g netbook install problems

[intrepid7]

Hi, new to the forum, been using Linux based machines for ~3yrs. I recently purchased a sylvania g netbook, trying to install paw,gnuplot etc. I receive this error:
dpkg: parse error, in file `/var/lib/dpkg/available' near line 2:
field name `0' must be followed by colon
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)

It seems this 'available' file is trashed. Any suggestions to update this binary.

edit: I have tried running apt-get install update

Thanks in advance
-Mike

[dstew]

Are you running Ubuntu desktop? Where did you get the .deb files your are trying to install?