"Items cannot be installed or removed until the package catalog is repaired"

[duodecillian]

Clicking repair gives me another error, this happened after I installed Skype. Even trying to fix the broken packages in the synaptic package manager is giving me an error.

I'm sure there's more information you need to help me, so whatever you need I'm more than willing to let you know. Thanks in advance.

[oldos2er]

Can you open a terminal (Ctrl-Alt-t), run the following command, and copy and paste all the output here?
sudo apt-get update

[duodecillian]

duodecillian@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get update
Ign http://dl.google.com stable InRelease
Ign http://dl.google.com stable InRelease
Get:1 http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg [198 B]
Get:2 http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg [198 B]
Ign http://archive.canonical.com precise InRelease
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com precise InRelease
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates InRelease
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security InRelease
Get:3 http://dl.google.com stable Release [1,347 B]
Get:4 http://dl.google.com stable Release [1,347 B]
Hit http://archive.canonical.com precise Release.gpg
Get:5 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise Release.gpg [198 B]
Get:6 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security Release.gpg [198 B]
Hit http://archive.canonical.com precise Release
Get:7 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates Release.gpg [198 B]
Get:8 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security Release [49.6 kB]
Get:9 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise Release [49.6 kB]
Hit http://archive.canonical.com precise/partner amd64 Packages
Hit http://archive.canonical.com precise/partner i386 Packages
Ign http://archive.canonical.com precise/partner TranslationIndex
Get:10 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates Release [49.6 kB]
Get:11 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/main amd64 Packages [32.9 kB]
Get:12 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/main amd64 Packages [1,273 kB]
Get:13 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/restricted amd64 Packages [14 B]
Get:14 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/universe amd64 Packages [8,581 B]
Get:15 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/multiverse amd64 Packages [1,142 B]
Get:16 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/main i386 Packages [32.9 kB]
Get:17 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/restricted i386 Packages [14 B]
Get:18 http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/universe i386 Packages [8,594 B]
Get:19 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
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/main Translation-en
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/restricted Translation-en
Get:20 http://dl.google.com stable/main amd64 Packages [1,245 B]
Get:21 http://dl.google.com stable/main i386 Packages [1,268 B]
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/universe Translation-en
Ign http://archive.canonical.com precise/partner Translation-en_US
Get:22 http://dl.google.com stable/main amd64 Packages [765 B]
Get:23 http://dl.google.com stable/main i386 Packages [769 B]
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.canonical.com precise/partner Translation-en
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en
Get:24 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted amd64 Packages [8,452 B]
Get:25 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe amd64 Packages [4,786 kB]
Get:26 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/multiverse amd64 Packages [119 kB]
Get:27 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/main i386 Packages [1,274 kB]
Get:28 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted i386 Packages [8,431 B]
Get:29 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe i386 Packages [4,796 kB]
Get:30 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/multiverse i386 Packages [121 kB]
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/multiverse TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe TranslationIndex
Get:31 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main amd64 Packages [95.2 kB]
Get:32 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted amd64 Packages [757 B]
Get:33 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe amd64 Packages [27.5 kB]
Get:34 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse amd64 Packages [1,142 B]
Get:35 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main i386 Packages [96.5 kB]
Get:36 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted i386 Packages [770 B]
Get:37 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe i386 Packages [27.7 kB]
Get:38 http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse i386 Packages [1,393 B]
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/main Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe Translation-en

[matt_symes]

Hi

After the update command from oldos2er, i would now run



sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get autoclean
sudo apt-get autoremove

(I think autoclean might remove a subset of clean but...)

and then



sudo apt-get -f install
Post back any errors these commands may produce.


If no errors then try to use the software center again.


Kind regards

[duodecillian]

When running the autoremove command I get this:

Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
libdbusmenu-qt2:i386 : Depends: libqtcore4:i386 (>= 4:4.7.0~beta1) but it is not installed
libqt4-dbus:i386 : Depends: libqtcore4:i386 (= 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1) but it is not installed
libqt4-declarative:i386 : Depends: libqtcore4:i386 (= 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1) but it is not installed
libqt4-network:i386 : Depends: libqtcore4:i386 (= 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1) but it is not installed
libqt4-script:i386 : Depends: libqtcore4:i386 (= 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1) but it is not installed
libqt4-sql:i386 : Depends: libqtcore4:i386 (= 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1) but it is not installed
libqt4-sql-mysql:i386 : Depends: libqtcore4:i386 (= 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1) but it is not installed
libqt4-xml:i386 : Depends: libqtcore4:i386 (= 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1) but it is not installed
libqt4-xmlpatterns:i386 : Depends: libqtcore4:i386 (= 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1) but it is not installed
libqtgui4:i386 : Depends: libqtcore4:i386 (= 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1) but it is not installed
skype-bin:i386 : Depends: libqtcore4:i386 (>= 4:4.5.3) but it is not installed
sni-qt:i386 : Depends: libqtcore4:i386 (>= 4:4.7.3-1ubuntu3~) but it is not installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try using -f.


When running apt-get -f install


Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
libqtcore4:i386
The following NEW packages will be installed:
libqtcore4:i386
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
13 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 2,061 kB of archives.
After this operation, 9,041 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? Y
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libqtcore4 i386 4:4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1 [2,061 kB]
Fetched 2,061 kB in 3s (545 kB/s)
(Reading database ... 181370 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking libqtcore4:i386 (from .../libqtcore4_4%3a4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libqtcore4_4%3a4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1_i386.deb (--unpack):
conffile './etc/xdg/Trolltech.conf' is not in sync with other instances of the same package
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/libqtcore4_4%3a4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

[matt_symes]

Hi

It looks like this is a known bug.


https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/qt4-x11/+bug/983315


Take a look at post #3 and #4 for an answer.


Kind regards

[duodecillian]

I don't mean to be a bother, but I'm having trouble understanding what to do with this information:


Seems like a new version of the qt4 libs has been published today. Now libqtcore4 (and also Skype) installation is working for me again.


I can confirm, after just downloading and installing the latest batch of patches there are no more dependency issues and Skype works fine.


Where exactly can I find these patches?

[matt_symes]

Hi

Don't worry. You're not a bother :)


This was the version they were using.



libqtcore4_4%3a4.8.1-0ubuntu4_i386.debThis is the version your are pulling down from precise updates repo



libqtcore4_4%3a4.8.1-0ubuntu4_1_i386.debAccording to this...


http://www.ubuntuupdates.org/package/core/precise/main/updates/libqtcore4


...a version was moved there on the second of May.


Try downloading the package libqtcore4_4%3a4.8.1-0ubuntu4_1_i386.deb from the llink above. You want the 32 bit version.


Download it to you home directory using a web browser then open a terminal and type



sudo dpkg -i *.debIf it installs then all well and good (i am not convinced it will work though). Try



sudo apt-get -f installPost back any errors.


It may just be a case that you are downloading an older version of the package somehow.


Kind regards

[duodecillian]

Thank you so much! After much pain trying to find the solution on my own I wish I could have found something is straightforward as this. I tried to change the little prefix to solved, but I just edited it in the title. Only change I made to your instructions was that I installed the 64bit one, since I'm running a 64bit computer.

[matt_symes]

Hi

I'm glad it's fixed :D

Just a note to let you know you can mark a thread as solved using the thread tools drop down menu at the top right of the page level with the new reply button.

Kind regards

[strid3r]

THANKS matt_symes!

This worked, except I downloaded the 64 bit.

I just ran:

sudo dpkg -i libqtcore4_4.8.1-0ubuntu4.1_amd64.deb

and then:

sudo apt-get -f install


Worked like a charm!