Error with updating and using apt-get (after update to 11.04)

[grimslider75]

this message comes up during either removing, installing or updating:

Reading package lists... Error!
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_main_binary-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.

Any suggestion?

BTW, I have checked other posts, but I cannot understand what they say. I dislike fixing things, but I like understanding them, so if an issue can be simplified, that would be great for me =)
AND
I recently updated from 11.04 by updating through ubuntu 10.04. This problem was non-existent before the upgrade.

thanks in advance =)

[drs305]

Try this:

Open Synaptic. Settings > Repositories > Ubuntu Software tab. Untick the (main) box, wait a second or two, then reselect it. Click the Reload button.

This should force Ubuntu to redownload the main repository package list and may correct the error.

[grimslider75]

Try this:

Open Synaptic. Settings > Repositories > Ubuntu Software tab. Untick the (main) box, wait a second or two, then reselect it. Click the Reload button.

This should force Ubuntu to redownload the main repository package list and may correct the error.

I cannot even access the synaptic Package manager, it fails upon opening with this message,

E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_main_bina ry-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
E: _cache->open() failed, please report.

[grimslider75]

and I also receive this message after attempting to open the update manager:

Could not initialize the package information

An unresolvable problem occurred while initializing the package information.

Please report this bug against the 'update-manager' package and include the following error message:

'E:Encountered a section with no Package: header, Eroblem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_main_bina ry-i386_Packages, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.'

[drs305]

We can move the 'offending' file, which should allow APT to reload a correct Package list:

sudo mv /var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_main_bina ry-i386_Packages ~/Desktop/Packages.bad
sudo apt-get update

If it runs without error, you will have a 'root-owned' file on your Desktop, Packages.bad, which you should delete. Open Nautilus as root and use SHIFT-DEL to remove the file:

gksu nautilus ~/Desktop

[azend]

Don't forget to change to your specific Ubuntu mirror.

sudo mv /var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_main_bina ry-i386_Packages ~/Desktop/Packages.bad
sudo apt-get update

In my case it was:

sudo mv /var/lib/apt/lists/ca.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_main_bina ry-i386_Packages ~/Desktop/Packages.bad
sudo apt-get update

[azend]

Alright, after further research, and my above post's instructions not working, I have found a solution that does.

The solution I came upon is to just remove all of your package listings and rebuild them. NOTE: this does not mean removing your package repositories, just the listings of the packages inside of them. Removing the package listings will force apt-get to rebuild everything so it is normal for it to take a bit longer.

# First delete all of the previously available listings
sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/* -vf

# And then use apt-get to rebuild your package listings
sudo apt-get update

Hope everything runs smoothly!
Also, if you need any more information, I found the fix at this launchpad post:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu...uestion/155062

[grimslider75]

Alright, after further research, and my above post's instructions not working, I have found a solution that does.

The solution I came upon is to just remove all of your package listings and rebuild them. NOTE: this does not mean removing your package repositories, just the listings of the packages inside of them. Removing the package listings will force apt-get to rebuild everything so it is normal for it to take a bit longer.

# First delete all of the previously available listings
sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/* -vf

# And then use apt-get to rebuild your package listings
sudo apt-get update

Hope everything runs smoothly!
Also, if you need any more information, I found the fix at this launchpad post:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu...uestion/155062

that worked just fine, thanks for the help everyone! This makes me more appreciative of the internet =)

[GoldNugget]

Thanks. That worked for me too.

[Samanathon]

Alright, after further research, and my above post's instructions not working, I have found a solution that does.

The solution I came upon is to just remove all of your package listings and rebuild them. NOTE: this does not mean removing your package repositories, just the listings of the packages inside of them. Removing the package listings will force apt-get to rebuild everything so it is normal for it to take a bit longer.

# First delete all of the previously available listings
sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/* -vf

# And then use apt-get to rebuild your package listings
sudo apt-get update

Hope everything runs smoothly!
Also, if you need any more information, I found the fix at this launchpad post:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu...uestion/155062

Dude, you're awesome! That worked great!!