Linux Lite Forums - Update lists not working

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Hi folks,

There is some kind of problem happening when I try to update...I get the following errors -

Reading package lists... Error!
E: Problem parsing dependency Breaks
E: Error occurred while processing samba-libs (NewVersion2)
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/dpkg/status
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.

I tried removing the old lists by doing -

sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/* -vf
sudo apt-get update

so the cache would update but I still get the above errors, I tried rebooting a bunch of times but that didn't help either.

Any ideas on this ?

glin22

Sorry, I forgot to say that I am using LL 2.8.

Glin22

Go to Software and Updates and select a different update server. Then rerun the Install Updates utility.

Thanks for your reply, Torreydale.

I tried your suggestion but after doing that it says "couldn't fetch the package cache information lists"

Glin22

Did you click on Select Best Server, Save, and then Reload?
Have you tried rebooting?
When you ran the following what was the output of sudo apt-get update?

sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/* -vf
sudo apt-get update

Hm, looks like /var/lib/dpkg/status got messed up
There are backups of this file
To list the backups use

Code:
ls -l /var/backups/dpkg.status.*

Now copy /var/backups/dpkg.status.0 to /var/lib/dpkg/status

Code:
sudo cp /var/backups/dpkg.status.0 /var/lib/dpkg/status

And try to run the updates.

If that doesn't help try to use the other backup files
but as you see the files are compressed

Code:
ls  /var/backups/dpkg.status.*

/var/backups/dpkg.status.0     /var/backups/dpkg.status.4.gz

/var/backups/dpkg.status.1.gz  /var/backups/dpkg.status.5.gz

/var/backups/dpkg.status.2.gz  /var/backups/dpkg.status.6.gz

/var/backups/dpkg.status.3.gz

so you have to unpack them first
For example /var/backups/dpkg.status.1.gz

Code:
sudo gunzip /var/backups/dpkg.status.1.gz

Then you can copy to /var/lib/dpkg/status

Code:
sudo cp /var/backups/dpkg.status.1 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Hope this helps Smile

(02-10-2016, 11:25 AM)torreydale link Wrote: [ -> ]Did you click on Select Best Server, Save, and then Reload?
Have you tried rebooting?
When you ran the following what was the output of sudo apt-get update?

sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/* -vf
sudo apt-get update

I tried a number of different servers, tried to update but then it gives me "Failed to load the package list, this is a serious problem, try again later, If this problem appears again, please report an error to the developers"

Yes, I have tried reboots but nothing changes.

The output of sudo apt-get update after I remove the lists is exactly the same error as I mentioned in the very first post of this thread.

Thanks for trying to help though !

Glin22

(02-10-2016, 03:47 PM)misko_2083 link Wrote: [ -> ]Hm, looks like /var/lib/dpkg/status got messed up
There are backups of this file
To list the backups use

Code:
ls -l /var/backups/dpkg.status.*

Now copy /var/backups/dpkg.status.0 to /var/lib/dpkg/status

Code:
sudo cp /var/backups/dpkg.status.0 /var/lib/dpkg/status
And try to run the updates.

If that doesn't help try to use the other backup files
but as you see the files are compressed

Code:
ls /var/backups/dpkg.status.* /var/backups/dpkg.status.0 /var/backups/dpkg.status.4.gz /var/backups/dpkg.status.1.gz /var/backups/dpkg.status.5.gz /var/backups/dpkg.status.2.gz /var/backups/dpkg.status.6.gz /var/backups/dpkg.status.3.gz
so you have to unpack them first
For example /var/backups/dpkg.status.1.gz

Code:
sudo gunzip /var/backups/dpkg.status.1.gz
Then you can copy to /var/lib/dpkg/status

Code:
sudo cp /var/backups/dpkg.status.1 /var/lib/dpkg/status
Hope this helps

Thanks a bunch for your ideas and taking the time to help me !

I got an error when I tried your suggestion, it said no such file exists, so I took a peek at /var/backups/ there are no files there whatsoever, I wonder if the best thing is for me to reinstall to set things straight ? It does seem a shame though to have to go through all of that again. I can get into a terminal on the machine but when I try to use either firefox or chrome, they don't work correctly, that is how the system stands right now. I can't get anything cleared up because I can't do any updates. If you have any other ideas on how I can correct my problem without reinstalling, let me know.

Glin22

The following is taken from this link:

It seems like your /var/lib/dpkg/status file is corrupted. So try to replace the current status file with the old one.
sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/status /var/lib/dpkg/status.bak
sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/status-old /var/lib/dpkg/status

If the above doesn't work, do a web search on "Error occurred while processing samba-libs (NewVersion2)" to see what you get.

(02-10-2016, 08:34 PM)torreydale link Wrote: [ -> ]The following is taken from this link:

It seems like your /var/lib/dpkg/status file is corrupted. So try to replace the current status file with the old one.
sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/status /var/lib/dpkg/status.bak
sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/status-old /var/lib/dpkg/status

If the above doesn't work, do a web search on "Error occurred while processing samba-libs (NewVersion2)" to see what you get.

Ooooh doggie ! I did your procedure and am back in business !! Machine seems to be working fine now, did a bunch of updates, everything went through well !! Glad I didn't have to go through the whole install process all over again !

Thanks for the tip and to all of the folks who gave help.

Glin22

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