[SOLVED] Software and update manager will not open.

[whitelight999]

Hi

I searched the forums but cannot find an exact solved thread on this specific to what I am seeing.

Linux mint 17.3 rosa MATE 64-bit

Problem
When I click on the GUI for Update manager and software manager it prompts for password
and then nothing happens.
If I enter the following commands in Terminal window
mintinstall or mintupdate I get following message

Code: Select all

bash: /usr/bin/mintupdate: /usr/bin/python: bad interpreter: No such file or directory
or 
bash: /usr/bin/mintinstall: /usr/bin/python: bad interpreter: No such file or directory

Output of inxi -Fxz

Code: Select all

System:    Host: John-Inspiron-570 Kernel: 3.19.0-32-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 4.8.2)
           Desktop: MATE 1.12.0 (Gtk 3.10.8~8+qiana)
           Distro: Linux Mint 17.3 Rosa
Machine:   System: Dell product: Inspiron 570 v: 00
           Mobo: Dell model: 04GJJT v: A00 Bios: Dell v: A06 date: 03/29/2012
CPU:       Quad core AMD Athlon II X4 630 (-MCP-) cache: 2048 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4a svm) bmips: 22345
           clock speeds: max: 2800 MHz 1: 1600 MHz 2: 1600 MHz 3: 800 MHz
           4: 1600 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] RS880 [Radeon HD 4200]
           bus-ID: 01:05.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.17.1 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1152x864@75.0hz
           GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on AMD RS880
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 10.5.9 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] RS880 HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 4200 Series]
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 01:05.1
           Card-2 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:14.2
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k3.19.0-32-generic
Network:   Card-1: Qualcomm Atheros AR9287 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express)
           driver: ath9k bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Broadcom NetLink BCM57788 Gigabit Ethernet PCIe
           driver: tg3 v: 3.137 bus-ID: 03:00.0
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 620.1GB (3.9% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: SAMSUNG_HD501LJ size: 500.1GB
           ID-2: /dev/sdb model: SanDisk_SDSSDA12 size: 120.0GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 107G used: 19G (19%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb1
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 4.02GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sdb5
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 27.4C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 171 Uptime: 22 min Memory: 622.5/3699.9MB
           Init: Upstart runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.8.4
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.111) inxi: 2.2.28 

I want to switch from windows full time, I have been downloading and experimenting with some coding and software lately to find a Linux alternative to what I need to do.
Mono develop, python, gambas I think one of these downloads or experiments was the root cause
but I cannot pinpoint when it happened exactly as I have numerous machines here (small business) and a lot of work going on.
I suspect python is the issue here.

Any help appreciated

Regards
Whitelight

[karlchen]

Hello, whitelight999.

Did you install a newer Python version in the recent past?
The terminal command

Code: Select all

which python

should display /usr/bin/python It does so here. What does the same command display on your system?

The terminal command

Code: Select all

dpkg- --list python

should display which Python has been installed on your system. What does it display on your system?

Regards,
Karl

[whitelight999]

Yes, I did install a version of python.

which python runs and returns no message or error output to terminal

dpkg --list python output of

Code: Select all

Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name           Version      Architecture Description
+++-==============-============-============-=================================
ii  python         2.7.5-5ubunt amd64        interactive high-level object-ori

[karlchen]

Hello, whitelight999.

Hm. The command which python should never come back empty, no matter which Python version may be the only Python version or the primary Python version on a system. A lot of system applications depend on Python and depend on /usr/bin/python being present.

What is the screen output of the terminal commands

Code: Select all

ls -l /usr/bin/python*

and

Code: Select all

echo $PATH

please?

Cheers,
Karl

[whitelight999]

Hello, whitelight999.

Hm. The command which python should never come back empty, no matter which Python version may be the only Python version or the primary Python version on a system. A lot of system applications depend on Python and depend on /usr/bin/python being present.

