Can't Update: Encountered a section with no Package: header

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dmhm

Can't Update: Encountered a section with no Package: header

Post by dmhm »

The Error Message obtained from the Update Manager:

E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/packages.linuxmint.com_dists_debian_import_i18n_Translation-en
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
E: _cache->open() failed, please report.

(Synaptic won't function either).

The file referred to is an html file and tries to connect with my ISP.

So is this a LMDE problem or connection problem?

If it's the latter, why am I able to connect with everything else?

In any case, I'd appreciate suggestions regarding what to do about it.

TIA
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
dmhm

Re: Can't Update: Encountered a section with no Package: hea

Post by dmhm »

Another problem I discovered:

Opening a terminal (root or not) I am unable to type a command. (No starting point is displayed).

Being unable to upgrade or install additional programs is a serious issue. I intend to attempt to replace the corrupted package list and / or do a Repair Install.

For that purpose I downloaded both versions (Mate and Cinnamon) of 64 bit LMDE.

Other than this recent issue, everything has been working very well (except for a couple of tolerable BIOS related issues, which is not LMDE's fault).

I am a little disappointed that no suggestions to correct this problem have been made to date.
dmhm

Re: Can't Update: Encountered a section with no Package: hea

Post by dmhm »

Another problem I discovered:

Opening a terminal (root or not) I am unable to type a command. (No starting point is displayed).

Being unable to upgrade or install additional programs is a serious issue. I intend to attempt to replace the corrupted package list and / or do a Repair Install.

For that purpose I downloaded both versions (Mate and Cinnamon) of 64 bit LMDE.

Other than this recent issue, everything has been working very well (except for a couple of tolerable BIOS related issues, which is not LMDE's fault).

I am a little disappointed that no suggestions to correct this problem have been made to date.
dcriken

Re: Can't Update: Encountered a section with no Package: hea

Post by dcriken »

I recently started having the same issue. Google is your friend. This worked for me..no drama. http://makingtechnologyeasier.blogspot.com/2013/07/linux-mint-15-error-problem-with.html
dmhm

Re: Can't Update: Encountered a section with no Package: hea

Post by dmhm »

hexxamillion wrote:I recently started having the same issue. Google is your friend. This worked for me..no drama. http://makingtechnologyeasier.blogspot.com/2013/07/linux-mint-15-error-problem-with.html
That makes sense and I'll give it a try. (I'm in Zeven/Neptune 3.2 at the moment w/ things open I need to finish).

Thanks for the tip. (I duckduckgo'd on "The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened" +Mint and apparently this is an uncommon but never-the-less not unique issue w/ Debian Derivatives -including Ubuntu- but most of the solutions offered were not applicable, since they involved using the terminal).

I suspected there was a simple solution and I hope the solution mentioned in the link you provided will do the job.
dmhm

[Solved] Can't Update: Encountered a section with no Package

Post by dmhm »

hexxamillion wrote:I recently started having the same issue. Google is your friend. This worked for me..no drama. http://makingtechnologyeasier.blogspot.com/2013/07/linux-mint-15-error-problem-with.html
I'm back in mint and the problem is solved, but the instructions contained in the link you provided didn't work for me, apparently because they weren't for LMDE (they specified a menu system I couldn't find).

However - you said google on it and a combination of suggestions find in other forums led me to a solution.

First I used Nemo-FileRoller to delete the entire package list. Then, I found that the Mate Terminal would allow me to code:

$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
$ sudo apt-get install -f
$ sudo apt-get update

(Which didn't work before eliminating the package lists).

Which did the job. (Meanwhile, I installed and configure Zeven/Neptune -Debian w/ KDE- just in case). But now I'm back in my LMDE/Gnome/Cinnamon/Mate hybrid.

Thanks for the idea.
dmhm

Re: Can't Update: Encountered a section with no Package: hea

Post by dmhm »

Actually, I did more than that.

I opened Nemo File-Roller as root to delete the package-list files, and linked directly to Debian's Wheezy Repositories (unchecking testing), with Debian authentication. So the new files that were generated are no longer from the Mint Repositories.
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