View Full Version : [ubuntu] Can't start synaptic package manager and/or system update
bmcsorley
August 13th, 2008, 12:40 AM
Hi,
I'm unable to run either the synaptic package manager or system update and get the below error for both. I know I have updates to install as have the little orange notification in the task bar but unable to see what they are.
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/ftp.heanet.ie_pub_ubuntu_dists_gutsy_universe_bina ry-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
E: _cache->open() failed, please report.
Thanks,
BMc
iaculallad
August 13th, 2008, 01:08 AM
On your terminal, try:
sudo dpkg --clear-avail
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
bmcsorley
August 13th, 2008, 09:07 AM
Hi,
Thanks for replying. I've tried what you suggested and results below - looks like the same error? Just tried the package manager again and same thing.
desktop:~$ sudo dpkg --clear-avail
[sudo] password :
desktop:~$ sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
Get:1 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy Release.gpg [191B]
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/main Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/restricted Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/universe Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/multiverse Translation-en_IE
Get:2 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/main Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/restricted Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/universe Translation-en_IE
Get:3 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/main Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/restricted Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/universe Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/multiverse Translation-en_IE
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy Release
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates Release
Get:4 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security Release [58.5kB]
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/main Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/restricted Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/main Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/restricted Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/universe Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/universe Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/multiverse Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/multiverse Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/main Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/restricted Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/main Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/restricted Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/universe Packages
Get:5 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/main Packages [107kB]
Get:6 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/restricted Packages [5280B]
Get:7 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/main Sources [20.6kB]
Get:8 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/restricted Sources [944B]
Get:9 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/universe Packages [76.4kB]
Get:10 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/universe Sources [11.6kB]
Get:11 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/multiverse Packages [5774B]
Get:12 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/multiverse Sources [812B]
Fetched 287kB in 3s (77.7kB/s)
Reading package lists... Error!
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/ftp.heanet.ie_pub_ubuntu_dists_gutsy_universe_bina ry-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
iaculallad
August 13th, 2008, 09:17 AM
On your terminal:
sudo apt-get update -o APT::Cache-Limit=25165824
then
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
rohas
August 13th, 2008, 12:12 PM
Hello everyone,
well i have the same problem with different output error
My error is
dpkg: parse error, in file '/var/lib/dpkg/updates/0175' near line 4: missing package name
i believe that the trick is to "clear" everything that was downloaded and start all over the update process again...but i don't know how i can do this !!! any ideas for achieving this ?
bmcsorley
August 13th, 2008, 09:46 PM
No go I'm afraid - still same error with above commands.....
desktop:~$ sudo apt-get update -o APT::Cache-Limit=25165824
[sudo] password :
Get:1 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy Release.gpg [191B]
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/main Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/restricted Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/universe Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/multiverse Translation-en_IE
Get:2 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/main Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/restricted Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/universe Translation-en_IE
Get:3 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/main Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/restricted Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/universe Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/multiverse Translation-en_IE
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy Release
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates Release
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security Release
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/main Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/restricted Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/main Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/restricted Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/universe Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/universe Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/multiverse Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/multiverse Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/main Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/restricted Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/main Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/restricted Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/universe Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/main Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/restricted Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/main Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/restricted Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/universe Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/universe Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/multiverse Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/multiverse Sources
Fetched 3B in 2s (1B/s)
Reading package lists... Error!
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/ftp.heanet.ie_pub_ubuntu_dists_gutsy_universe_bina ry-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
desktop:~$ sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
Get:1 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy Release.gpg [191B]
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/main Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/restricted Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/universe Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/multiverse Translation-en_IE
Get:2 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/main Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/restricted Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/universe Translation-en_IE
Get:3 http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/main Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/restricted Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/universe Translation-en_IE
Ign http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/multiverse Translation-en_IE
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy Release
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates Release
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security Release
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/main Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/restricted Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/main Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/restricted Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/universe Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/universe Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/multiverse Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy/multiverse Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/main Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/restricted Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/main Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/restricted Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-updates/universe Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/main Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/restricted Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/main Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/restricted Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/universe Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/universe Sources
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/multiverse Packages
Hit http://ftp.heanet.ie gutsy-security/multiverse Sources
Fetched 3B in 1s (2B/s)
Reading package lists... Error!
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/ftp.heanet.ie_pub_ubuntu_dists_gutsy_universe_bina ry-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
desktop:~$
bmcsorley
August 17th, 2008, 08:02 PM
Hi,
So is the best way of sorting this to install Synaptic package manager and reinstall? If so then any ideas how to do this?
Bit of a newbie to Ubuntu hence the questions.... :)
BMc
bmcsorley
August 29th, 2008, 10:17 PM
Hi,
Any other ideas? Really stuck with this and want to install new versions of Firefox etc.
Cheers,
B
GTgem
February 14th, 2009, 02:25 AM
Hi,
I'm unable to run either the synaptic package manager or system update and get the below error for both. I know I have updates to install as have the little orange notification in the task bar but unable to see what they are.
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/ftp.heanet.ie_pub_ubuntu_dists_gutsy_universe_bina ry-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
E: _cache->open() failed, please report.
Thanks,
BMc
Exact same problem here, anyone have any ideas?
gabo.cr
February 14th, 2009, 03:55 AM
You can try this in terminal:
sudo dpkg --configure -a
I hope it helps
Taemojitsu
February 14th, 2009, 04:00 AM
I know I got something about _cache=>open when I put the wrong line into sources.list that it couldn't parse... but this is saying something about a specific repository isn't it?
If your Ubuntu is pointing at a repository that's broken, would it give this error? Might this be that a repository is configured wrong, and if so how would you escalate the problem so it could be fixed..?
GTgem
February 14th, 2009, 06:54 PM
You can try this in terminal:
sudo dpkg --configure -a
I hope it helps
I've just tried that and may have found the source of my problem, which was probably a crash during installation, but this is what your code has given me:
dpkg: parse error, in file `/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 25573:
field name `' must be followed by colon
How can I fix that or how can I put in place that colon?
gabo.cr
February 15th, 2009, 01:47 AM
!
This should work:
sudo dpkg --clear-avail
sudo apt-get update
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.2 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.