Can,t run update manager, DPKG errors!!

[Julian David Pitt]

When I try an install or run update manager from the terminal I get the following error:

E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.
E: _cache->open() failed, please report.


When I run this command I then get another error:


julian@ubuntu:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
[sudo] password for julian:
dpkg: parse error, in file `/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 22714 package `libgail18':
field name `
julian@ubuntu:~$

Can anyone please offer some help on these errors, thank you in advance.

[gjoellee]

Have you tried to reboot? Sometimes that will solve apt problems...

[Julian David Pitt]

Thanks for responding gjoellee. I don't believe a restart will solve things as the issue has been there since I had to kill the system after having some dodgy ram mess me about. It has been rebooted quite a few times since and each time I try to install updates I get this, can you shed any further light on what the specifics of the error mean?

[Partyboi2]

Open a terminal and try

sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/status /var/lib/dpkg/status.broke
then

sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status-old /var/lib/dpkg/status

sudo dpkg --configure -a

[Julian David Pitt]

That worked a treat so thank you very much indeed.