What is the screen output of the terminal commands

Code: Select all

ls -l /usr/bin/python*

and

Code: Select all

echo $PATH

please?

Cheers,
Karl

Code: Select all

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 24 May 11 23:49 /usr/bin/python -> /opt/Python-3.5.0/python

note
( the directories are in RED font)

and

Code: Select all

/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games

thanks

[karlchen]

Hello, whitelight999.

The content of your PATH variable looks all right. Same as here. It is the default path.
Yet, the line rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 24 May 11 23:49 /usr/bin/python -> /opt/Python-3.5.0/python points to a problem:
First of all ls -l /usr/bin/python* should return several entries, some pointing to Python 2.7, some pointing to Python3.
Moreover, if the pathname /opt/Python-3.5.0/python has been displayed in read, this means that /usr/bin/python is a symbolic link (correct), but pointing to the non-existent file /opt/Python-3.5.0/python (totally incorrect).
You can check the latter by executing

Code: Select all

ls -l /opt/Python-3.5.0/python

In case this returns "ls: cannot access /opt/Python-3.5.0/python: No such file or directory" then there is no Python 3.5 in /opt.

About how to recover from this problem:
I will have to switch to Mint 17.x first, in order to give the right Python package names, including the right version strings. Currently; I am typing this from Mint 13, which very likely will use lower versions of Python 2.7 and Python 3 than Mint 17.x does.
The solution will very likely be reinstalling Python 2.7 and Python 3 from the official software repos by using the commandline "sudo apt-get install <packagename>", because the graphical installers currently do not work.

Cheers,
Karl

[karlchen]

Hi, whitelight999.

Just noticed there may be no reason to wait for me to switch to Mint 17.x in order to determine the needed pyhton packages.
The commandline

Code: Select all

dpkg --list python2.7* python3*

will list the available python software packages.
Not all of them will be needed. But the dpkg output might be sufficient to identify the few python packages which need to be re-installed.

Cheers,
Karl

[whitelight999]

Hi, whitelight999.

Just noticed there may be no reason to wait for me to switch to Mint 17.x in order to determine the needed pyhton packages.
The commandline

Code: Select all

dpkg --list python2.7* python3*

will list the available python software packages.
Not all of them will be needed. But the dpkg output might be sufficient to identify the few python packages which need to be re-installed.

