[SOLVED]LMDE "fix broken packages.." GRRRRRRRRR

[limotux]

Hi,

Well the same problem as for everybody.
Just installed LMDE the latest version, as expected on update, I had the unfamous "fix broken packages"
I tried almost everything mentioned in various posts here, namely:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get autoclean
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get -f install && sudo apt-get --fix-missing install
sudo dpkg --configure
.
.
etc

but without resolving the issue!

what's wrong? why me?

Any ideas?

I'll appreciate your help.

[StanTheMan]

I have the same problem with LMDE ( fix broken packages ).
However my multi-boot installation of LM XFCE Debian will update with NO problem.

[zerozero]

so let me see if i understand (because it's the 2nd post in a few days with the same complaint):
- after a recent install, you ran all those commands in the terminal, and even so, the fix broken pkgs message doesn't go away from MU?
- and the apt update && apt dist-upgrade complete without errors?

if so, it's really odd, and something chanced, 2-3 months ago (last time i did one LMDE install) it used to work just fine

[limotux]

so let me see if i understand (because it's the 2nd post in a few days with the same complaint):
- after a recent install, you ran all those commands in the terminal, and even so, the fix broken pkgs message doesn't go away from MU?
- and the apt update && apt dist-upgrade complete without errors?

if so, it's really odd, and something chanced, 2-3 months ago (last time i did one LMDE install) it used to work just fine

Yes, I executed them all. I actually copied the commands in my posts above from the history of my terminal.
After executing the apt update && apt dist-upgrade there was something like a text file saying lots of things, not the prompt as expected (which I beleive stating errors) but I did not go through it and just closed, restarted...

I believe I saw somewhere a .deb package that fixes this problem... but I can't remember or not sure it is true.
Before installing it dual boot with Isadora KDE, I ran it on virtualbox and had the same problem but I sorted it out using the same above commands.
I don't know why it doesn't when installed on the hard disk.
Any ideas?

EDIT:
I just ran the following, here is acopy of the terminal, each command and it's results:

