Package Manager [ SOLVED ]

[Dar-es-Salaam]

Hi,

I have recently, yesterday in fact, reinstalled LMDE. For some reason or other, of which i have no idea, the package manager has stopped working. I have tried uninstalling it with software manager and reinstating it but it still does not work. help please as i prefer using it to the software manager which i think requires more knowledge than i have about Linux.

[sgosnell]

What, specifically, does not work? What happens, or doesn't happen, and what error messages, if any, are you getting?

[viking777]

Hi,

I have recently, yesterday in fact, reinstalled LMDE. For some reason or other, of which i have no idea, the package manager has stopped working. I have tried uninstalling it with software manager and reinstating it but it still does not work. help please as i prefer using it to the software manager which i think requires more knowledge than i have about Linux.

Gordon, if anyone in the Mint or Ubuntu development teams reads this post they will cry into their beer/coffee. Jointly they have spent ages writing the software manager because the package manager is considered to be 'too difficult' (or not trendy enough) for new users. Then you come along and say the opposite. I think that is absolutely brilliant - I love you for it

Like sgosnell says, can you elaborate a bit on what the problem is because I would do anything I can to help someone who thinks the way you do!

You rock

[Dar-es-Salaam]

Hi viking777 and sgosnell,

Firstly, when i click on package manager it comes up asking for my password granting rights and then everything vanishes of the screen and nothing else happens even if I try it again.

Secondly, I prefer package manager because it tells you what other packages ( dependencies ) you need to install with it and the software manager doesn't so I have no idea whether or not it has downloaded everything that it needs to run correctly.

Hope that help's you folks

[sgosnell]

Try running synaptic in a terminal. That should give you some error messages when it crashes. You may also have some error messages in your logs. Try opening the log file viewer and see if you get anything when synaptic crashes.

[blowtorch]

Hi viking777 and sgosnell,

Firstly, when i click on package manager it comes up asking for my password granting rights and then everything vanishes of the screen and nothing else happens even if I try it again.

Secondly, I prefer package manager because it tells you what other packages ( dependencies ) you need to install with it and the software manager doesn't so I have no idea whether or not it has downloaded everything that it needs to run correctly.

Hope that help's you folks

i believe what you are looking for is the package update-manager-gnome
if you like it use it

[robert-e]

@Blowtorch
I have taken your suggestion and installed "update-manager-gnome" and also uninstalled the Mint version "update-manager" edit...I thnk this was called "mintupdate".

I then attempted to run (what I assume is the gnome version of) update manager via the gnome menu. It did not run. So I assumed (silly me) that that menu item was still the old Mint version, and deleted that menu item, and then made a new menu item from "usr/bin/update-manager", which I also assume is the new gnome version. It still did not run, so I opened a root terminal and attempted to run it from there. It did not run, but did generate an error message (see below)

satellitep30-laptop bin # update-manager
[CRITICAL:UpdateManager.Application] Invalid implementation name LinuxMint

partial contents of /usr/bin is below:

satellitep30-laptop bob # cd /usr/bin
satellitep30-laptop bin # ls up*
update-alternatives updatedb updatedb.mlocate update-desktop-database update-gconf-defaults update-manager update-menus update-mime-database update-mime-database.real update-pciids upower uptime

and wrt to permissions:

permissions on update-manager are root: read/write and execute

I am missing something; can you make suggestions? Perhaps the "update-manager-gnome" executable resides elsewhere than /usr/bin?

Regards
Bob


Further edit...Synaptics still works normally..Bob

[blowtorch]

@Blowtorch
I have taken your suggestion and installed "update-manager-gnome" and also uninstalled the Mint version "update-manager" edit...I thnk this was called "mintupdate".

I then attempted to run (what I assume is the gnome version of) update manager via the gnome menu. It did not run. So I assumed (silly me) that that menu item was still the old Mint version, and deleted that menu item, and then made a new menu item from "usr/bin/update-manager", which I also assume is the new gnome version. It still did not run, so I opened a root terminal and attempted to run it from there. It did not run, but did generate an error message (see below)

satellitep30-laptop bin # update-manager
[CRITICAL:UpdateManager.Application] Invalid implementation name LinuxMint

partial contents of /usr/bin is below:

satellitep30-laptop bob # cd /usr/bin
satellitep30-laptop bin # ls up*
update-alternatives updatedb updatedb.mlocate update-desktop-database update-gconf-defaults update-manager update-menus update-mime-database update-mime-database.real update-pciids upower uptime

and wrt to permissions:

permissions on update-manager are root: read/write and execute

I am missing something; can you make suggestions? Perhaps the "update-manager-gnome" executable resides elsewhere than /usr/bin?

Regards
Bob

I would guess that you haven't satisfied all the dependencies (also install the suggested packages) http://packages.debian.org/testing/gnom ... ager-gnome
have a look there ... looks like update-manager-core isn't installed?
I didn't have a problem installing it and it worked right away ...

hope this helps

[robert-e]

@Blowtorch,
I used synaptics to install update-manager-gnome, and I noticed that it also installed update-manager-core as a dependancy or at least synaptics indicated it would. I also installed the update-manager-gnome doc package at the same time.

However, I will attempt to re-install all three just to make sure. I find this quite odd, as I expected the update manager to run in the root terminal with no problems. Anyway, I appreciate your suggestions.

Bob

Edit: I reinstalled the three packages, and did a complete unintall of mintupdate, and again tried to run update-manager (gnome version) both in the gui and in a root terminal. No change in behavior...generates the same error message.

