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I cannot update anything or install new software because of problems with the dependencies. The terminal suggest to run apt-get -f install. After trying this, there is a problem saying that it failed to correct efficiencies. Then it says:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 update-notifier : Depends: update-notifier-common (= 3.168.9) but 3.168.8 is installed
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.
E: Unable to correct dependencies

I have tried some of the solutions to similar problems posted in here but all have been futile. One of them said to look at the log file and try to remove the "broken" packages... but my log file was blank...

** UPDATE **

I ran the command sudo apt-cache policy update-notifier update-notifier-common This was the output: 

update-notifier:
  Installed: 3.168.9
  Candidate: 3.192.1.4
  Version table:
     3.192.1.4 500
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages
     3.192 500
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 Packages
 *** 3.168.9 100
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     3.168.7 500
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/main amd64 Packages
     3.168 500
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 Packages
update-notifier-common:
  Installed: 3.168.8
  Candidate: 3.192.1.4
  Version table:
     3.192.1.4 500
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main i386 Packages
     3.192 500
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main i386 Packages
 *** 3.168.8 100
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     3.168.7 500
        500 **security.ubuntu**/ubuntu xenial-security/main amd64 Packages
        500 **security.ubuntu**/ubuntu xenial-security/main i386 Packages
     3.168 500
        500 **archive.ubuntu**/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 Packages
        500 **archive.ubuntu**/ubuntu xenial/main i386 Packages

Note : the last 4 links are modified. They should start with http:// and after ".ubuntu" should have a .com . However, I can only include up to 8 links.

Skeer
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  • Please also state your release of Ubuntu. Your package versions for update-notifier-common that clash are not the correct versions for Ubuntu xenial (16.04) as shown in https://packages.ubuntu.com/search?suite=all&searchon=names&keywords=update-notifier-common so it looks like you aren't using Ubuntu, or if using Ubuntu don't update or you've replaced your official sources with unofficial & thus this is your issue. I'd suggest checking your sources, and telling us what you actually are running. – guiverc Jan 11 '19 at 21:59
  • @guiverc I am using Ubuntu xenial 16.04.4 LTS . – Skeer Jan 14 '19 at 17:31
  • 1
    Are you using any PPAs or 'newer' repositories? – Thomas Ward Jan 14 '19 at 20:15
  • Please add the command & output of apt-cache policy update-notifier update-notifier-common to your question. Your problem I still believe is sources; changes made since install. We can't view what changes you've made to /etc/apt/sources.list* files, but this command will at least provide sources for those two packages. – guiverc Jan 14 '19 at 22:16
  • @guiverc I have edited the question adding the command & output that you sugested. Thank you. – Skeer Jan 15 '19 at 19:27
  • @ThomasWard I am new to Ubuntu... I am unsure if I am using PPA's nad/or repositories or not. The things I remember downloading are: Spotify, FORM, ROOT (CERN), EMACS, and some software that one professor asked for homework. I also think I have updated when the machine showed new updates. – Skeer Jan 15 '19 at 19:43
  • Your machine is not xenial (16.04) anymore I'm betting. Your policy output shows bionic (18.04) sources have entered your system because you, or someone with admin access has added them. I'd suggest looking through your logs, and looking at how much bionic is there; the easiest fix may be to completely go to bionic, or just back out all changes that have been made since you added bionic sources to your machine and return to xenial. – guiverc Jan 15 '19 at 22:23
  • If new to Ubuntu, Ubuntu uses debian apt/dpkg tools to update packages. Packages update automatically if they have a higher version number, so bionic (18.04) packages all have higher numbers than xenial (16.04) so you can do-release-upgrade (or upgrade from one release to a later one). By introducing 'bionic' sources into your machine; it has detected later package version numbers, and 18.04/bionic packages are now in your system. apt/dpkg won't go backwards (easily) as they always go to the latest package as it's got later fixes. – guiverc Jan 15 '19 at 22:31
  • Adding later release sources is very useful, but you need to know what you are doing so you can deal with these package-hell situations (or more particularly how to create rules to avoid it). It's not really beginner stuff, so if new - a re-install would probably be the easiest for you. I'd suggest you 'play' around & see if you can fix & use it as a learning-experience. See if you can work out when the change was made; what was altered because of that change, and what is required to fix/reverse-changes (even if you just re-install as it's likely faster). You'll learn a lot. – guiverc Jan 15 '19 at 22:34

1 Answers1

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issue these in a terminal ( ctrl+alt+t )

sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt-get -f install
sudo apt-get --fix-missing install
sudo dpkg --configure --pending
sudo dpkg -C  # audit - check for broken packages

it should comb out any tangles in the dependency manager ... post errors if this fails to fully resolve

UPDATE - issue this to see what you have installed

dpkg  -l|grep  update-notifier

now get them re-installed

sudo apt-get --reinstall install  update-notifier update-notifier-common

Tell us if that runs OK ... if good then go back and run the original set of commands above

Scott Stensland
  • 15,575
  • Thanks! this is what happend:

    1.apt-get -f install give me the same error.

    2.apt-get --fix-missing install gives: Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree
    Reading state information... Done You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these. The following packages have unmet dependencies: update-notifier : Depends: update-notifier-common (= 3.168.9) but 3.168.8 is installed E: Unmet dependencies. Try using -f.

     – Skeer Jan 14 '19 at 17:36
  • 3.sudo dpkg -C # audit - check for broken packages gives: The following packages are in a mess due to serious problems during installation. They must be reinstalled for them (and any packages that depend on them) to function properly: update-notifier Daemon which notifies about package updates – Skeer Jan 14 '19 at 17:42
  • dpkg -l|grep update-notifier gave: rUR update-notifier 3.168.9 amd64 Daemon which notifies about package updates ri update-notifier-common 3.168.8 all Files shared between update-notifier and other packages – Skeer Jan 15 '19 at 19:48
  • 'sudo apt-get --reinstall install update-notifier update-notifier-common' gave errors with update-manager and this new line: update-notifier : Depends: libglib2.0-0 (>= 2.49.2) but 2.48.2-0ubuntu1 is to be installed [I apologize for the ugly format of the comments] – Skeer Jan 15 '19 at 19:49