Broken Firefox install

[glnman]

How can I either fix or uninstall a broken Firefox 3.6.9 install. The install gets all the way through until it syops at "setting up firefox: Setting up firefox (3.6.9~hg20100817r34537+nobinonly-0ubuntu1~umd2~lucid) ... then it stops forever and now I can't find or install any updates at all. It tells me to fix by running: sudo dpkg --configure -a and around and around we go! Can anyone help me?

[rokytnji]

Open a terminal and type in

sudo dpkg --configure -a

Hit enter
type in password.
Hit enter

After it does it's fix of broken update. Close Terminal. Then try update again.

[glnman]

I have done this: sudo dpkg --configure -a about a dozen times and the setup just locks up even when I wait for several hours nothing happens. Also it doesn't ask for a password and typing one in does nothing. Is there some other way to fix the stalled install?

[rokytnji]

the setup just locks up

That does not sound right.

Also it doesn't ask for a password

That does not sound right either

typing one in does nothing

Nothing is supposed to show when typing in a password. It is a safety feature in case anyone is looking over your shoulder.

Can't tell you why "it just locks up" from west texas. Also can't tell you why sudo (Ubuntu root user) does not ask for a password either. It should if installed correctly.

sudo dpkg --configure -a is the correct procedure for fixing broke updates usually.

Anyhows . go into synaptic package manger I guess and try to fix broken package from there. You should see in synaptic when you open it at the bottom of open window installed packages, broken packages, etc....

Here is link on using synaptic to fix broken package.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticHowto

[glnman]

When I open synaptic I get this: E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'sudo dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.
E: _cache->open() failed, please report. and then when I click OK it shuts down not allowing me to to anything. Also, I was using the root terminal before. That's why adding the password again did nothing. Sorry.

[glnman]

I rebooted and opened Synaptic and was able to repair the broken package(s) and now all is well! Thanks soooo much!