LMDE updater/upgrade problems

[biggocharley]

This subject may belong in the breakages thread but I'm not sure so I am making a new post. In running sudo apt-get dist-upgrade I get the following error message after trying to configure the new 3.0 kernel and after the process was running ":depmode":

"drivers used on this system may require additional firmware files:

nouveau: nouveau/fuc41ad, nouveau/fuc41ac, nouveau/fuc409d,
nouveau/fuc409c, nouveau/nvc4_fuc41ad, nouveau/nvc4_fuc41ac,
nouveau/nvc4_fuc409d, nouveau/nvc4_fuc409c, nouveau/nvc3_fuc41ad,
nouveau/nvc3_fuc41ac, nouveau/nvc3_fuc409d, nouveau/nvc3_fuc409c,
nouveau/nvc0_fuc41ad, nouveau/nvc0_fuc41ac, nouveau/nvc0_fuc409d,
nouveau/nvc0_fuc409c

Most firmware files are not included in the system because they do not
conform to the Debian Free Software Guidelines. You may need to
reconfigure the package manager to include the contrib and non-free
sections of the package archive before you can install these firmware
files."
I checked my sources list and found that the contrib and non-free sections are already included.

next I rebooted and ran sudo apt-get dist-upgrade and we get this:
charley@mint-debian ~ $ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
[sudo] password for charley:
E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'sudo dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem

result of running sudo dpkg --configure -a

charley@mint-debian ~ $ sudo dpkg --configure -a
[sudo] password for charley:
dpkg: error: dpkg status database is locked by another process.
file:///home/charley/Desktop/error.png

If I try to run synaptic I get the following dialog box message
" E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem"

I tried that and got the same results as above.
Seems like a "Catch 22" situation.
Any ideas

[Gerd50]

hmm biggocharley, for me it looks like you are using an incomplete command. Did you try it with

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

? I'm not sure, but maybe the missing firmware is a result of the missing update?

[biggocharley]

hmm biggocharley, for me it looks like you are using an incomplete command. Did you try it with

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

? I'm not sure, but maybe the missing firmware is a result of the missing update?

Actually I ran sudo apt-get update first then immediately thereafter i ran sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

[LifeInTheGrey]

I encountered the same problem before on the .39 kernel, and it was because upgrade did not automatically install the headers, it only installed the image. Check in synaptic for linux-kernel-headers and make sure its installed.

Tappa tappa

[biggocharley]

I encountered the same problem before on the .39 kernel, and it was because upgrade did not automatically install the headers, it only installed the image. Check in synaptic for linux-kernel-headers and make sure its installed.

Tappa tappa

I already tried that but I am unable to open synaptic because of this problem.

[Gerd50]

What do you get if you try to open synaptic via terminal with 'sudo synaptic' ?

[biggocharley]

What do you get if you try to open synaptic via terminal with 'sudo synaptic' ?

Itried both synaptic and sudo synaptic from the terminal and get the same results--- synaptic won't stay open.
and I get the same error message as before:" E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem"

[Gerd50]

Synaptic won't open, ok, but there must be an error message?

[biggocharley]

Synaptic won't open, ok, but there must be an error message?

yes the same as before:" E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem"
and when I run dpkg --configure -a I get the same error message regarding configuring the 3.0 kernel and a long list of nouveau drivers that are missing. This takes me back to square one.

[Gerd50]

Last idea, what happens if you boot the recovery mode and try update and dist upgrade?

For situations like this happened to you, i always have a backup of my system created with qt4-fsarchiver. Don't you have sth
like that?

[biggocharley]

Last idea, what happens if you boot the recovery mode and try update and dist upgrade?

For situations like this happened to you, i always have a backup of my system created with qt4-fsarchiver. Don't you have sth
like that?

Good ideas I will try the recovery mode (why didn't I think of that?) As far as backup the answer is no. I have an Isadora partition which is my "working system" I have an old Ubuntu Lucid partition which I pretty much keep up to date which I fall back on occasionally. I have a Katya partition which may be my replacement for my Isadora installation. So, what i'm saying I am not reeally in trouble on this LMDE installatiion. I was evaluating it to see if it might someday be my "main" operating system. So all my important data and configs are backed up somehow. In short I feel that LMDE has an awful lot of promise but i do realize that "testing" is the keyword. I'm not familiar with qt4-fsarchive but will look into it --thanks for the suggestion. If I can't resurrect the LMDE insatallation I will wait for the nest updated spin and re-install. Thanks for your help.

[biggocharley]

Last idea, what happens if you boot the recovery mode and try update and dist upgrade?

For situations like this happened to you, i always have a backup of my system created with qt4-fsarchiver. Don't you have sth
like that?

Good ideas I will try the recovery mode (why didn't I think of that?) As far as backup the answer is no. I have an Isadora partition which is my "working system" I have an old Ubuntu Lucid partition which I pretty much keep up to date which I fall back on occasionally. I have a Katya partition which may be my replacement for my Isadora installation. So, what i'm saying I am not reeally in trouble on this LMDE installatiion. I was evaluating it to see if it might someday be my "main" operating system. So all my important data and configs are backed up somehow. In short I feel that LMDE has an awful lot of promise but i do realize that "testing" is the keyword. I'm not familiar with qt4-fsarchive but will look into it --thanks for the suggestion. If I can't resurrect the LMDE insatallation I will wait for the nest updated spin and re-install. Thanks for your help.

Eureka!! - I ran the update and dist-upgrade command in the recovery mode. At first I got the same error messages as before -----but all of a sudden things started to happen --the new kernel got installed and configured --all the error messages dissappeared and things look great. Synaptic openned just fine etc etc.
I can't thank you enough for your suggestions and help

[Inkit]

In short I feel that LMDE has an awful lot of promise but i do realize that "testing" is the keyword

Just a suggestion, but why don't you try this link http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/497. It points to squeeze so you'll have a stable system. Although Testing is good enough, there's always the chance that something will break, especially if you are accustomed to updating your system without going through what exactly the updates are. This has nothing to do with your problem, but since you say that you are evaluating it for your main system, just offering my .0000002 cents worth.

[Gerd50]

Puuuhh, what a luck a very last idea isn't necessary...