Can't install updates

[frikinsweet]

Every time i try to run update manager i get an error saying
'E:Encountered a section with no Package: header, E:Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_maverick-security_main_binary-i386_Packages, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.'
i've also been getting an error while trying to open Synaptic Package Manager saying
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_maverick-security_main_binary-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
E: _cache->open() failed, please report.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

[TexasRussian]

You can use the update and upgrade commands, this will update ubuntu but not as sufficiently as the update manager would.


sudo apt-get update


sudo apt-get upgrade

[sikander3786]

Welcome to the forums frikinsweet :-)

The error suggests that there is some problem with the list files which store the repository information.


E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_maverick-security_main_binary-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.

So, backup your existing list directory and re-create one.


sudo mv /var/lib/apt/lists /var/lib/apt/lists.bad


sudo apt-get update

Hope there shouldn't be any errors afterwards.


You can use the update and upgrade commands, this will update ubuntu but not as sufficiently as the update manager would.


Whereas I think apt-get is far more superior and lot less buggy than Update Manager at the moment. Things will improve I hope :-)

[frikinsweet]

Thank you very much sikander3786 (http://ubuntuforums.org/member.php?u=806649) everything seemed to install fine now