"a problem occurred when checking for updates" error

Question

I've already tried doing what was listed here: Update manager: "A problem occurred when checking for the updates" but it didnt work.

Every time I click on the red circle with the line through it the update manager pops up and then goes away.

When I try to do sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

here's the output:

Ign http://dl.google.com stable InRelease
Ign http://dl.google.com stable InRelease                                      
Get:1 http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg [198 B]                          
Ign http://archive.getdeb.net natty-getdeb InRelease                           
Get:2 http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg [198 B]                          
Get:3 http://dl.google.com stable Release [1,347 B]                            
Ign http://archive.canonical.com natty InRelease                               
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty InRelease                               
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates InRelease                       
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com natty InRelease                                   
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com natty InRelease                                  
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty InRelease                                   
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty InRelease                                   
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security InRelease                        
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty InRelease                                   
Hit http://packages.medibuntu.org natty InRelease                              
Hit http://deb.torproject.org natty InRelease                                  
Get:4 http://dl.google.com stable Release [1,347 B]                            
Get:5 http://dl.google.com stable/main i386 Packages [1,214 B]                 
Hit http://archive.canonical.com natty Release.gpg                             
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty Release.gpg                             
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com natty Release.gpg                                 
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com natty Release.gpg                                
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main TranslationIndex                          
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty InRelease                                   
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty InRelease                                   
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty InRelease                                   
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security Release.gpg                      
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty Release.gpg                                 
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty Release.gpg                                 
Hit http://archive.getdeb.net natty-getdeb Release.gpg                         
Ign http://deb.paissad.net unstable InRelease                                  
Get:6 http://dl.google.com stable/main i386 Packages [765 B]                   
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main TranslationIndex                          
Hit http://archive.canonical.com natty Release                                 
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates Release.gpg                     
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com natty Release                                     
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security Release                          
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com natty Release                                    
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty Release.gpg                                 
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty Release.gpg                                 
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty Release.gpg                                 
Hit http://deb.paissad.net unstable Release.gpg                                
Hit http://packages.medibuntu.org natty/free i386 Packages                     
Hit http://deb.torproject.org natty/main Sources                               
Hit http://archive.getdeb.net natty-getdeb Release                             
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty Release                                 
Hit http://archive.canonical.com natty/partner i386 Packages                   
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main Sources                                
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty Release.gpg                                 
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty Release                                     
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/restricted Sources               
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com natty/main Sources                               
Hit http://deb.paissad.net unstable Release                                    
Ign http://archive.canonical.com natty/partner TranslationIndex                
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates Release                         
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main i386 Packages                          
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main TranslationIndex                       
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty Release                                     
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty Release                                     
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty Release                                     
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/main Sources                     
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/multiverse Sources               
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/universe Sources                 
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/main i386 Packages               
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/restricted i386 Packages         
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted Sources                         
Hit http://archive.getdeb.net natty-getdeb/games i386 Packages                 
Hit http://deb.paissad.net unstable/main Sources                               
Hit http://packages.medibuntu.org natty/non-free i386 Packages                 
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted Sources                      
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main Sources                            
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse Sources                      
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe Sources                        
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main i386 Packages                      
Hit http://deb.torproject.org natty/main i386 Packages                         
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty Release                                     
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty Release                                     
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/multiverse i386 Packages         
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/universe i386 Packages           
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/main TranslationIndex            
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/multiverse TranslationIndex      
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/restricted TranslationIndex      
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/universe TranslationIndex        
Hit http://deb.paissad.net unstable/contrib Sources                            
Hit http://deb.paissad.net unstable/non-free Sources                           
Hit http://deb.paissad.net unstable/main i386 Packages                         
Hit http://deb.paissad.net unstable/contrib i386 Packages                      
Hit http://deb.paissad.net unstable/non-free i386 Packages                     
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted i386 Packages                
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse i386 Packages                
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe i386 Packages                  
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main TranslationIndex                   
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse TranslationIndex             
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted TranslationIndex             
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe TranslationIndex               
Ign http://archive.getdeb.net natty-getdeb/games TranslationIndex              
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Sources                                
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main i386 Packages                          
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main TranslationIndex                       
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Sources                                
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main i386 Packages                          
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main TranslationIndex                       
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Sources                                
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main i386 Packages                          
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en_US                         
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en                            
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en_US                         
Ign http://deb.paissad.net unstable/contrib TranslationIndex                   
Ign http://deb.paissad.net unstable/main TranslationIndex                      
Ign http://deb.paissad.net unstable/non-free TranslationIndex                  
Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org natty/free TranslationIndex                  
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en                            
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted Sources              
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main Sources                    
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse Sources              
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe Sources                
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main i386 Packages              
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted i386 Packages        
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse i386 Packages        
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe i386 Packages          
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main TranslationIndex                       
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Sources                                
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main i386 Packages                          
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main TranslationIndex                       
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Sources                                
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main i386 Packages                          
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main TranslationIndex                       
Ign http://deb.torproject.org natty/main TranslationIndex                      
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main TranslationIndex           
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse TranslationIndex     
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted TranslationIndex     
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe TranslationIndex       
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Sources                                
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main i386 Packages                          
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main TranslationIndex                       
Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org natty/non-free TranslationIndex              
Ign http://archive.canonical.com natty/partner Translation-en_US               
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-en_US                      
Ign http://archive.canonical.com natty/partner Translation-en                  
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-en                         
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Translation-en_US                      
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Translation-en                         
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Translation-en_US                      
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Translation-en                         
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Translation-en_US                      
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Translation-en                         
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Translation-en_US                      
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/main Translation-en_US           
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/main Translation-en              
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Translation-en                         
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Translation-en_US                      
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Translation-en                         
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/multiverse Translation-en_US     
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/multiverse Translation-en        
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/restricted Translation-en_US     
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-en_US                  
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-en                     
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Translation-en_US                      
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net natty/main Translation-en                         
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/restricted Translation-en        
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/universe Translation-en_US       
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com natty-security/universe Translation-en          
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse Translation-en_US            
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse Translation-en               
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted Translation-en_US            
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted Translation-en               
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe Translation-en_US              
Ign http://deb.paissad.net unstable/contrib Translation-en_US                  
Ign http://deb.paissad.net unstable/contrib Translation-en                     
Ign http://deb.paissad.net unstable/main Translation-en_US                     
Ign http://deb.paissad.net unstable/main Translation-en                        
Ign http://deb.paissad.net unstable/non-free Translation-en_US                 
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe Translation-en                 
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main Translation-en_US          
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main Translation-en             
Ign http://deb.paissad.net unstable/non-free Translation-en                    
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse Translation-en_US    
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse Translation-en       
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted Translation-en_US    
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted Translation-en       
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe Translation-en_US      
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe Translation-en         
Ign http://archive.getdeb.net natty-getdeb/games Translation-en_US             
Ign http://archive.getdeb.net natty-getdeb/games Translation-en                
Ign http://deb.torproject.org natty/main Translation-en_US                 
Ign http://deb.torproject.org natty/main Translation-en
Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org natty/free Translation-en_US                 
Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org natty/free Translation-en                    
Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org natty/non-free Translation-en_US             
Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org natty/non-free Translation-en                
Fetched 5,069 B in 9s (544 B/s)                                                
Reading package lists... Done
Reading package lists... Done
alex@griever:~$ ncy tree... 50%

