Ubuntu 7.4 (Fiesty Fawn) Problem

[Third Eye]

I have Ubuntu 7.4 (Fiesty Fawn) installed and i am unable to install softwares,games.etc
When ever i tried to install any application via Synaptic Package Manager then it gives me an error(See the screenshot)

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/209/ubuntuerrorti6.th.jpg (http://img123.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ubuntuerrorti6.jpg)

Earlier i was able to install the applications

Please help

[infra_red_dude]

jus' execute these commands to clean up:

sudo apt-get autoremove
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

in that order in terminal and report back.

[Third Eye]

I am still getting the same error :(

[infra_red_dude]

ok what errors do u get in terminal when u execute these commands?

[praka123]

@techgenius:open terminal(menu Applications>accessrs>terminal or right clik on desktop) and try
sudo apt-get install -f or sudo dpkg --configure -a
dont open synaptic while doing this in terminal.
also make sure u got a good /etc/apt/sources.list.

[Third Eye]

Still getting the same error when installing softwares (See the screen)


http://s2.supload.com/thumbs/default/error-20070706110225.jpg (http://s2.supload.com/free/error-20070706110225.jpg/view/)


I think the problem is in usr/bin/dpkg

ok what errors do u get in terminal when u execute these commands?



Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be upgraded:
update-manager update-manager-core
2 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/896kB of archives.
After unpacking 4096B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? Y
dpkg: parse error, in file `/var/lib/dpkg/available' near line 1:
field name `r.gz,' must be followed by colon
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)


I get this error when executing sudo apt-get upgrade

[praka123]

this is a problem with sources.list I think. /var/lib/available is fetched and updated when u do "sudo apt-get update" from terminal.try.if u want u can reinstall dpkg:
sudo apt-get install dpkg --reinstall
first post the output of "sudo apt-get update" from terminal and post the o/p here.

[Third Eye]

Here is the output of sudo apt-get update

Ign cdrom://Ubuntu 7.04 _Feisty Fawn_ - Release i386 (20070415) feisty/main Translation-en_US
Ign cdrom://Ubuntu 7.04 _Feisty Fawn_ - Release i386 (20070415) feisty/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign cdrom://Ubuntu 7.04 _Feisty Fawn_ - Release i386 (20070415) feisty/main Translation-en_US
Ign cdrom://Ubuntu 7.04 _Feisty Fawn_ - Release i386 (20070415) feisty/restricted Translation-en_US
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com feisty Release.gpg [191B]
Get:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty Release.gpg [191B]
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/main Translation-en_US
Get:3 http://security.ubuntu.com feisty-security Release.gpg [191B]
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com feisty-security/main Translation-en_US
Get:4 http://archive.canonical.com dapper-commercial Release.gpg [191B]
Ign http://archive.canonical.com dapper-commercial/main Translation-en_US
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com feisty Release
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com feisty-security/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com feisty-security/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com feisty-security/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/main Translation-en_US
Get:5 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty-updates Release.gpg [191B]
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty-updates/main Translation-en_US
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com feisty/restricted Sources
Hit http://archive.canonical.com dapper-commercial Release
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com feisty-security Release
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com feisty/main Sources
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty-updates/restricted Translation-en_US
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty Release
Hit http://archive.canonical.com dapper-commercial/main Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com feisty-security/main Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty-updates Release
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com feisty-security/restricted Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com feisty-security/restricted Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com feisty-security/main Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/main Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/restricted Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/restricted Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com feisty-security/multiverse Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com feisty-security/universe Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com feisty-security/universe Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com feisty-security/multiverse Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/main Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/multiverse Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/universe Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/universe Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/multiverse Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/main Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty-updates/main Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty-updates/restricted Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty-updates/main Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty-updates/restricted Sources
Get:6 http://ubuntu.beryl-project.org feisty Release.gpg [191B]
Ign http://ubuntu.beryl-project.org feisty/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://ubuntu.beryl-project.org feisty/main Translation-en_US
Hit http://ubuntu.beryl-project.org feisty Release
Hit http://ubuntu.beryl-project.org feisty/main Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.beryl-project.org feisty/main Sources
Hit http://ubuntu.beryl-project.org feisty/main Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.beryl-project.org feisty/main Sources
Fetched 196B in 12s (16B/s)
Reading package lists... Done

