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Tried to install steam-installer with Ubuntu Software, got this very helpful error:

enter image description here

Then I tried the command line:

$ sudo apt install steam-installer

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:
 steam-installer : Depends: steam (= 1:1.0.0.61-2ubuntu3)
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

So steam-installer depends on steam, which cannot be resolved! What? Is the Ubuntu Steam package just broken?

Update:

$ sudo apt update
Hit:1 http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal InRelease                                                           
Hit:2 http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates InRelease                                                   
Hit:3 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security InRelease
Hit:4 http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports InRelease
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
6 packages can be upgraded. Run 'apt list --upgradable' to see them.
$ sudo apt upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages will be upgraded:
  libssl1.1 openssl python3-software-properties software-properties-common software-properties-gtk
  ubuntu-advantage-tools
6 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 2 902 kB of archives.
After this operation, 13.3 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] 
Get:1 http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/main amd64 libssl1.1 amd64 1.1.1f-1ubuntu2.10 [1 322 kB]
Get:2 http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/main amd64 openssl amd64 1.1.1f-1ubuntu2.10 [620 kB]
Get:3 http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/main amd64 ubuntu-advantage-tools amd64 27.4.2~20.04.1 [859 kB]
Get:4 http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/main amd64 software-properties-common all 0.99.9.8 [10.6 kB]
Get:5 http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/main amd64 software-properties-gtk all 0.99.9.8 [66.0 kB]
Get:6 http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/main amd64 python3-software-properties all 0.99.9.8 [24.9 kB]
Fetched 2 902 kB in 4s (661 kB/s)                      
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 418427 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../0-libssl1.1_1.1.1f-1ubuntu2.10_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libssl1.1:amd64 (1.1.1f-1ubuntu2.10) over (1.1.1f-1ubuntu2.9) ...
Preparing to unpack .../1-openssl_1.1.1f-1ubuntu2.10_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking openssl (1.1.1f-1ubuntu2.10) over (1.1.1f-1ubuntu2.9) ...
Preparing to unpack .../2-ubuntu-advantage-tools_27.4.2~20.04.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking ubuntu-advantage-tools (27.4.2~20.04.1) over (27.4.1~20.04.1) ...
Preparing to unpack .../3-software-properties-common_0.99.9.8_all.deb ...
Unpacking software-properties-common (0.99.9.8) over (0.98.9.5) ...
Preparing to unpack .../4-software-properties-gtk_0.99.9.8_all.deb ...
Unpacking software-properties-gtk (0.99.9.8) over (0.98.9.5) ...
Preparing to unpack .../5-python3-software-properties_0.99.9.8_all.deb ...
Unpacking python3-software-properties (0.99.9.8) over (0.98.9.5) ...
Setting up libssl1.1:amd64 (1.1.1f-1ubuntu2.10) ...
Setting up python3-software-properties (0.99.9.8) ...
Setting up ubuntu-advantage-tools (27.4.2~20.04.1) ...
Setting up openssl (1.1.1f-1ubuntu2.10) ...
Setting up software-properties-common (0.99.9.8) ...
Setting up software-properties-gtk (0.99.9.8) ...
Processing triggers for dbus (1.12.16-2ubuntu2.1) ...
Processing triggers for shared-mime-info (1.15-1) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.24-1ubuntu3) ...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.64ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.17-2) ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.36.0-1ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for libglib2.0-0:amd64 (2.64.6-1~ubuntu20.04.4) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.31-0ubuntu9.3) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.9.1-1) ...

Update2:

$ sudo apt install steam
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:
 steam:i386 : Depends: libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 (>= 17.3) but it is not going to be installed or
                       libtxc-dxtn0:i386 but it is not installable
              Depends: libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 but it is not going to be installed
              Depends: libgpg-error0:i386 (>= 1.10) but it is not going to be installed
              Depends: libudev1:i386 but it is not going to be installed
              Depends: libxcb-dri3-0:i386 (>= 1.11.1) but it is not going to be installed
              Depends: libxinerama1:i386 (>= 2:1.1.1) but it is not going to be installed
              Depends: libc6:i386 (>= 2.15) but it is not going to be installed
              Depends: libstdc++6:i386 (>= 4.8) but it is not going to be installed
              Depends: libx11-6:i386 but it is not going to be installed
              Recommends: libxss1:i386 but it is not going to be installed
              Recommends: mesa-vulkan-drivers:i386 but it is not going to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

sources.list:

#deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 20.04 LTS _Focal Fossa_ - Release amd64 (20200423)]/ focal main restricted

See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to


newer versions of the distribution.


deb http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal main restricted


deb-src http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal main restricted


Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the


distribution.


deb http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-updates main restricted


deb-src http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-updates main restricted


N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu


team. Also, please note that software in universe WILL NOT receive any


review or updates from the Ubuntu security team.


deb http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal universe


deb-src http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal universe


deb http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-updates universe


deb-src http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-updates universe


N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu


team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to


your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in


multiverse WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu


security team.


deb http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal multiverse


deb-src http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal multiverse


deb http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-updates multiverse


deb-src http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-updates multiverse


N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as


extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes


newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.


Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review


or updates from the Ubuntu security team.


deb http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse


deb-src http://mx.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse


Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's


'partner' repository.


This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by Canonical and the


respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu users.


deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu focal partner


deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu focal partner


deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security main restricted


deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security main restricted


deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security universe


deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security universe


deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security multiverse


deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security multiverse


This system was installed using small removable media


(e.g. netinst, live or single CD). The matching "deb cdrom"


entries were disabled at the end of the installation process.


For information about how to configure apt package sources,


see the sources.list(5) manual.

I think I've never fiddled with that.

user1785730
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  • No, it's not broken. It usually installs without issues. Make sure you have a fully update system. Very likely you have other issues that warrant correction before trying to install new software. – ChanganAuto Dec 07 '21 at 22:23
  • Ubuntu just updated itself today. What other issues might I have? – user1785730 Dec 07 '21 at 22:25
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    It's not Steam. you have requested an impossible situation normally means that you are not using stock Ubuntu -- you have made changes. Those changes are now preventing Steam from installing. Either revert those changes to return to a stock system, or else edit your question to clear describe those changes so that we can suggest alternatives. – user535733 Dec 07 '21 at 22:27
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    The steam package is not broken but it looks like your package management system is. Edit your question with the output of sudo apt update and sudo apt upgrade. Please copy/paste the entire output of each into your question. – Nmath Dec 07 '21 at 22:28
  • In addition to @Nmath's requests, please edit your question and paste in the output of apt policy steam-installer. Also, is there a reason you are not using the official installer from the Steam website steam-latest.deb? – Organic Marble Dec 07 '21 at 22:32
  • @user535733: Define 'stock Ubuntu'. A fresh install? I've just installed a few packages. – user1785730 Dec 07 '21 at 22:33
  • @OrganicMarble: Not really. I simply assumed the Ubuntu package to be least painful way. I mean, that's the great thing about Ubuntu (or any Linux distribution): the package manager. – user1785730 Dec 07 '21 at 22:35
  • I've had steam working for years - including on my current 20.04 Ubuntu install - and I've never heard of the package steam-installer. I see it in the repos, but it's not installed on my pc. The package I have installed is steam-launcher. – Organic Marble Dec 07 '21 at 22:37
  • @Nmath: I've updated my question with the requested information. Funny that there where upgrades available, since the Software Updater already ran today. Is that not enough? – user1785730 Dec 07 '21 at 22:40
  • Anyway, has anybody tried to install steam-installer and there are no issues? – user1785730 Dec 07 '21 at 22:41
  • Don't install steam-installer. Download the official package from the steam website. It will add a repository and provide future updates through the package system. – Organic Marble Dec 07 '21 at 22:43
  • I just tried to install steam instead of steam-installer. The ouput is in my question. – user1785730 Dec 07 '21 at 22:45
  • are there possibly some PPAs that could be conflicting with your packages? Can you post cat /etc/apt/sources.list as well? – Nmath Dec 07 '21 at 22:46
  • @Nmath: I've posted /etc/apt/sources.list – user1785730 Dec 07 '21 at 22:50
  • nothing seems out of the ordinary there -- the answer just posted by @Organic Marble might be the best path forward. Though I am curious if you might be able to manually install those dependencies with sudo apt install libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 libgpg-error0:i386 libudev1:i386 libxcb-dri3-0:i386 libxinerama1:i386 libc6:i386 libstdc++6:i386 libx11-6:i386 -- I'd start with Organic Marble's solution first tho – Nmath Dec 07 '21 at 22:54
  • Steam needs the 386 libraries. Did you ever add that architecture with dpkg --add-architecture i386 ? Then apt-get update again and then try to install steam. – ubfan1 Dec 07 '21 at 23:04
  • Note that an official steam installation does not have the packages steam or steam-installer installed. – Organic Marble Dec 07 '21 at 23:05
  • Does this answer your question? How do I restore the default repositories? as it installs normally on fresh 20.04 LTS with only three commands executed - sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386; sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get install steam . – N0rbert Dec 08 '21 at 07:38
  • @Norbert that may work, but if you install it from the vendor website, the package 'steam' doesn't get installed. OP had manually installed a version of 'libc6' newer than what is in the 20.04 repos somehow which led to dependency hell. – Organic Marble Dec 08 '21 at 12:53

1 Answers1

4

You are going down a road that will only lead to pain.