Cheers,
Karl

The output of dpkg --list python2.7* python3*

Code: Select all

Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name           Version      Architecture Description
+++-==============-============-============-=================================
ii  python2.7      2.7.6-8ubunt amd64        Interactive high-level object-ori
un  python2.7-apt  <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-argp <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-cair <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-cele <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-cjkc <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-comp <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-cryp <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-ctyp <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-cups <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-dbus <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-doc  <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-elem <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-gdbm <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-gi   <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-gobj <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-gobj <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-gst0 <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-ldb  <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-libx <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-lxml <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-mark <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python2.7-mini 2.7.6-8ubunt amd64        Minimal subset of the Python lang
un  python2.7-neti <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-noti <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-ntdb <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-para <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-part <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-pil  <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-prof <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-pyin <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-pyor <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-rend <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-repo <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-samb <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-setu <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-smbc <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-tall <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-tdb  <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-twis <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-twis <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-utid <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-wsgi <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-xapi <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python2.7-zope <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3        3.4.0-0ubunt amd64        interactive high-level object-ori
un  python3-all    <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3-all-db <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3-all-de <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-apt    0.9.3.5ubunt amd64        Python 3 interface to libapt-pkg
un  python3-apt-db <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-aptdae 1.1.1-1ubunt all          Python 3 module for the server an
ii  python3-aptdae 1.1.1-1ubunt all          Python 3 GTK+ 3 widgets to run an
ii  python3-aptdae 1.1.1-1ubunt all          PackageKit compatibilty for AptDa
ii  python3-brlapi 5.0-2ubuntu2 amd64        Braille display access via BRLTTY
ii  python3-cairo  1.10.0+dfsg- amd64        Python 3 bindings for the Cairo v
ii  python3-charde 2.2.1-2~ubun all          universal character encoding dete
ii  python3-comman 0.3ubuntu12  all          Python 3 bindings for command-not
ii  python3-crypto 2.6.1-4build amd64        cryptographic algorithms and prot
un  python3-crypto <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3-dbg    <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-dbus   1.2.0-2build amd64        simple interprocess messaging sys
un  python3-dbus-d <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3-dbus.m <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-debian 0.1.21+nmu2u all          Python 3 modules to work with Deb
ii  python3-defer  1.0.6-2build all          Small framework for asynchronous 
un  python3-dev    <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-dirspe 13.10-0ubunt all          Python User Folders Specification
un  python3-doc    <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3-egenix <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3-exampl <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-gdbm:a 3.4.3-1~14.0 amd64        GNU dbm database support for Pyth
un  python3-gdbm-d <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-gi     3.12.0-1ubun amd64        Python 3 bindings for gobject-int
ii  python3-gi-cai 3.12.0-1ubun amd64        Python 3 Cairo bindings for the G
un  python3-gobjec <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-httpli 0.8-2build1  all          comprehensive HTTP client library
ii  python3-icu    1.5-2ubuntu4 amd64        Python 3 extension wrapping the I
un  python3-imagin <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3-keyrin <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-louis  2.5.3-2ubunt all          Python bindings for liblouis
ii  python3-lxml   3.3.3-1ubunt amd64        pythonic binding for the libxml2 
un  python3-lxml-d <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-minima 3.4.0-0ubunt amd64        minimal subset of the Python lang
un  python3-notify <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-oauthl 0.6.1-1      all          generic, spec-compliant implement
ii  python3-onecon 0.3.7.14.04. all          synchronize your configuration da
ii  python3-pexpec 3.1-1ubuntu0 all          Python 3 module for automating in
ii  python3-pil    2.3.0-1ubunt amd64        Python Imaging Library (Python3)
un  python3-pil-db <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3-pil.im <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3-pillow <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-piston 0.7.5-0ubunt all          library for writing clients for D
ii  python3-pkg-re 3.3-1ubuntu2 all          Package Discovery and Resource Ac
un  python3-profil <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-pyatsp 2.10.0+dfsg- all          Assistive Technology Service Prov
un  python3-pyatsp <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-pycurl 7.19.3-0ubun amd64        Python 3 bindings to libcurl
un  python3-pycurl <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-pyicu  1.5-2ubuntu4 amd64        dummy transitional package for Py
un  python3-render <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-report 3.0-1build1  all          ReportLab library to create PDF d
un  python3-setupt <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-six    1.5.2-1ubunt all          Python 2 and 3 compatibility libr
un  python3-softwa <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-speech 0.8-5ubuntu1 all          Python interface to Speech Dispat
un  python3-tk     <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3-uno    <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3-urllib <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3-virtke 0.63.0-0ubun amd64        Library to emulate keyboard keypr
ii  python3-xdg    0.25-4       all          Python 3 library to access freede
ii  python3-xkit   0.5.0ubuntu2 all          library for the manipulation of x
un  python3.0      <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3.1      <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3.1-mini <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3.4      3.4.3-1ubunt amd64        Interactive high-level object-ori
un  python3.4-apt  <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3.4-cryp <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3.4-dbus <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3.4-doc  <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3.4-gdbm <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3.4-icu  <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3.4-lxml <none>       <none>       (no description available)
ii  python3.4-mini 3.4.3-1ubunt amd64        Minimal subset of the Python lang
un  python3.4-pycu <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3.4-setu <none>       <none>       (no description available)
un  python3.4-venv <none>       <none>       (no description available)

[karlchen]

Hi, whitelight999.

