Apt is broken!

[CowPie]

"
dpkg: parse error, in file `/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 1668 package `openoffice.org-bin':
missing version
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)
"

This is the only message I get whenever apt gets aorund to installing things, evne though it downloads finely. What does it mean, how do I fix it?

[ubuntu-geek]

It appears the status file maybe be corrupted around like 1668.. go look in /var/lib/dpkg and see if you have a status-old file if so copy it over status and try.

There is also some helpful information here for recovering your status file.
http://www.linuxmafia.com/faq/Debian/package-database-rebuild.html

[cdhotfire]

try to remove and install once again openoffice.org-bin

if this doesnt work. do
sudo dpkg-reconfigure openoffice.org-bin

[CowPie]

try to remove and install once again openoffice.org-bin

if this doesnt work. do
sudo dpkg-reconfigure openoffice.org-bin
Should I do apt-get remove --purge or just apt-get remove?

Ubuntu-geek, I will try that in case of failure, as it looks more involved. Thank you both for responding!

[CowPie]

Should I do apt-get remove --purge or just apt-get remove?

Ubuntu-geek, I will try that in case of failure, as it looks more involved. Thank you both for responding!
OK, I just tried post #3. THat openoffice.org-bin file isn't instaled, strangely! So I tried post #2 and it did work. Thanks again.

apt-get -f install is what apt told me to do, and we'll see how it goes..

[az]

sudo dpkg --clear-avail

That may have worked for you, too.