update manager fails to install update packages

[Hobo4bob]

everytime I try to use the update manager I always get a package installation fail. I clicked the details tab and got this:

installArchives() failed: Extracting templates from packages: 53%% Extracting templates from packages: 100%%
Preconfiguring packages ...
Extracting templates from packages: 53%% Extracting templates from packages: 100%%
Preconfiguring packages ...
Extracting templates from packages: 53%% Extracting templates from packages: 100%%
Preconfiguring packages ...
Extracting templates from packages: 53%% Extracting templates from packages: 100%%
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... (Reading database ... 5%% (Reading database ... 10%% (Reading database ... 15%% (Reading database ... 20%% (Reading database ... 25%% (Reading database ... 30%% (Reading database ... 35%% (Reading database ... 40%% (Reading database ... 45%% (Reading database ... 50%% (Reading database ... 55%% (Reading database ... 60%% (Reading database ... 65%% (Reading database ... 70%% (Reading database ... 75%% (Reading database ... 80%% (Reading database ... 85%% (Reading database ... 90%% (Reading database ... 95%% (Reading database ... 100%% (Reading database ... 190359 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking sysvutils (from .../sysvutils_2.86.ds1-14.1ubuntu45.1_amd64.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/sysvutils_2.86.ds1-14.1ubuntu45.1_amd64.deb (--unpack):
trying to overwrite '/usr/share/man/man1/mesg.1.gz', which is also in package sysvinit-utils 2.88dsf-13.10ubuntu11.1
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/sysvutils_2.86.ds1-14.1ubuntu45.1_amd64.deb
Error in function:
SystemError: E:Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

so is it something wrong with my computer? or packages i need to find and delete?
Btw: pretty new to ubuntu so i don't know what this means.....yet

[fantab]

Try this from TERMINAL [ctrl+alt+T]: Run the commands one by one

sudo -i
dpkg --purge sysvutils
apt-get remove --purge sysvutils
apt-get clean
apt-get autoremove
apt-get -f install
apt-get update
apt-get dist-upgrade
apt-get install sysvutils
exit

If you still get errors post the output of 'sudo apt-get update' here.

[Hobo4bob]

Try this from TERMINAL [ctrl+alt+T]: Run the commands one by one

sudo -i
dpkg --purge sysvutils
apt-get remove --purge sysvutils
apt-get clean
apt-get autoremove
apt-get -f install
apt-get update
apt-get dist-upgrade
apt-get install sysvutils
exit

If you still get errors post the output of 'sudo apt-get update' here.
Did all of this when i used update manager again still gave me the same error Btw: while i was in the root accout when i ran the depackage command and the purge on the sysvutils it said it was never installed even when i reran this whole entire command line again

here is what came up when i did sudo apt-get update:
slashdot@shuttle:~$ sudo apt-get update
[sudo] password for slashdot:
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise Release.gpg
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates Release.gpg
Hit http://repo.steampowered.com precise Release.gpg
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise Release
Hit http://repo.steampowered.com precise Release
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com precise Release.gpg
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise Release.gpg
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise Release.gpg
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy Release.gpg
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates Release.gpg
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid Release.gpg
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security Release.gpg
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates Release
Hit http://repo.steampowered.com precise/steam Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/main Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/multiverse Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted amd64 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe amd64 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/multiverse amd64 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/main i386 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/restricted i386 Packages
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com precise Release
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy Release
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid Release
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise Release
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security Release
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe i386 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/multiverse i386 Packages
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://repo.steampowered.com precise/steam amd64 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe TranslationIndex
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates Release
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com precise/main Sources
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net precise Release
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid/partner Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted amd64 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe amd64 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse amd64 Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/main Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main i386 Packages
Hit http://repo.steampowered.com precise/steam i386 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted i386 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/universe i386 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse i386 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/multiverse TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy/main Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy/multiverse Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy/multiverse amd64 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy/main i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy/multiverse i386 Packages
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy/main TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy/multiverse TranslationIndex
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com precise/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com precise/main i386 Packages
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com precise/main TranslationIndex
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://archive.canonical.com lucid/partner amd64 Packages
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid/partner i386 Packages
Ign http://archive.canonical.com lucid/partner TranslationIndex
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/restricted TranslationIndex
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/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://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/restricted Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/universe Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/multiverse Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/restricted amd64 Packages
Ign http://repo.steampowered.com precise/steam TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/main Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/multiverse Sources
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise/universe Translation-en
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com precise-updates/main Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/multiverse amd64 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/main i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/multiverse i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/multiverse TranslationIndex
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://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://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/universe amd64 Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/multiverse amd64 Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/main i386 Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/restricted i386 Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/universe i386 Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/multiverse i386 Packages
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
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com precise-security/universe Translation-en
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com precise/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.canonical.com lucid/partner Translation-en_US
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com precise/main Translation-en
Ign http://repo.steampowered.com precise/steam Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.canonical.com lucid/partner Translation-en
Ign http://repo.steampowered.com precise/steam Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy/main Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com hardy/multiverse Translation-en
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
Reading package lists... Done

[fantab]

You have LUCID and HARDY repos in the sources.list. How did you manage that? You should not have them. Thats the problem.

You have to edit /etc/apt/sources.list file:

sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Sources file will open with gedit. DELETE all the line that contain terms. 'hardy' and/or 'lucid'. Save the file an run 'sudo apt-get update'...

[Hobo4bob]

Thanks for all the help fantab it worked.

P.S. do you know a place where i can learn more about linux (distro: ubuntu) so i don't have to worry about problems like these again?