FIXED. Still seeking help with 'broken packages'

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LateJunction
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FIXED. Still seeking help with 'broken packages'

Post by LateJunction »

I am unable to update my system because of, apparently, broken packages. So, I am unable to apply kernel updates, making my system progressively less secure.

I have tried for a couple of years to get a solution from various forums, including here, without success. None of the techniques I have been advised to use work, because Synaptic Package Manager, having refused to update my system, cannot tell me which packages are broken. More accurately, when asked, it also assures me that there are NO broken packages on my system. So does every other method I have used over the last two years to locate the apparently broken packages that Synaptic objects to.

This situation continued over the upgrade from 20.1 to 20.2, which installed kernel level 5.11. This is not appropriate for my very old hardware and is also not an LTS like the 5.4 version which I should be using.

I have done everything that seems to be obvious to me to find a broken package. I have followed EVERY article on managing broken packages that Google can find and which are appropriate to my system. So far I have found NO method of identifying a broken package on my system. Conversely I have found methods which appear to demonstrate that I have NO such packages. So, I would appreciate any advice you may have that will be sure to locate these broken packages that Synaptic objects to.
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 3 times in total.
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xenopeek
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Re: How to contact Mint developers

Post by xenopeek »

What you describe is an issue with the packages on your system, something that you can solve on your end (with help from these forums or other support channels as needed). Broken package dependencies is not something the Linux Mint developers will help you solve.

For help with troubleshooting such issues we have this forum and other support channels.

What did you do since 2 weeks ago downgrading to kernel 5.4? viewtopic.php?f=46&t=356803

And Synaptic Package Manager is not for updating your system. That functionality is removed from Synaptic on Linux Mint because it is so buggy. Update Manager is for updating your system. It also handles installing / removing kernels through View > Linux kernels menu.

Suggest you change the title of this topic (click the pencil icon in top left corner of the post to edit it) and change it to ask for help solving your broken dependencies, or make a new topic for that. That way those with knowledge for how to troubleshoot such issue can spot your issue and help.
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LateJunction
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Re: How to contact Mint developers

Post by LateJunction »

Hi, thanks for the extensive reply. Much appreciated.

The reference to viewtopic.php?f=46&t=356803 is in connection with my installation of Mint Cinnamon on an old desktop computer on which I had no issue of broken packages; the issue it did have was solved by reverting from the 5.11 kernel version to the 5.4 version. I thought the advice I got then for this reversion was sound and so wanted to apply it also to my equally old (>12 years) laptop running XFCE, irrespective of its problem with broken packages.

On using Synaptic Package Manager for system updating: this is more a question of terminology (and the probable misuse of it on my part): I did use the Update Manager to move from XFCE 201. to 20.2 I regarded that as an upgrade. I do use Synaptic Package Manager to replace software packages with newer ones. I regarded that as an update.

I will take your advice and reword the title of the post. I was reluctant to ask again for help on broken packages as I had done so in the past - both here and in a number of other forums, with no useful result. Generally I was asked to 'fix the broken packages', suggesting that responders had not fully read that my assertion that no procedure that I am aware of, or had been recommended to use, will identify any broken package on my system, which makes fixing difficult - certainly beyond my skill level.
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Re: Still seeking help with 'broken packages'

Post by Mintmann »

It may be time to re-install everything.
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Re: Still seeking help with 'broken packages'

Post by RIH »

I am puzzled as to why you believe that you have broken packages, if Synaptic is telling you that you don't.

Can you supply copy of the actual error message & say what you actually do to get that message?

The result of

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxxxrz
entered into a terminal would also help...
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xenopeek
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Re: Still seeking help with 'broken packages'

Post by xenopeek »

To downgrade from 5.11 to 5.4, in general, you first have to boot the 5.4 kernel. You can't remove the 5.11 kernel while you're using it.

In the GRUB boot menu (if that doesn't show after powering on PC, hold down shift key to force it to show during boot) select advanced options and there you can boot an older kernel. Boot the 5.4 kernel. Now at this point I would use View > Linux kernels menu in Update Manager to remove the 5.11 kernels but do as you want.