Code: Select all

limo@lmdev ~ $ sudo apt-get update
[sudo] password for limo: 
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian InRelease                             
Get:1 http://ftp.debian.org testing InRelease [135 kB]                         
Get:2 http://security.debian.org testing/updates InRelease [39.2 kB]           
Get:3 http://packages.linuxmint.com debian Release.gpg [198 B]                 
Get:4 http://packages.linuxmint.com debian Release [10.9 kB]                   
Ign http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing InRelease                         
Hit http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing Release.gpg                       
Hit http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing Release                           
Hit http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/main i386 Packages/DiffIndex      
Hit http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/non-free i386 Packages/DiffIndex  
Ign http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/main TranslationIndex             
Ign http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/non-free TranslationIndex         
Get:5 http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/main i386 Packages [7,430 B]        
Hit http://security.debian.org testing/updates/main i386 Packages              
Get:6 http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/upstream i386 Packages [957 B]      
Hit http://security.debian.org testing/updates/contrib i386 Packages           
Hit http://security.debian.org testing/updates/non-free i386 Packages          
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/contrib TranslationIndex        
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/main TranslationIndex           
Get:7 http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/import i386 Packages [18.2 kB]      
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/non-free TranslationIndex       
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/import TranslationIndex               
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/main TranslationIndex                 
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/upstream TranslationIndex             
Ign http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/main Translation-en_US            
Ign http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/main Translation-en               
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/contrib Translation-en_US       
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/contrib Translation-en          
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/main Translation-en_US          
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/main Translation-en             
Ign http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/non-free Translation-en_US        
Ign http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/non-free Translation-en           
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/non-free Translation-en_US      
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/non-free Translation-en         
Get:8 http://ftp.debian.org testing/main i386 Packages/DiffIndex [2,038 B]     
Hit http://ftp.debian.org testing/contrib i386 Packages/DiffIndex              
Get:9 http://ftp.debian.org testing/non-free i386 Packages/DiffIndex [2,023 B] 
Ign http://ftp.debian.org testing/contrib TranslationIndex                     
Get:10 http://ftp.debian.org testing/main TranslationIndex [2,264 B]           
Ign http://ftp.debian.org testing/non-free TranslationIndex                    
Get:11 http://ftp.debian.org testing/main i386 2011-05-28-0210.59.pdiff [32.7 kB]
Get:12 http://ftp.debian.org testing/non-free i386 2011-05-28-0210.59.pdiff [2,415 B]
Get:13 http://ftp.debian.org testing/main i386 2011-05-28-0210.59.pdiff [32.7 kB]
Get:14 http://ftp.debian.org testing/non-free i386 2011-05-28-0210.59.pdiff [2,415 B]
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/import Translation-en_US              
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/import Translation-en                 
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/main Translation-en_US                
Ign http://ftp.debian.org testing/contrib Translation-en_US                    
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/main Translation-en                   
Ign http://ftp.debian.org testing/contrib Translation-en                       
Ign http://ftp.debian.org testing/non-free Translation-en_US                   
Ign http://ftp.debian.org testing/non-free Translation-en                      
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/upstream Translation-en_US            
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/upstream Translation-en
Fetched 253 kB in 1min 2s (4,039 B/s)
Reading package lists... Done
limo@lmdev ~ $ sudo apt-get autoclean
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Del firmware-realtek 0.29 [128 kB]
Del firmware-bnx2x 0.29 [1,230 kB]
Del firmware-linux-nonfree 0.29 [370 kB]
Del firmware-ralink 0.29 [20.9 kB]
Del firmware-ipw2x00 0.29 [522 kB]
Del firmware-linux 0.29 [6,228 B]
Del firmware-bnx2 0.29 [418 kB]
Del firmware-qlogic 0.29 [480 kB]
Del firmware-intelwimax 0.29 [2,353 kB]
Del firmware-iwlwifi 0.29 [2,428 kB]
Del firmware-atheros 0.29 [292 kB]
Del firmware-ivtv 0.29 [137 kB]
limo@lmdev ~ $ sudo apt-get clean
limo@lmdev ~ $ sudo apt-get update
Hit http://ftp.debian.org testing InRelease                                    
Hit http://security.debian.org testing/updates InRelease                       
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian InRelease                             
Ign http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing InRelease               
Hit http://ftp.debian.org testing/main i386 Packages/DiffIndex       
Get:1 http://packages.linuxmint.com debian Release.gpg [198 B]       
Hit http://security.debian.org testing/updates/main i386 Packages    
Hit http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing Release.gpg             
Get:2 http://packages.linuxmint.com debian Release [10.9 kB]         
Hit http://ftp.debian.org testing/contrib i386 Packages/DiffIndex              
Hit http://ftp.debian.org testing/non-free i386 Packages/DiffIndex             
Ign http://ftp.debian.org testing/contrib TranslationIndex                     
Hit http://ftp.debian.org testing/main TranslationIndex                        
Hit http://security.debian.org testing/updates/contrib i386 Packages           
Hit http://security.debian.org testing/updates/non-free i386 Packages          
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/contrib TranslationIndex        
Hit http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing Release                           
Ign http://ftp.debian.org testing/non-free TranslationIndex                    
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/main TranslationIndex           
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/non-free TranslationIndex
Hit http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/main i386 Packages/DiffIndex
Get:3 http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/main i386 Packages [7,430 B]
Hit http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/non-free i386 Packages/DiffIndex  
Ign http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/main TranslationIndex             
Ign http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/non-free TranslationIndex
Get:4 http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/upstream i386 Packages [957 B]
Get:5 http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/import i386 Packages [18.2 kB]      
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/import TranslationIndex               
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/main TranslationIndex                 
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/upstream TranslationIndex   
Ign http://ftp.debian.org testing/contrib Translation-en_US                    
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/contrib Translation-en_US       
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/contrib Translation-en          
Ign http://ftp.debian.org testing/contrib Translation-en                       
Ign http://ftp.debian.org testing/non-free Translation-en_US         
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/main Translation-en_US          
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/main Translation-en             
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/non-free Translation-en_US      
Ign http://ftp.debian.org testing/non-free Translation-en                      
Ign http://security.debian.org testing/updates/non-free Translation-en         
Ign http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/main Translation-en_US            
Ign http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/main Translation-en               
Ign http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/non-free Translation-en_US        
Ign http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing/non-free Translation-en           
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/import Translation-en_US              
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/import Translation-en
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/main Translation-en
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/upstream Translation-en_US
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com debian/upstream Translation-en
Fetched 37.7 kB in 13s (2,770 B/s)
Reading package lists... Done
limo@lmdev ~ $ sudo apt-get -f install && sudo apt-get --fix-missing install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 738 not upgraded.
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 738 not upgraded.
limo@lmdev ~ $ 

I'll restart and try to update and keep you informed.