[praka123]

my opinion is u can try the apt-get reinstall dpkg.
did u already ran "apt-get install -f".it mostly fixes.
another think is,u can just go through the output of below commands to notice which package is in error state by looking through:
dpkg -l |less

[Third Eye]

my opinion is u can try the apt-get reinstall dpkg.
did u already ran "apt-get install -f".it mostly fixes.


ya i have tried it.


another think is,u can just go through the output of below commands to notice which package is in error state by looking through:


dpkg-query: parse error, in file `/var/lib/dpkg/available' near line 1:
field name `r.gz,' must be followed by colon
(END)

error

[praka123]

did u tried:
sudo apt-get install dpkg --reinstall
and try again.
if this too fails.then a manual house keeping needed.
u need to backup and do the following.
~$ sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/available /var/lib/dpkg/available.bk /CODE]
now,
[CODE]:~$sudo touch /var/lib/dpkg/available
now apt-get update,see any furthur error.

[Third Eye]

did u tried:
sudo apt-get install dpkg --reinstall
and try again.
if this too fails.then a manual house keeping needed.
u need to backup and do the following.
~$ sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/available /var/lib/dpkg/available.bk /CODE]
now,
[code]:~$sudo touch /var/lib/dpkg/available now apt-get update,see any furthur error.

this is what i have got

antileet@MTNL:~$ sudo apt-get install dpkg --reinstall
Password:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 2 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/1947kB of archives.
After unpacking 0B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
dpkg: parse error, in file `/var/lib/dpkg/available' near line 1:
field name `r.gz,' must be followed by colon
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)
antileet@MTNL:~$

[praka123]

if this too fails.then a manual house keeping needed.
u need to backup and do the following.
~$ sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/available /var/lib/dpkg/available.bk
now,
:~$sudo touch /var/lib/dpkg/available now apt-get update,see any furthur error

[Third Eye]

antileet@MTNL:~$ ~$ sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/available /var/lib/dpkg/available.bk
bash: ~$: command not found
antileet@MTNL:~$ ~$ sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/available /var/lib/dpkg/available.bk
bash: ~$: command not found
antileet@MTNL:~$ :~$sudo touch /var/lib/dpkg/available
bash: :~: command not found
antileet@MTNL:~$

[praka123]

dude!I meant like this:
sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/available /var/lib/dpkg/available.bk
now,
sudo touch /var/lib/dpkg/availablenow apt-get update,see any furthur error

[Garbage]

The only thing I understood by above discussions is that,
When things gone bad in Linux, Then they REALLY GONE BAD...:-(

[praka123]

some command line that u always be ready with any unix-like OS.see my thread:
Can You Live without Terminal in GNU/Linux:
http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/search.php?searchid=293542
and for ubuntu or Debian isnt a rocket science to know apt-dpkg and few ls,cp,mv like commands.
http://wiki.debian.org/Introduction_to_Apt_and_Dpkg?highlight=%28dpkg%29

[Third Eye]

I am now able to install softwares :p

Thanks praka123 and thanks to infra_red_dude too

[adithyagenius]

antileet@MTNL:~$ ~$ sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/available /var/lib/dpkg/available.bk
bash: ~$: command not found
antileet@MTNL:~$ ~$ sudo mv /var/lib/dpkg/available /var/lib/dpkg/available.bk
bash: ~$: command not found
antileet@MTNL:~$ :~$sudo touch /var/lib/dpkg/available
bash: :~: command not found
antileet@MTNL:~$
LOL. Many books make the mistake of not telling what the $ , # etc mean and this is what happens. $ means standard user and # means administrator.

[praka123]

I always thought it will be easier to figure out "$" and "#" in the CLI/terminal when it is to put a code here . :p
but most users are coming from win platform where casual users are not so aware of user accounts and permission system and Linux admin account root etc etc
yes.that needs to be known to new users.for that matter some shells uses "->" or "%" ...and u can change the prompt in bash like whatever:
PS1='`whoami`:$PWD # ';export PS1 ;)
^prank