Package manager bonked

[oldos2er]

@ oldos2er:
that link doesn't work for me. The first method I get the error saying I can't move again because the directory is not empty
second method doesnt work because the word aptitude is not recognised

Here are the commands:

sudo -i

apt-get clean

cd /var/lib/apt

mv lists lists.old

mkdir -p lists/partial

apt-get clean

apt-get update

[jrog]

Var has so many files in it that I wouldn't even know where to begin to look

sudo mv /var/lib/apt/lists /var/lib/apt/lists.old
When I type the above command it tells me it can't be moved because the directory is not empty

mv: cannot move `/var/lib/apt/lists' to `/var/lib/apt/lists.old/lists': Directory not empty

Okay, then instead of the original commands I gave you, edit them slightly to do this:

sudo apt-get clean
mkdir ~/backup
sudo mv /var/lib/apt/lists ~/backup/ 
sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/apt/lists/partial
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get update

one thing I did notice is that on boot up Xubuntu did a "routine disk check" and its not the first time it has done this...could I be having a hard drive failure?

That's very unlikely right now. Routine disk checks are typically just routine disk checks.

EDIT: The commands that oldos2er is giving you do essentially the same thing as the ones I'm giving you, BTW.

[tdlam]

wow this is getting complicated I tried running

sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 40976EAF437D05B5

inserting one of the keys and I get this error:

 sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com A040830F7FAC5991
Executing: gpg --ignore-time-conflict --no-options --no-default-keyring --secret-keyring /tmp/tmp.Vi2IVQEfMX --trustdb-name /etc/apt/trustdb.gpg --keyring /etc/apt/trusted.gpg --primary-keyring /etc/apt/trusted.gpg --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com A040830F7FAC5991
gpg: requesting key 7FAC5991 from hkp server keyserver.ubuntu.com
?: keyserver.ubuntu.com: Connection refused
gpgkeys: HTTP fetch error 7: couldn't connect: Connection refused
gpg: no valid OpenPGP data found.
gpg: Total number processed: 0

Edit: yes I see the commands are essentially the same thanks...just that the mv command in both instances doesnt work

[oldos2er]

Trying to add or update a key isn't going to solve a BADSIG error.

[jrog]

wow this is getting complicated I tried running

sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 40976EAF437D05B5

inserting one of the keys and I get this error:

 sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com A040830F7FAC5991
Executing: gpg --ignore-time-conflict --no-options --no-default-keyring --secret-keyring /tmp/tmp.Vi2IVQEfMX --trustdb-name /etc/apt/trustdb.gpg --keyring /etc/apt/trusted.gpg --primary-keyring /etc/apt/trusted.gpg --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com A040830F7FAC5991
gpg: requesting key 7FAC5991 from hkp server keyserver.ubuntu.com
?: keyserver.ubuntu.com: Connection refused
gpgkeys: HTTP fetch error 7: couldn't connect: Connection refused
gpg: no valid OpenPGP data found.
gpg: Total number processed: 0

You shouldn't move to this step until you try all of the earlier commands and determine that they do not work. See above posts (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...8&postcount=12). Do what they say first. They should fix the problem.

Anyway, the error you're getting here is likely caused by a firewall. Are you behind a firewall?

EDIT: And oldos2er is right; what you did in the quoted part here (which I suggested you do if the other instructions don't work) won't resolve a BADSIG error, but rather a NO_PUBKEY error. The two must've got crossed up in my brain, so ignore that part of what I suggested.

[tdlam]

ok I have tried the other commands and I am stopped at this :

root@tdlam-Inspiron-6000:/var/lib/apt# mv lists lists.old
mv: cannot move `lists' to `lists.old/lists': Directory not empty

so that doesn’t seem to work.
I am on a restricted server here at work but if its interfering with this its the first time it has done so as I have updated numerous times here at work with no issues.
I could wait until I get home tonight and try again I suppose. Dunno at this point.

BTW I DO appreciate all your help and suggestions folks. I failed to say that at first. Thanks

[jrog]

ok I have tried the other commands and I am stopped at this :

root@tdlam-Inspiron-6000:/var/lib/apt# mv lists lists.old
mv: cannot move `lists' to `lists.old/lists': Directory not empty

so that doesn’t seem to work.
I am on a restricted server here at work but if its interfering with this its the first time it has done so as I have updated numerous times here at work with no issues.
I could wait until I get home tonight and try again I suppose. Dunno at this point.

BTW I DO appreciate all your help and suggestions folks. I failed to say that at first. Thanks

Use the version of the commands that I suggested, where you move the lists to a different spot: http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...8&postcount=12. It appears you have a lists.old directory in /var/lib/apt already.

And no problem.

[tdlam]

ok Jrog...your edited commands did the trick. Dunno why it all suddenly went south after a normal update but it did. Thanks for all your help folks. And just an FYI I am a back up fool...I have all my files backed up every one or two days and I clonezilla this laptop for a full drive image once a week.

Thanks again folks. You are all a testament to why the linux community is the very best in the world.

Just wish I knew why this might have happened in the first place...LOL!

hmmmmmm I dont see where I can mark this thread as solved...it used to be upper right somewhere...or am I missing something?

edit: never mind found it!

[jrog]

ok Jrog...your edited commands did the trick.

Great!

Dunno why it all suddenly went south after a normal update but it did.

One possible cause is a broken network connection while updating; don't know if you experienced that at any point recently. This can also happen if you are going through a proxy while updating and something is/was wonky with the proxy. Either way, it seems that what happened here is that the list files in /var/lib/apt/lists got corrupted.

Thanks for all your help folks. And just an FYI I am a back up fool...I have all my files backed up every one or two days and I clonezilla this laptop for a full drive image once a week.

You're welcome! And speaking of backups, if you followed my instructions exactly, you created a folder with the name 'backup' in your home directory, and you put your old (corrupted) list files there; you can delete all of that if your system is now in a working state, as it appears to be.

hmmmmmm I dont see where I can mark this thread as solved...it used to be upper right somewhere...or am I missing something?

It appears that you succeeded (or that someone did it for you)!