Very strange...I guess if I can't get to the root of the problem, I might have to re-install the mint version...I don't like that as it will not let me completely disable auto running..ie I have to set the run time to 365 days in order to keep it in check. I sure don't like it when the operating system makes such decision for me. LOL

Again, thanks
Bob

[blowtorch]

@Blowtorch,
I used synaptics to install update-manager-gnome, and I noticed that it also installed update-manager-core as a dependancy or at least synaptics indicated it would. I also installed the update-manager-gnome doc package at the same time.

However, I will attempt to re-install all three just to make sure. I find this quite odd, as I expected the update manager to run in the root terminal with no problems. Anyway, I appreciate your suggestions.

Bob

Code: Select all

gksu update-manager

?

[robert-e]

@blowtorch

Did that...here the (same) results:

bob@satellitep30-laptop ~ $ gksu update-manager
[CRITICAL:UpdateManager.Application] Invalid implementation name LinuxMint
bob@satellitep30-laptop ~ $

Bob

[blowtorch]

@blowtorch

Did that...here the (same) results:

bob@satellitep30-laptop ~ $ gksu update-manager
[CRITICAL:UpdateManager.Application] Invalid implementation name LinuxMint
bob@satellitep30-laptop ~ $

Bob

hrm ... i didn't do anything out of the ordinary in order to get this running on system ... unless it was something i did inadvertently to my system prior to this which i was unaware of?
I can have another look into it tonight but i'm not on my system right now ...

[robert-e]

@blowtorch,
No problem..not a big hurry for this...it just has me curious; it is how I learn. I will set it on the back burner, and if you come up with an idea, just post it. I will keep an eye on this thread in the meantime.

Now it is time to head off to the spa for a nice hot soak. (We spend our winters in southern California, and have a continuously running natural hot spa here). It makes my old bones feel good...lol

Best regards,
Bob

[Dar-es-Salaam]

hi

i am sorry that i haven't read or posted a reply recently but other things came up. alos what you are on about is beyond me at this time as i am relatively new to linux. since p0osting this i have reinstalled lmde three times, the first two did exactly the same as yet i haven't tried the last one as my wife needed to do thing so i had to revert back to windows ... yuk!!

[Dar-es-Salaam]

Hi

once again back on Linux. I have just tried package manager again with the same results, also update manager has stopped working in the same way.
i burnt a new dvd yesterday to see if that would clear the problem and is hasn't so I will try yet another reinstall and see if that works as my printer has stopped working as well now

[sgosnell]

Reinstalling isn't likely to help. Please try running 'sudo synaptic' in a terminal, and see what error messages, if any, are returned.

[Dar-es-Salaam]

Hi sgosnell

I ran the command as requested. the package ran but I have ended up with this:-

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id '_Read Markings...'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id '_Save Markings'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id 'Save Markings _As...'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id '_Quit'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id '_Undo'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id '_Redo'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id '_Search...'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id '_Reload Package Information'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id '_Add CD-ROM...'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id '_Mark All Upgrades...'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id 'A_pply Marked Changes'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id 'U_nmark'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id 'Mark for _Installation'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id 'Mark for R_einstallation'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id 'Mark for _Upgrade'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id 'Mark for _Removal'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id 'Mark for Co_mplete Removal'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id '_Properties'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id '_Filters'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id '_Contents'

(synaptic:5679): libglade-WARNING **: could not look up stock id '_About'

(synaptic:5679): Gtk-CRITICAL **: gtk_tool_item_set_tooltip: assertion `GTK_IS_TOOL_ITEM (tool_item)' failed

the package manager itself is working, whether it will work on reboot i don't know.
hope the info above helps.
by the way this is another reinstall and I don't know if this is part of the problem or not but I also got the following error messages as it reinstalled :-

inserv warning missing script K01mintsystem missing LSB tags and overrides
inserv warning missing script mintsystem missing LSB tags and overrides

They appeared several times

[oOarthurOo]

Those error messages should be filed as a bug report, since it tells us that whoever wrote the scripts in /etc/init.d/ didn't include the proper LSB headers. Those headers help the system determine what scripts are safe to start and when they should be started and stopped. It's in all likelihood completely unrelated to your problem.

Reinstalling is a drastic measure. In a terminal, do this:
su
<enter password to become root>
aptitude update && aptitude full-upgrade
<post any error messages>

If no error messages you now have a fully-updated system. Now run "aptitude" without any arguments. An ncurses based interface will start-up, this is what the package-manager is trying to duplicate in a gui-friendly way, though it uses apt as its backend instead of aptitude.

Press the "/" key to start a search. Search for "package ^ manager", which says look for every package with package in the name, and also the word manager in the name. Enter executes the search. Highlight it and press enter, a new tab opens up that gives you more information about it. It's current state, what packages it depends on, and whether they are all installed and working ok, all the packages it recommends and if they are installed, and so on. You can choose to install a package by pressing the + key, then pressing "g" to apply the changes. When you press 'g' a dialog will pop up telling you what it plans to do. Review it, if you dont like something, go back by pressing escape and make any further changes. Ctrl+T will get you into the title bar menu.

Hopefully you will be able to fix your problems using this tool to troubleshoot and install missing packages. I think once you get the hang of it, you may even prefer it to its prettier counterpart.

[Dar-es-Salaam]

Hi oOarthurOo

thanks, i ran aptitude update, it did seem to update some things but it has not cured the problem. for some reason or other synaptic package manager still does not run form the menu bar but i can run it from terminal it's just not as convenient, perhaps i am doing something wrong but i have no idea what. i'll try to find out where i have to report the other two error messages which you say should be a bug report

[sgosnell]

Try right-clicking on the MintMenu, Edit Menu, and find Synaptic. Right-click on it, and select Properties. Make sure the path and options haven't been changed accidentally somewhere along the line. The entry should read

Code: Select all

su-to-root -X -c /usr/sbin/synaptic