updates failed

[bob]

an error report says the updates failed to process. I copied the info, but it would not paste here. I dont know anything about systematic operations of ubuntu's disk operating system. I am using 9:10 Jaunty

[bob (rkoomans)]

tried again - this time success in copying error report. (it may as well be Chinese, to me anyhow!)
Could not initialize the package information

An unresolvable problem occurred while initialising 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/au.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_jaunty_main_binary-i386_Packages, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.'

[Philip Muškovac (yofel)]

This is an update-manager problem then.

[bob (rkoomans)]

Hi Philip, looks like that to me, but what do I know? I am an old fart using a new system with a whole new language.

 2gt0tgBOBK

________________________________
From: Philip Muskovac <email address hidden>
To: <email address hidden>
Sent: Wed, 16 December, 2009 9:52:29 AM
Subject: [Bug 496317] Re: updates failed

This is an update-manager problem then.

--
updates failed
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/496317
You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
of the bug.

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[bob (rkoomans)]

dad@dad-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get autoremove
[sudo] password for dad:
Reading package lists... Error!
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/au.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_jaunty_main_binary-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
dad@dad-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get autoclean
Reading package lists... Error!
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/au.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_jaunty_main_binary-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
dad@dad-desktop:~$ sudo-apt-get -f install MY MISTAKE!
bash: sudo-apt-get: command not found
dad@dad-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get -f install
Reading package lists... Error!
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/au.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_jaunty_main_binary-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
dad@dad-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get upgrade
Reading package lists... Error!
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/au.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_jaunty_main_binary-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
dad@dad-desktop:~$

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[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

Hi Bob,

It seems that there was an error caused by a corrupted package list. Please execute the following commands in a terminal ( Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal ) :

sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/au.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_jaunty_main_binary-i386_Packages
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get update

Then try performing the update again. This will likely resolve your issue. If so please set the bug's status to Invalid. Thanks in advance!

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

 We are closing this bug report because it lacks the information we need to investigate the problem, as described in the previous comments. Please reopen it if you can give us the missing information, and don't hesitate to submit bug reports in the future. To reopen the bug report you can click on the current status, under the Status column, and change the Status back to "New". Thanks again!