If it gives you an error at this point, share the error. Copy the text of possible or do a screenshot. If the screenshot is too large to attach here upload to an image hoster like https://imgur.com/ and share the link here.
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Re: Still seeking help with 'broken packages'

Post by JoeFootball »

LateJunction wrote: More accurately, when asked, it also assures me that there are NO broken packages on my system. So does every other method I have used over the last two years to locate the apparently broken packages that Synaptic objects to.
...
I have followed EVERY article on managing broken packages that Google can find and which are appropriate to my system. So far I have found NO method of identifying a broken package on my system. Conversely I have found methods which appear to demonstrate that I have NO such packages.
For clarity, could you provide some details on what is telling you that you do have broken packages?
LateJunction
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Re: Still seeking help with 'broken packages'

Post by LateJunction »

RIH wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 12:24 am I am puzzled as to why you believe that you have broken packages, if Synaptic is telling you that you don't.

Can you supply copy of the actual error message & say what you actually do to get that message?

The result of

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxxxrz
entered into a terminal would also help...
I am guilty of having confused things - by referring to Synaptic Package Manager when I meant Update Manager. My apologies for this very basic error.
For an example, today Update Manager tells me that Kernel 5.4.0-86.97 is available to be installed; as soon as I do so I receive the message
'Could not apply changes! Fix broken packages first'
I can only 'close' out of this option. If I then go to Synaptic and request 'Status', no package is identified with a red box in the 'S' column.

Attempts to remove the older, installed kernel level 5.4.0-54 also results in the same error message

The output of the inxi -Fxxxrz command is:

System:
Kernel: 5.4.0-86-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0
Desktop: Xfce 4.16.0 tk: Gtk 3.24.20 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm4
dm: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Linux Mint 20.2 Uma base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal
Machine:
Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 2746EDG v: ThinkPad SL
serial: <filter>
Mobo: LENOVO model: 2746EDG v: LENOVO 6AET64WW serial: <filter>
BIOS: LENOVO v: 6AET64WW date: 12/01/2010
Battery:
ID-1: BAT0 charge: 53.8 Wh condition: 54.3/57.2 Wh (95%) volts: 12.5/10.8
model: BTI 92P1141 type: Li-ion serial: <filter> status: Charging
CPU:
Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core2 Duo T6670 bits: 64 type: MCP
arch: Penryn rev: A L2 cache: 2048 KiB
flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 8778
Speed: 1197 MHz min/max: 1200/2201 MHz boost: enabled Core speeds (MHz):
1: 1231 2: 1205
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel Mobile 4 Series Integrated Graphics vendor: Lenovo
driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:2a42
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.11 driver: modesetting
unloaded: fbdev,vesa resolution: 1280x800~60Hz
OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Mobile Intel GM45 Express (CTG)
v: 2.1 Mesa 21.0.3 direct render: Yes
Audio:
Device-1: Intel 82801I HD Audio vendor: Lenovo ThinkPad T400
driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0 chip ID: 8086:293e
Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-86-generic
Network:
Device-1: Intel PRO/Wireless 5100 AGN [Shiloh] Network driver: iwlwifi
v: kernel port: 4400 bus ID: 02:00.0 chip ID: 8086:4237
IF: wlp2s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Device-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
vendor: Lenovo driver: r8169 v: kernel port: e800 bus ID: 0c:00.0
chip ID: 10ec:8168
IF: enp12s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives:
Local Storage: total: 232.89 GiB used: 26.43 GiB (11.3%)
ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Crucial model: CT250MX500SSD1 size: 232.89 GiB
speed: 3.0 Gb/s serial: <filter> rev: 023 scheme: MBR
Partition:
ID-1: / size: 19.19 GiB used: 10.45 GiB (54.5%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda3
ID-2: /home size: 98.50 GiB used: 15.97 GiB (16.2%) fs: ext4
dev: /dev/sda5
ID-3: swap-1 size: 3.97 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda6
Sensors:
System Temperatures: cpu: 49.0 C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/m-grant-prg-utils-focal.list
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
1: deb http://packages.linuxmint.com uma main upstream import backport #id:linuxmint_main
2: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
3: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
4: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/webupd8team-y-ppa-manager-focal.list
1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/webupd8team/y- ... ger/ubuntu focal main
Info:
Processes: 193 Uptime: 22m Memory: 3.81 GiB used: 1.16 GiB (30.4%)
Init: systemd v: 245 runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 alt: 7/9
Shell: bash v: 5.0.17 running in: xfce4-terminal inxi: 3.0.38


I trust this information is useful
Last edited by LateJunction on Sat Sep 25, 2021 5:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
LateJunction
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Re: Still seeking help with 'broken packages'

Post by LateJunction »

xenopeek wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 2:40 am To downgrade from 5.11 to 5.4, in general, you first have to boot the 5.4 kernel. You can't remove the 5.11 kernel while you're using it.