Can you be bothered to run

Code: Select all

ls -l /usr/bin/python*

again and post the complete screen output. This time do not drop the final * attached to python.

Provided my assumption is right then the Python software that comes with Mint 17.3 might still be present. Only the reference(s) under /usr/bin may have been overwritten, when Python 3.5.0 had been installed to /opt.

Provided the original Python software that comes with Mint 17.3 is still installed, then the following commandline might restore them to the original state:

Code: Select all

dpkg-reconfigure python2.7 python3 python3.4

At least it should be worth a try.

Regards,
Karl

[whitelight999]

Hi, whitelight999.

Can you be bothered to run

Code: Select all

ls -l /usr/bin/python*

again and post the complete screen output. This time do not drop the final * attached to python.

Provided my assumption is right then the Python software that comes with Mint 17.3 might still be present. Only the reference(s) under /usr/bin may have been overwritten, when Python 3.5.0 had been installed to /opt.

Provided the original Python software that comes with Mint 17.3 is still installed, then the following commandline might restore them to the original state:

Code: Select all

dpkg-reconfigure python2.7 python3 python3.4

At least it should be worth a try.

Regards,
Karl

ls -l /usr/bin/python* output

Code: Select all

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      24 May 11 23:49 /usr/bin/python -> /opt/Python-3.5.0/python
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       9 Apr 19 18:12 /usr/bin/python2 -> python2.7
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3345416 Jun 22  2015 /usr/bin/python2.7
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       9 Apr 19 18:12 /usr/bin/python3 -> python3.4
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3709944 Oct 14  2015 /usr/bin/python3.4
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3709944 Oct 14  2015 /usr/bin/python3.4m
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      10 Apr 19 18:12 /usr/bin/python3m -> python3.4m

[karlchen]

Hi, whitelight999.

Your post submitted at 20:37 and mine submitted at 20:41 overlapped. Means you submitted while I was typing. In short words, it may even be easier to recover than hoped.
Your dpkg list and the ls output suggest Python is intact, only 1 symlink needs correcting.
The symbolic link /usr/bin/python should correctly read /usr/bin/python -> python2.7.
So it may be sufficient to correct this single symbolic link.

Code: Select all

cd /usr/bin
sudo rm python
sudo ln -s python2.7 python

Execute the 3 commandlines one at a time exactly as they have been typed.

Provided my assumption is right, mintupdate and mintinstall should work properly afterwards.

HTH,
Karl

[whitelight999]

Hi, whitelight999.

Your post submitted at 20:37 and mine submitted at 20:41 overlapped. Means you submitted while I was typing. In short words, it may even be easier to recover than hoped.
Your dpkg list and the ls output suggest Python is intact, only 1 symlink needs correcting.
The symbolic link /usr/bin/python should correctly read /usr/bin/python -> python2.7.
So it may be sufficient to correct this single symbolic link.

Code: Select all

cd /usr/bin
sudo rm python
sudo ln -s python2.7 python

Execute the 3 commandlines one at a time exactly as they have been typed.

Provided my assumption is right, mintupdate and mintinstall should work properly afterwards.

HTH,
Karl

Hi

Thank you.
Executing 3 commands in the last post fixed the problem.
Software and update managers functioning.

I have to be more careful installing software in future.
I am normally very cautious regarding installing software as I am not very experienced with Linux yet.
I followed instructions of a youtube tutorial.

Regards

[karlchen]

Hi, whitelight999.

Great that it was really just this little symlink and that the Mint software management software is back to normal operation.
Have a happy weekend.
Karl

[IanDSamson]

Thank you to everyone for this information. It rectified a problem with a Linux Mint Cinnamon user who could not run Software Manager (mintinstall) under 17.3 Rosa Cinnamon x64. He had upgraded Python to version 3.5.1 and as a result mintinstall refused to run. Downgrading to a previous version solved the issue. We could not have done this without the information in this page. Thank you!!