Unable to fix broken packages

[timg37]

So I was trying to install Pidgin through Synaptic earlier, but I got this error message:

Could not apply changes!
Fix broken packages first.

I went to Edit>Fix Broken Packages to try to fix the broken packages, but I got this error message:

E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.
E: Unable to correct dependencies
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.
E: Unable to correct dependencies

Any idea on how I could fix the broken packages and complete my quest to have a better messenger than Empathy?

[mörgæs]

Try to boot the computer and run


sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

and watch the messages.

Close all windows which might open in the process.

[timg37]

When I do sudo apt-get update I get this:

timothy@grahambo:~$ sudo apt-get update
[sudo] password for timothy:
Ign http://dl.google.com stable InRelease
Ign http://archive.canonical.com precise InRelease
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com precise InRelease
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise InRelease
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates InRelease
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports InRelease
Get:1 http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg [198 B]
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security InRelease
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise InRelease
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise InRelease
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise InRelease
Hit http://archive.canonical.com precise Release.gpg
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com precise Release.gpg
Get:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise Release.gpg [198 B]
Get:3 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates Release.gpg [198 B]
Get:4 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security Release.gpg [198 B]
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise Release.gpg
Hit http://archive.canonical.com precise Release
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com precise Release
Get:5 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports Release.gpg [198 B]
Get:6 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security Release [49.6 kB]
Ign http://archive.getdeb.net oneiric-getdeb InRelease
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise Release.gpg
Hit http://archive.canonical.com precise/partner amd64 Packages
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com precise/main Sources
Get:7 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise Release [49.6 kB]
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise Release.gpg
Hit http://archive.canonical.com precise/partner i386 Packages
Ign http://archive.canonical.com precise/partner TranslationIndex
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com precise/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com precise/main i386 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise Release
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com precise/main TranslationIndex
Get:8 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates Release [49.6 kB]
Get:9 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/main Sources [7,089 B]
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise Release
Get:10 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/restricted Sources [14 B]
Get:11 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/universe Sources [3,653 B]
Get:12 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/multiverse Sources [696 B]
Get:13 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/main amd64 Packages [32.9 kB]
Get:14 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports Release [49.6 kB]
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise Release
Get:15 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/restricted amd64 Packages [14 B]
Get:16 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/universe amd64 Packages [8,581 B]
Get:17 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/multiverse amd64 Packages [1,142 B]
Get:18 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/main i386 Packages [32.9 kB]
Get:19 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/main Sources [934 kB]
Hit http://archive.getdeb.net oneiric-getdeb Release.gpg
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Sources
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main i386 Packages
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main TranslationIndex
Get:20 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/restricted i386 Packages [14 B]
Get:21 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/universe i386 Packages [8,594 B]
Get:22 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/multiverse i386 Packages [1,393 B]
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/multiverse TranslationIndex
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/restricted TranslationIndex
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/universe TranslationIndex
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/main Translation-en
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Sources
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main i386 Packages
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/universe Translation-en
Ign http://archive.canonical.com precise/partner Translation-en_US
Hit http://archive.getdeb.net oneiric-getdeb Release
Ign http://archive.canonical.com precise/partner Translation-en
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com precise/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com precise/main Translation-en
Hit http://archive.getdeb.net oneiric-getdeb/apps amd64 Packages
Err http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Sources
404 Not Found
Err http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main amd64 Packages
404 Not Found
Err http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main i386 Packages
404 Not Found
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Translation-en
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Translation-en
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Translation-en
Hit http://archive.getdeb.net oneiric-getdeb/apps i386 Packages
Ign http://archive.getdeb.net oneiric-getdeb/apps TranslationIndex
Get:23 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted Sources [5,470 B]
Get:24 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe Sources [5,019 kB]
Get:25 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/multiverse Sources [155 kB]
Get:26 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/main amd64 Packages [1,273 kB]
Get:27 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted amd64 Packages [8,452 B]
Get:28 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe amd64 Packages [4,786 kB]
Ign http://archive.getdeb.net oneiric-getdeb/apps Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.getdeb.net oneiric-getdeb/apps Translation-en
Get:29 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/multiverse amd64 Packages [119 kB]
Get:30 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/main i386 Packages [1,274 kB]
Get:31 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted i386 Packages [8,431 B]
Get:32 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe i386 Packages [4,796 kB]
Get:33 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/multiverse i386 Packages [121 kB]
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/multiverse TranslationIndex
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted TranslationIndex
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe TranslationIndex
Get:34 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main Sources [25.0 kB]
Get:35 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted Sources [765 B]
Get:36 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe Sources [8,304 B]
Get:37 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse Sources [696 B]
Get:38 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main amd64 Packages [68.3 kB]
Get:39 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted amd64 Packages [757 B]
Get:40 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe amd64 Packages [21.9 kB]
Get:41 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse amd64 Packages [1,142 B]
Get:42 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main i386 Packages [69.6 kB]
Get:43 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted i386 Packages [770 B]
Get:44 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe i386 Packages [22.1 kB]
Get:45 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse i386 Packages [1,393 B]
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse TranslationIndex
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted TranslationIndex
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe TranslationIndex
Get:46 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/main Sources [700 B]
Get:47 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/restricted Sources [14 B]
Get:48 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/universe Sources [14 B]
Get:49 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/multiverse Sources [14 B]
Get:50 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/main amd64 Packages [559 B]
Get:51 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/restricted amd64 Packages [14 B]
Get:52 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/universe amd64 Packages [14 B]
Get:53 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/multiverse amd64 Packages [14 B]
Get:54 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/main i386 Packages [559 B]
Get:55 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/restricted i386 Packages [14 B]
Get:56 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/universe i386 Packages [14 B]
Get:57 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/multiverse i386 Packages [14 B]
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/multiverse TranslationIndex
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/restricted TranslationIndex
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/universe TranslationIndex
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/main Translation-en
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe Translation-en
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main Translation-en
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe Translation-en
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/main Translation-en
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-backports/universe Translation-en
Get:58 http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg [198 B]
Get:59 http://dl.google.com stable Release [1,351 B]
Get:60 http://dl.google.com stable/main amd64 Packages [1,258 B]
Get:61 http://dl.google.com stable/main i386 Packages [1,250 B]
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main TranslationIndex
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en
Fetched 19.0 MB in 2min 8s (148 kB/s)
W: Failed to fetch http://ppa.launchpad.net/ferramroberto/gnome3/ubuntu/dists/precise/main/source/Sources 404 Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://ppa.launchpad.net/ferramroberto/gnome3/ubuntu/dists/precise/main/binary-amd64/Packages 404 Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://ppa.launchpad.net/ferramroberto/gnome3/ubuntu/dists/precise/main/binary-i386/Packages 404 Not Found

E: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

Nothing special for sudo apt-get upgrade:
timothy@grahambo:~$ sudo apt-get upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages have been kept back:
libpurple0 tomboy
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 2 not upgraded.

And I still can't install Pidgin :(

[mörgæs]

You have made quite a few experiments on this computer including at least one upgrade.

There is some cruft from 11.10 in the sources.list, and a number of PPA's are referred, but not all are accessible.

As 12.04 is only a few weeks old there is not much point in enabling backports.

If you will try to troubleshoot, the first step is to edit sources.list and comment out everything you don't need.

If you want to build a new sources.list from scratch you can do it here:
http://repogen.simplylinux.ch/index.php