Download and install the official package from the Steam website. https://store.steampowered.com/

When you do that, it will install the package steam-launcher and add the ppa steampowered.org

On first run, a bunch of other packages will be installed:

Steam needs to install these additional packages: libc6:amd64 libc6:i386 libegl1:amd64 libegl1:i386 libgbm1:amd64 libgbm1:i386 libgl1-mesa-dri:amd64 libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 libgl1:amd64 libgl1:i386 steam-libs-amd64:amd64 steam-libs-i386:i386 xdg-desktop-portal xdg-desktop-portal-gtk xterm

These packages have a lot of dependencies that also get installed.

Neither steam nor steam-installer gets installed!

Future updates will be handled automatically through the package system.

Organic Marble
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  • This opens Ubuntu Software which gives an error: Failed to install file: not supported – user1785730 Dec 07 '21 at 22:58
  • Download the file first. You will have to install the downloaded .deb either by command line or with Gdebi. I use the latter, so I don't remember how to do it via command line, although I'm sure it's on this site somewhere. – Organic Marble Dec 07 '21 at 23:00
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    sudo apt install ./steam_latest.deb did succeed. I'll take from that that the Ubuntu Software application is broken. – user1785730 Dec 07 '21 at 23:05
  • I think "ubuntu software" is pretty focused on snaps. I never use it myself. – Organic Marble Dec 07 '21 at 23:05
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    No, Ubuntu Software is not broken and the problem isn't about its focus on snaps. The problem is the store is snap itself therefore, by default, it has access ONLY to the user's space. When you select to open the .deb directly from the browser, as opposed to download it let's say to your "Downloads" folder, the browser downloads it to a temporary folder which is inaccessible to snaps so it errors out. – ChanganAuto Dec 07 '21 at 23:12
  • @ChanganAuto I removed snap from my systems when I install them, so I'm happy to accept your comment as correct. – Organic Marble Dec 07 '21 at 23:15
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    @OrganicMarble You can confirm it in a freshly installed system (VM is fine, obviously). Try to open any .deb directly from the browser and it'll fail. Download it locally and then double-click it and it'll work as it always did. – ChanganAuto Dec 07 '21 at 23:22
  • Steam still doesn't work, something about libc6. I've made a new question: https://askubuntu.com/q/1379785/1074311 – user1785730 Dec 07 '21 at 23:23
  • @ChanganAuto I don't need to test it! I'm always ready to believe bad things about snaps. – Organic Marble Dec 07 '21 at 23:23
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    @ChanganAuto: I think the Download Dialog should not offer to open the file with Software Install in the first place, if it's known that that can't work. – user1785730 Dec 07 '21 at 23:28
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    @OrganicMarble But... but... Think how safer it is now with all this confinement :D Thsi annoyances are small price to pay for such leap forward. That they also use a lot more space not a problem either, even large SSDs are relatively cheap nowadays. – ChanganAuto Dec 07 '21 at 23:28
  • @user1785730 weird. I just installed it in a vm to make sure I got the wording on the answer right. – Organic Marble Dec 07 '21 at 23:28
  • @OrganicMarble Download Dialog should not offer to open the file (...) if it's known that that can't work Yes, we know that but the browsers don't, they still have the same file association as they always had and that can't be easily changed in order to affect the browsers' behavior only. – ChanganAuto Dec 07 '21 at 23:31
  • @user1785730 I got a popup saying You are missing the following 32-bit libraries and steam may not run libc.so.6 The launcher did run, but I did not try to run any games (because vm) – Organic Marble Dec 07 '21 at 23:34
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    @OrganicMarble: Yes, that's what I got too. The launcher doesn't run though. I think it's because I have libc6 - not libc6-i386 - already installed. – user1785730 Dec 07 '21 at 23:49
  • @user1785730 Oddly, in the vm test install, both libc6 and libc6:i386 got installed, so I am not sure really what it was complaining about. Both packages are version 2.31-0ubuntu9.2 – Organic Marble Dec 08 '21 at 00:02