software-center crashed with UnicodeDecodeError in _call_apport_recoverable_error(): 'ascii' codec can't decode byte 0xc3 in position 35: ordinal not in range(128)

[Léa GRIS]

Downloaded from Chrome:
http://dlc.sun.com.edgesuite.net/virtualbox/4.2.6/virtualbox-4.2_4.2.6-82870~Ubuntu~quantal_amd64.deb

Clicked package to launch software-center

Clicked install

software-center crash

ProblemType: RecoverableProblem
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
Package: software-center 5.5.3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-1.5-generic 3.8.0-rc4
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-1-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.8-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
Date: Mon Jan 21 13:55:32 2013
DuplicateSignature: software-center:trans-failed:error-not-authorized
ExecutablePath: /usr/share/software-center/software-center
InstallationDate: Installed on 2011-06-22 (579 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release amd64 (20110427.1)
InterpreterPath: /usr/bin/python2.7
MarkForUpload: True
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcCmdline: /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/software-center /home/username/Téléchargements/virtualbox-4.2_4.2.6-82870~Ubuntu~quantal_amd64.deb
SourcePackage: software-center
Title: software-center crashed with UnicodeDecodeError in _call_apport_recoverable_error(): 'ascii' codec can't decode byte 0xc3 in position 35: ordinal not in range(128)
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to raring on 2013-01-16 (5 days ago)
UserGroups: adm admin audio cdrom dialout fax floppy lpadmin plugdev sambashare scanner sudo syslog

[Léa GRIS (lea-gris)]

May relate to Bug#1082629
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/software-center/+bug/1082629

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[RobinJ (robinj)]

... I checked both bug reports, and they don't seem like duplicates to me :/

[fjgaude (tanzen)]

Issue of many dependancies in Final Beta of 14.04 LTS.

[snurfle (snurfle)]

installed daily updates, now user account is no longer able to access any hdd, install software, or change user settings.

[snurfle (snurfle)]

every login takes me back to here.
I cannot install software, mount any drives (hdd or usb), or modify my user account in any way... "you do not have permission... you do not have authorization..."
terminal commands seem to function properly.
users <username> shows I am a member of adm cdrom sudo audio dip plugdev lpadmin nopasswdlogin sambashare

So what is missing, and why would a daily update cause this much of a mess??

[Tim (swearingen-tim)]

I can confirm this bug.

[Jeannie Burt (jeannieburt-123)]

I also can confirm this bug.

[Walter Da Col (walter-dacol)]

I confirm #7 situation. It seems something related to polkit

Launching 'users-admin' from console print this:
    dak@daktop:~$ users-admin

    (users-admin:3538): Liboobs-WARNING **: There was an unknown error communicating asynchronously with the backends: Launch helper exited with unknown return code 255

Launching 'polkitd'

dak@daktop:~$ sudo /usr/lib/policykit-1/polkitd &

then opening 'users-admin' and trying to go to advanced settings (or changing somethings) will print:

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 7

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 8

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 9

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 10

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 11

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 12

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 13

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 14

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 15

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 16

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 17

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 18

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 19

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 20

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 21

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 22

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 23

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 24

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 25

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 26

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 27

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 28

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 29

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 30

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 31

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 32

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 33

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 34

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 35

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 36

** (polkitd:3784): WARNING **: skipping unknown tag <vendor> at line 37

Launching 'users-admin' from root users open a disabled users panel with an endless waiting cursors

[Don Levin (don-m-levin)]

I'm using 14.04. I keep it updated. Today I cannot install new software. I get: Software can't be installed or removed because the authentication service is not available. (org.freedesktop.PolicyKit.Error.Failed: ('system-bus-name', {'name': ':1.101'}): org.debian.apt.install-or-remove-packages
When I run Software Updater, I get "You are not allowed to perform this action" You don't have the required privileges ...
I ran sudo apt-get update in a terminal and it ran too quickly to have worked correctly (I think).