if you don't provide the information I've asked for I'm afraid there is not much I can do to help.

Evo2.

ok, I think I got it. I'm marking it as solved. thanks for your help.

I had similar problems before. Here is the link to my thread.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...er-4175421553/

You will find the link to other threads in my thread, that solved the issue.

Regards.