unable to open any programs (freeze)

[ceci123]

Please help... this is my work desktop.

I am using Ubuntu 8.1 hardy on a dell desktop. I really don't know what caused this problem.... but this is what happened.

I had a lots of updates that needed to be done. So clicked the update icon and happily when and updated... and flashed me (something about "/var/cache/apt/archives/acrobatad_8.0.2-i386.deb: trying to everwrite '/usr/bin/acroread', which is also a package..."). I DON"T KNOW IF THIS CAUSED THE ERROR but

after a reboot i could not open any programs. It freezes.

However, I can open all programs if I
reboot >> Session >> Failed Safe Terminal >> gnome-panel &
When i do this I get this msg: "Unable to open desktop file /usr/share/applications/mozilla-thunderbird.desktop for panel launcher: No such file or directory."

But I can open Firefox and other programs but as soon as I exit everything is frozen again.

How can I fix my problem?! Please help.

Thank you for your help.

[ceci123]

nobody?

i am still having the same problem. if i try re-installing the OS....will it wipe all the contents that i currently have on my machine?

help.

thanks

[avtolle]

Try from the terminal (Applications-->Accessories-->Terminal)
sudo dpkg --configure -a to see if that cleans up the problem.

[ceci123]

Hi there.

Thanks for taking the time to help me out.

I issued the command you suggested and it didn't return anything. It just returned to the prompt. The complete system is frozen!

By pressing 'Esc' button I can boot to my previous version eg. Ubuntu 8.04.1, Kernel 2.6.24-16-generic. But the resolution is all messed up.

What can I do?

thanks