Could not initialize the package information

[uccio]

I was trying to up-date Ubuntu 12.4 the following error came up :

Could not initialize the package information

An unresolvable problem occurred while initializing the package information.

Please report this bug against the 'update-manager' package and include the following error message:

'E:Encountered a section with no Package: header, E:Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/mirror.aarnet.edu.au_pub_ubuntu_archive_dists_precise_multiverse_i18n_Translation-en, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.'

[Ubuntu Foundations Team Bug Bot (crichton)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Reviewing your bug report it seems that you are experiencing bug 346386. This issue happens when you have tried to update your package information when you are a network that didn't return the right files. This issue can be cleaned up by using the following commands in a terminal:

1.) sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/*
2.) sudo apt-get update

Thanks and good luck!

[This is an automated message. I apologize if it reached you inappropriately; please reopen the bug task if it was incorrect.]

[uccio (judith-uccio)]

I have try the suggested approach with the following results

uccio33@uccio33-OptiPlex-GX280:~$ sudo rm /var/lib/apt/list/*
rm: cannot remove `/var/lib/apt/list/*': No such file or directory
uccio33@uccio33-OptiPlex-GX280:~$ sudo apt-get update
Ign http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise InRelease
Ign http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise-updates InRelease
Ign http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise-security InRelease
Get:1 http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise Release.gpg [198 B]
Get:2 http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise-updates Release.gpg [198 B]
Get:3 http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise-security Release.gpg [198 B]
Hit http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise Release
Get:4 http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise-updates Release [49.6 kB]
Ign http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise Release
Ign http://archive.canonical.com precise InRelease
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com precise InRelease
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net precise InRelease
Get:5 http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise-security Release [49.6 kB]
Get:6 http://archive.canonical.com precise Release.gpg [198 B]
Get:7 http://extras.ubuntu.com precise Release.gpg [72 B]
Get:8 http://ppa.launchpad.net precise Release.gpg [316 B]
Ign http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise/main Sources/DiffIndex
Ign http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise/restricted Sources/DiffIndex
Ign http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise/universe Sources/DiffIndex
Ign http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise/multiverse Sources/DiffIndex
Ign http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise/main i386 Packages/DiffIndex
Ign http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise/restricted i386 Packages/DiffIndex
Ign http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise/universe i386 Packages/DiffIndex
Ign http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise/multiverse i386 Packages/DiffIndex
Hit http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise/main TranslationIndex
Hit http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise/multiverse TranslationIndex
Hit http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise/restricted TranslationIndex
Hit http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise/universe TranslationIndex
Get:9 http://archive.canonical.com precise Release [7,078 B]
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com precise Release
Err http://extras.ubuntu.com precise Release

Get:10 http://ppa.launchpad.net precise Release [11.9 kB]
Get:11 http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise-updates/main TranslationIndex [3,564 B]
Get:12 http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise-updates/multiverse TranslationIndex [2,605 B]
Get:13 http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise-updates/restricted TranslationIndex [2,461 B]
Get:14 http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise-updates/universe TranslationIndex [2,850 B]
Get:15 http://archive.canonical.com precise/partner i386 Packages [8,289 B]
Get:16 http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au precise...