In the GRUB boot menu (if that doesn't show after powering on PC, hold down shift key to force it to show during boot) select advanced options and there you can boot an older kernel. Boot the 5.4 kernel. Now at this point I would use View > Linux kernels menu in Update Manager to remove the 5.11 kernels but do as you want.

If it gives you an error at this point, share the error. Copy the text of possible or do a screenshot. If the screenshot is too large to attach here upload to an image hoster like https://imgur.com/ and share the link here.
Thanks. I had previously followed this procedure so that I now have only kernels from the 5.4 series installed. The installed kernels are:
5.4.0-86 (Active)
5.4.0-54

Attempts to remove this older kernel result in the error message quoted in an earlier post to forum member RIH
RIH
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Re: Still seeking help with 'broken packages'

Post by RIH »

Have you tried going to Synaptic - Edit Tab - Fix Broken Packages??

Code: Select all

sudo apt --fix-broken install
in a terminal should also work & might give a good error message if it didn't..
Has a variety of different terminal commands to try & solve the issue..
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LateJunction
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Re: Still seeking help with 'broken packages'

Post by LateJunction »

RIH wrote: Sat Sep 25, 2021 6:03 am Have you tried going to Synaptic - Edit Tab - Fix Broken Packages??

Code: Select all

sudo apt --fix-broken install
in a terminal should also work & might give a good error message if it didn't..
Yes, I have. The response has been consistent since I first tried this in 2019 and the subsequent 20 or 30 times : Synaptic tells me ;Successfully fixed dependency problems!', so then I go to Update Manager and attempt to remove the old 5.4.0-54 kernel. As ever in the past this fails with an error message telling me 'Could not apply changes. Fix broken packages first'.

This is perhaps the strongest reason why I wanted to contact the Mint developers: Synaptic Package Manager and Update Manager seem to have a difference of opinion about my having broken packages. This must be a coding error, surely?

Running the command 'sudo apt --fix-broken install' fails to find any broken packages. This too has been true since about 2019 on the many times I have issued it.
RIH
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Re: Still seeking help with 'broken packages'

Post by RIH »

Annoying!!

Have you tried searching for
linux-image generic
in Synaptic & then marking the 5.4.0-54 kernel for removal & then clicking the Apply button??
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LateJunction
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Re: Still seeking help with 'broken packages'

Post by LateJunction »

RIH wrote: Sat Sep 25, 2021 6:47 am Annoying!!

Have you tried searching for
linux-image generic
in Synaptic & then marking the 5.4.0-54 kernel for removal & then clicking the Apply button??
I had indeed previously tried this but it always failed with the 'fix broken packages first' error. This time I saw that the search showed newer linux image 5.4.0-86-97 and older kernels 5.4.0-54 AND 5.4.0-60 as being installed - the latter one which was not listed in Update Manager ("View kernels"). I should point out that the list of 'linux-image generic' items is very long (many pages compared to the 20 or so lines in the 'View Kernels' output in Update Manager). So I had not paged down to '60', having found the only other kernel - 54 - that I expected, from Update Manager.

A complete removal of 0-60 never finished (even after 30 minutes) but, after a reboot, a normal removal worked on both the older kernels. After this I was able to update (upgrade ?) 5.4.0-86 to 86-97 - even though the search in Synaptic said it was already installed.

Bottom line is that, miraculously the 'broken packages' scenario seem to have been closed now - thanks to your suggestion. You have no idea how much time I have invested in this over the years, so I am totally grateful for your help.
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Re: Still seeking help with 'broken packages'

Post by RIH »

More 'stabs in the dark' than help, but i am delighted that you have resolved it!!
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