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I am too dumb but determined to use Ubuntu that I paid a professional to install it for me (dualboot 11.10 with Win7). When I came home I got a lot of things from the software center. Skype did not have a download button so I googled it and Ubuntu help told me to do this:

sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://archive.canonical.com/ $(lsb_release -sc) partner"

and then this:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install skype

The terminal told me "that this is potentially harmful..." but I thought it was Ubuntu language meaning "are you sure?"

Now the computer is mute.

Items cannot be installed or removed until the package catalog is repaired, so I want to repair it but the package operation fails.

"sudo aptitude -f install" -> command not found

Synaptic package manager tells me that I have two broken packages, libc6 and libc6-dev

so I do this:

 sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

which tells me to do this:

 sudo apt-get -f install

that ends up like this:

Can't exec "locale": No such file or directory at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Encoding.pm line 16.

Use of uninitialized value $Debconf::Encoding::charmap in scalar chomp at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Encoding.pm line 17.

Preconfiguring packages ...

dpkg: warning: 'ldconfig' not found in PATH or not executable.

dpkg: error: 1 expected program not found in PATH or not executable.

Note: root's PATH should usually contain /usr/local/sbin, /usr/sbin and /sbin.

E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)

When fixing broken packages in synaptic package manager I get this:

Preconfiguring packages ...
dpkg: warning: 'ldconfig' not found in PATH or not executable.
dpkg: error: 1 expected program not found in PATH or not executable.
Note: root's PATH should usually contain /usr/local/sbin, /usr/sbin and /sbin.
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)
A package failed to install.  Trying to recover:
dpkg: warning: 'ldconfig' not found in PATH or not executable.
dpkg: error: 1 expected program not found in PATH or not executable.
Note: root's PATH should usually contain /usr/local/sbin, /usr/sbin and /sbin.

I want to become a linux geek but it is harder than I thought. Please help!

AWE
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    I can't help much but please allow me to give you a bit of encouragement. I've been using Linux (Ubuntu) about eleven months now, and am nowhere near being an expert, although I've learned a lot. After installing Ubuntu, I think I must have reinstalled it about four times in the first month. Frustrating, yes, but I learned a lot during the process and now I consider it to have been very worth doing it. If you have to reinstall, consider it a good thing and have fun with it. Linux is worth these sorts of things, and they'll speed your progression toward becoming an expert yourself. – Kelley Mar 28 '12 at 17:09
  • Your ubuntu installation appears to be crashed ,have you editted system files? I think re installation is the best way, – Tachyons Mar 28 '12 at 17:12
  • Did I edit the system files when ignoring the "potentially harmful" message while installing skype? – AWE Mar 28 '12 at 17:22
  • Recommendation closure as too localized or NARQ, from the answer looks like OP just reinstalled. Also, the fault was caused by some actions that I doubt will reoccur now that the partner repo is enabled by default. – Jjed Sep 03 '12 at 19:24

4 Answers4

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Your installation seems trashed and broken

Your best bet now is to completely wipe out and reinstall your system, after booting from a live CD and backing up your files.

Amith KK
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    I believe there is still slight hope of recovering the current install.. Can you explore that possibility? – jokerdino Mar 31 '12 at 04:50
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Lets start off with this:

Skype offers the Linux version on their site.

Skype 2.2 Beta for Linux

Skype

Choose 32 bit or 64 bit according to your machine architecture.

If that's not enough..

Since Ubuntu 10.10 Skype has been always available in every ubuntu official repository.

The repository you Just added could've been easily enabled in Software Sources.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu

enter image description here

To fix the Now broken Packages Run the following:

   sudo apt-get install -f && sudo dpkg --configure -a && sudo apt-get update
Uri Herrera
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Before reinstalling your system, try opening Synaptic Package Manager, pull down the 'Edit' menu, choose 'Fix broken packages' click on the green tick. Hope this helps you. If you don't have Synaptic, install it by typing the following command into a terminal: sudo apt-get install synaptic

oneandy
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try apt-get update and then apt-get upgrade, this worked for me many times when i got this problem

Mateo
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user49557
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