[barko]

Try: sudo aptitude upgrade

it helps with some suggestions

[limotux]

Still getting the same error message!

[limotux]

Try: sudo aptitude upgrade

it helps with some suggestions

Ok.. will try it, though I tried it before... and I think this was where I got the text file I mentioned above which I believe were errors.

[barko]

Try: sudo aptitude upgrade

it helps with some suggestions

Ok.. will try it, though I tried it before... and I think this was where I got the text file I mentioned above which I believe were errors.

aptitude: Running it with no arguments brings up a beautiful interface to search, navigate, install, update and otherwise administer packages.
aptitude install: Installing software for your system, installing needed dependencies as well.
aptitude remove: Removing packages as well as orphaned dependencies.
aptitude purge: Removing packages and orphaned dependencies as well as any configuration files left behind.
aptitude search: Search for packages in the local apt package lists.
aptitude update: Update the local packages lists.
aptitude upgrade: Upgrade any installed packages that have been updated.
aptitude clean: Delete any downloaded files necessary for installing the software on your system.
aptitude dist-upgrade: Upgrade packages, even if it means uninstalling certain packages.
aptitude show: Show details about a package name.
aptitude autoclean: Delete only out-of-date packages, but keep current ones.
aptitude hold: Fix a package at it’s current version, and don’t update it

here is quick help of aptitude, it maybe useful for you

btw: i find aptitude way to powerful than apt tools...

so, i suggest you this:

sudo aptitude update
sudo aptitude upgrade
sudo aptitude dist-upgrade

and check output, sometime it suggest you what to do (i think it does everytime when you have depes problems)

good luck

[limotux]

Try: sudo aptitude upgrade

it helps with some suggestions

ok... here are the results of sudo aptitude upgrade

-- Aurelien Jarno <aurel32@debian.org> Wed, 11 May 2011 22:15:31 +0200

pam (1.1.2-1) unstable; urgency=low

* Name of option for minimum Unix password length has changed

The Debian-specific 'min=n' option to pam_unix for specifying minimum
lengths for new passwords has been replaced by a new upstream option
called 'minlen=n'. If you are using 'min=n' in
/etc/pam.d/common-password, this will be migrated to the new option name
for you on upgrade. If you have configured pam_unix password changing
elsewhere on your system, such as in a PAM profile under
/usr/share/pam-configs or in other files in /etc/pam.d, you will need to
update them by hand for this change.

-- Steve Langasek <vorlon@debian.org> Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:09:30 -0700

patch (2.6.1-1) unstable; urgency=low

The options -U --unified-reject-files and --global-reject-file have now been
removed.

:

.. but I'm not sure what to do... I changed nothing in my system manually.
and still getting the same "fix broken packages"... and hey... what the hell does the resulting message mean... no clue about it

[zerozero]

ahh wait, i think i got it!!
- you did the apt update && apt dist-upgrade, and the terminal came with a window like that and stuck there, so you restarted the system, and now you are in a loop of errors;

- let's try this( and can be with aptitude if you want)
aptitude update
aptitude full-upgrade
when it comes to that screen again, hit q and see if it resumes the updates

[limotux]

WOW...! that's great... I'm not getting that nasty message again and the update manager is ok.. says system is up to date.
Thanks a lot zerozero

Just one more question... I thought I should have a look at package manager "synaptic", and I'm seeing something I don't understand

It shows a golden star/sun in the second column for:
- some installed packages while the version numbers shown in the installed and latest versions are the same
- some uninstalled packages have the same star

As far as I understand the star indicates recommended or upgradable packages (I'm not sure), how can this be? what would you recommend me to do?t.

Thanks again zerozero for your wonderful support.

[zerozero]

i'm glad it worked for you

that sun in synaptic (well it's icon-dependent) marks the pkgs from main (excluding contrib, non-free, multimedia and mint repos); it's there just to tell you which pkgs are supported by Debian

[limotux]

Thanks again for your support.
So this means that I should not try to install non marked packages? Marked packages have better support and stability?

BTW, as I mentioned at http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=62516, I surprisingly found touch and pen working, but not multitouch or screen rotate, any suggestions?

[zerozero]

no, not at all it's only a differentiation that Debian uses between let's say the core pkgs (main) and the rest, as for stability you should be ok installing those without that icon (all the mint repo is included there, and we can't say is unstable)

the other questions, i'm afraid i can't help you

[limotux]

I hope this problem will be handled in the new 201108