Broken packages.

[moshdj2uk]

First of all, I'm VERY new to Ubuntu, and Linux for that matter. I have under 1 weeks worth of experience. However, I am a quick learner.

A package I was recently trying to install needed gcc/g++. After a failed install (due to the base package dependency missing), I had 4 broken packages.

Runnning apt-get check gave me:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run ‘apt-get -f install’ to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies.
  cpp-4.1: Depends: gcc-4.1-base (= 4.1.1-13ubuntu5) but 4.1.1-21 is installed
  gcc-4.1: Depends: gcc-4.1-base (= 4.1.1-13ubuntu5) but 4.1.1-21 is installed
  libgcc1: Depends: gcc-4.1-base (= 4.1.1-13ubuntu5) but 4.1.1-21 is installed
  libstdc++6: Depends: gcc-4.1-base (= 4.1.1-13ubuntu5) but 4.1.1-21 is installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try using -f.

So, I went on to try apt-get -f install which gave:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies...Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  xserver-xorg python-crypto xkeyboard-config f-spot libpopt-dev
  libgnomecupsui1.0-1c2a libopenexr2c2a gstreamer0.10-alsa liborbit2-dev
  python-alsaaudio mesa-utils xgamma xserver-xorg-video-rendition gcj-4.1-base
  xclipboard liblaunchpad-integration0 libcamel1.2-8 libopenobex-1.0-0
  libwpd8c2a libarts1c2a libxmlsec1 libstdc++5 libstdc++6 tomboy xf86dga
  libglib-perl evolution-webcal ekiga libglew1 edgy-community-wallpapers 
  gnome-cups-manager bitpim gsfonts-x11 dselect gnome-panel-data
  ssh-askpass-gnome xserver-xorg-video-cirrus linux-headers-2.6.17-10-generic
  sound-juicer libpisync0 hplip-data lftp libsdl-image1.2 libgdl-1-common
  libfaac0 libpanelappletmm-2.6-dev liba52-0.7.4 xditview libxine1 xutils-dev
  libsmpeg0...
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following packages will be REMOVED
  acidrip acpi-support acroread adonthell amarok amarok-xine amsynth apache
  apache-common apache2-common apache2-mpm-prefork apollon apport apport-gtk
  apt apt-utils aptitude ark aspell audacity banshee beast beneath-a-steel-sky
  billard-gl bitpim bitpim-lib bluez-cups cdrdao cpp cpp-4.1 craft cupsys
  cupsys-driver-gutenprint deskbar-applet 
WARNING: The following essential packages will be removed.
This should NOT be done unless you know exactly what you are doing!
  apt libgcc1 (due to apt) libstdc++6 (due to apt)
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 308 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B of archives.
After unpacking 1154MB disk space will be freed.
You are about to do something potentially harmful
To continue type in the phrase ‘Yes, do as I say!’

NOTE: For the sake of the length, I shortened the list of packages above.

Something tells me that shouldn't be happening? Is it ok to confirm? Am I really going to lose practically all my installed packages if I attempt to fix the 4 broken ones? Is there a way around this?

Any help is appreciated!

[devils casper]

hi moshdj2uk !

Welcome to the LinuxForums.

Something tells me that shouldn't be happening? Is it ok to confirm? Am I really going to lose practically all my installed packages if I attempt to fix the 4 broken ones? Is there a way around this?

its not OK to confirm it coz you will lose all the base packages and system will become unusable.

to fix this problem, execute this

sudo dpkg --configure -a

for gcc and g++, install build-essential package.

sudo apt-get install build-essential

Casper

[moshdj2uk]

Thanks for the response.

I've tried what you suggested but I still get the 'broken packages' message, so can't insall build-essential.

[devils casper]

try to force it, use -f option.

sudo apt-get -f install <package>

Casper

[moshdj2uk]

Same thing I'm afraid.

[devils casper]

okkk ! did you add any new source in sources.list? i think sources are conflicting.









Casper

[moshdj2uk]

I was told to try sudo aptitude install gcc-4.1-base/edgy on the Ubuntu Forums, which appears to have fixed the problem for now.

The URLs in my sources.list all point to the Ubuntu archive.

[devils casper]

okk ! it means base/edgy is not in your sources.list.
generate a new reliable sources.list through source-o-matic. it will resolve all the conflicts in future.







Casper