[UBUNTU 20.04] Cannot upgrade Ubuntu 20.04.6 LTS to 22.04. because the package language-pack-en-base cannot be updated

[bugproxy]

---Problem Description---
Cannot upgrade Ubuntu 20.04.6 LTS to 22.04. because the package language-pack-en-base cannot be updated

do-release-update does not work

Contact Information = <email address hidden>

---uname output---
Linux lnxut06 5.4.0-148-generic #165-Ubuntu SMP Tue Apr 18 08:52:35 UTC 2023 s390x s390x s390x GNU/Linux

Machine Type = 3906 758 M03

---Debugger---
A debugger is not configured

---Steps to Reproduce---

root@lnxz:/etc/apt# do-release-upgrade
Checking for a new Ubuntu release
Please install all available updates for your release before upgrading.

root@lnxz:/etc/apt# apt update
Hit:1 http://de.ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports focal InRelease
Get:2 http://de.ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports focal-updates InRelease [114 kB]
Get:3 http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports focal-security InRelease [114 kB]
Ign:4 https://pkg.jenkins.io/debian-stable binary/ InRelease
Hit:5 https://pkg.jenkins.io/debian-stable binary/ Release
Hit:7 http://de.ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports focal-backports InRelease
Fetched 228 kB in 1s (201 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
1 package can be upgraded. Run 'apt list --upgradable' to see it.

root@lnxz:/etc/apt# apt list --upgradable
Listing... Done
language-pack-en-base/focal-updates 1:20.04+20220818 all [upgradable from: 1:20.04+20220211]
N: There are 2 additional versions. Please use the '-a' switch to see them.

root@lnxz:/etc/apt# apt upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

root@lnxz:/etc/apt# apt --only-upgrade install language-pack-en-base
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 language-pack-en-base : Depends: language-pack-en (>= 1:20.04+20220818) but it is not going to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

[Frank Heimes (fheimes)]

I can confirm that package 'language-pack-en-base' is not installable on an up to date 20.04.06 installation.
$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 20.04.6 LTS
Release: 20.04
Codename: focal
$ sudo apt update
Hit:1 http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports focal InRelease
Hit:2 http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports focal-updates InRelease
Hit:3 http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports focal-backports InRelease
Hit:4 http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports focal-security InRelease
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
All packages are up to date.
$ apt-cache policy language-pack-en-base
language-pack-en-base:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 1:20.04+20220818
  Version table:
     1:20.04+20220818 500
        500 http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports focal-updates/main s390x Packages
     1:20.04+20200416 500
        500 http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports focal/main s390x Packages
$ sudo apt install language-pack-en-base
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 language-pack-en-base : Depends: language-pack-en (>= 1:20.04+20220818) but it is not going to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
$ apt-cache policy language-pack-en
language-pack-en:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 1:20.04+20200416
  Version table:
     1:20.04+20200416 500
        500 http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports focal/main s390x Packages
$

[bugproxy (bugproxy)]

------- Comment From <email address hidden> 2023-05-11 10:35 EDT-------
Is there any update on this? I have a request to update Ubuntu 20.04 to 22.04 but currently it is not possible.

[Frank Heimes (fheimes)]

Hi - the majority of engineers where on Sprints in the recent weeks, so we were a bit short on staff - apologize. This bug got already assigned.

But to get you unblocked, you may just remove (sudo apt remove ...) the package in question (and the one that has it as dependency), since they are not mandatory:
$ apt-cache policy language-pack-en-base language-pack-en
language-pack-en-base:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 1:20.04+20220818
  Version table:
     1:20.04+20220818 500
        500 http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports focal-updates/main s390x Packages
     1:20.04+20200416 500
        500 http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports focal/main s390x Packages
language-pack-en:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 1:20.04+20200416
  Version table:
     1:20.04+20200416 500
        500 http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports focal/main s390x Packages
If you remove them, please note if further (reverse) dependencies are removed too, if so record them and re-install again after the upgrade.