I was having problems updating my Ubuntu 20.4. Even partial update was not working it was showing error like you don't have ubuntu-desktop and can't detect version of Ubuntu etc. So online i found a command dist-upgrade which updates the OS and solves all the problems related to update so without thinking twice i used that command. It removed my system apps settings and update-manager. So now everything is working fine but now there is no GUI app to check for updates and when i check for updates using terminal, 3 updates are held back including security updates. And i was successful to reinstall settings app but update-manager is not installing i get following error -
The following packages have unmet dependencies: update-manager : Depends: update-manager-core (= 1:20.04.9) but 1:20.04.10.5 is to be installed Depends: ubuntu-release-upgrader-gtk but it is not going to be installed E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
I tried everything that i found online to correct this problem all commands related to apt, dpkg, aptitude, etc but the problem is still unsolved. Ultimately i think i have to reinstall Ubuntu. I have dual boot setup and if i reinstall OS will my current apps, data, and themes get deleted?
Since i do not have any GUI app to check for updates i use terminal commands sudo apt update then sudo apt upgrade all updates happen normally without error but only three updates are held back every time i get this error when updating from terminal -
The following packages have been kept back:
kiwix libjavascriptcoregtk-4.0-18 libwebkit2gtk-4.0-37
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 3 not upgraded.
Then i tried sudo aptitude upgrade and got this error message-
No packages will be installed, upgraded, or removed.
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 3 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B of archives. After unpacking 0 B will be used.
Tried updating with apt -f but still not solved.
dist-upgradewhich updates the OS and solves all the problems related to update ..." There isn't any "magic command" that solves all problems - this is a fundamentally dangerous way to think. Instead, learn whatdist-upgradeactually do - and backtrack your actions to why some apps might have been removed. – Artur Meinild Mar 07 '22 at 08:08sudo apt update. Also, the error message you posted should continue and tell you how to fix the problem so do what the error message says:sudo apt -f installPlease post the results. – mchid Mar 07 '22 at 11:49