"Could not calculate the upgrade"/"pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks"

[Rena Kunisaki]

Since a few days ago, every time I start the computer I get an update icon in the notification area, and an error message when I open it:

Could not calculate the upgrade
An unresolvable problem occurred while calculating the upgrade.
Please report this bug against the 'update-manager' package and include the following error message:
'E:Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.'

After closing the message box, update manager wants to upgrade every package in the system.

$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 11.04
Release: 11.04

$ apt-cache policy update-manager
update-manager:
  Installed: 1:0.150.5.1
  Candidate: 1:0.156
  Version table:
     1:0.156 0
        500 http://ubuntu.mirror.cambrium.nl/ubuntu/ precise/main amd64 Packages
 *** 1:0.150.5.1 0
        500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-security/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     1:0.150 0
        500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty/main amd64 Packages

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: update-manager 1:0.150.5.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-13.53-generic 2.6.38.8
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-13-generic x86_64
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue Jan 17 04:17:19 2012
GConfNonDefault:
 /apps/update-manager/check_new_release_ignore=oneiric
 /apps/update-manager/first_run=false
 /apps/update-manager/show_details=true
 /apps/update-manager/window_size=(570,634)
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release amd64 (20110426.1)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_CA:en
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_CA.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: update-manager
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[RedSingularity (redsingularity)]

Sorry for the delay. Please attach the files from within:

/var/log/dist-upgrade

Thanks.
---
Ubuntu Bug Squad volunteer triager
http://wiki.ubuntu.com/BugSquad

[Rena Kunisaki (i-am-inuyasha)]

Hi, there aren't any files in that directory.

[RedSingularity (redsingularity)]

When was the last time you performed a system update?
---
Ubuntu Bug Squad volunteer triager
http://wiki.ubuntu.com/BugSquad

[Rena Kunisaki (i-am-inuyasha)]

The system was installed fresh on 2011 May 9. I haven't done a dist-upgrade since then. I'd been installing automatic updates regularly before this, but I'm not certain the exact time I last did a successful update.

[RedSingularity (redsingularity)]

Run the following commands and see if it clears these messages:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
---
Ubuntu Bug Squad volunteer triager
http://wiki.ubuntu.com/BugSquad

[Rena Kunisaki (i-am-inuyasha)]

...wouldn't that upgrade the entire OS to 11.10? I'd rather do a fresh install at some point... I've had a lot of trouble with those upgrades before.

[RedSingularity (redsingularity)]

That wont upgrade you to the next available distro. It will just upgrade packages that need to be upgraded. 'Apt-get upgrade' does not perform all upgrades of packages at times so dont run that one.
---
Ubuntu Bug Squad volunteer triager
http://wiki.ubuntu.com/BugSquad

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for update-manager (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]