Why does clicking Install in the Software Center do nothing?

Question

I want to install Sauerbraten from the Ubuntu Software Centre but when I click install it does not install the game. I've tried restarting Ubuntu and installing other applications but the same thing occurs.

When I click install the password entry box does not come up. Please help me I want to install applications from the Ubuntu Software Centre.

Does the password dialogue come up? (btw Roland is what a lot of people call me online :D - funny name coincidence) — RolandiXor, Nov 10 '11 at 19:54
Not sure why but it sounds like a problem with policy-kit. Are you the only user on the computer? — RolandiXor, Nov 11 '11 at 14:04
no but i am the only one that know the password for install applications — rolan, Nov 11 '11 at 21:40
This might help a little. Open a terminal window and then type software-center and press enter. You'll get a lot of data as the program starts up. Keep an eye on the stream of data and see if anything helpful is written to the screen when you click the install button. — Sam Rastin, Mar 23 '12 at 13:14

score 1 · Answer 1 · edited Oct 01 '15 at 12:42

1

Try using terminal to update. Open a Terminal and type sudo apt-get update && upgrade Hopefully this will install any needed patches as it may just be stuck.

edited Oct 01 '15 at 12:42

gman

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answered May 19 '12 at 07:28

Beefcake Pantyhose

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score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:23

Sam's advice to monitor error messages from terminal is sound for startup errors, as is advice to make sure everything is updated. You should do those first. While you're at it, the "File" menu in Software Center should still work for Install/Remove.

Reading between the lines, your install button may be "greyed out" (is the text black?). If the text is greyed out (disabling Install, Remove, screenshots and reviews--but not the menus), and Software Center tells you it doesn't have a network connection when you do, I wrote a lengthy response here:

Install button in the software center is grayed out...

Essentially, Software Center--through NetworkManager, even if the icon doesn't appear / I had to add mine--can believe you don't have a connection when you really do. A quick test (how I finally found it): Force NetworkManager to update (via "auto", if your network is DHCP, for example) and Software Center will immediately restore the buttons, or if you have set up your network outside of NetworkManager (so it's safe to turn it off), disable it completely. Credit to Doctoa for this post (sudo stop network-manager).

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:24

Try reinstall Software Centre by the following command in Terminal:

sudo apt-get clean; sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get -y --reinstall install software-center

If this doesn't help, run software-center from the Terminal, you should see the errors, this should point you to the more specific issues.