and stops there.... doesnt move past that..

anyone have any advice?

david6 · Answer 1 · 2011-12-23T00:14:22.363

1

Testing on my own PC, using two separate commands ..

STEP 1:

~$ sudo apt-get update
Ign http://##.archive.ubuntu.com oneiric InRelease
Ign http://##.archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates InRelease                     
Ign http://archive.canonical.com oneiric InRelease                             
  :
     (removed for clarity)
  :
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net oneiric/main Translation-##_##
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net oneiric/main Translation-##
Reading package lists... Done

You have reached here.

STEP 2:

~$ sudo apt-get upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

So, you are aborting at 50% of building.

Try this: (attempt to correct broken dependencies)

sudo apt-get upgrade -f

edited Dec 23 '11 at 00:14

answered Dec 23 '11 at 00:08

david6

14,499

I'm still getting the same thing, it didn't change, I'm not purposely aborting. as soon as it reaches 50% it does this: Reading package lists... Done alex@griever:~$ ncy tree... 50% and cuts off the dependency tree word and stays at 50 – Alex Poulos Dec 23 '11 at 05:10
Did you try the update -f or upgrade -f commands? – david6 Dec 23 '11 at 21:52
I clicked update and it gave me the following: `The package system is broken
Check if you are using third party repositories. If so disable them, since they are a common source of problems. Furthermore run the following command in a Terminal: apt-get install -f`
– Alex Poulos Dec 24 '11 at 08:50
Add output (to your question) for cat /etc/apt/sources.list – david6 Dec 24 '11 at 09:54

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 26 '11 at 21:18

1

Turns out all I needed to do was apt-get clean :) Thank you all for your help.

answered Dec 26 '11 at 21:18

Alex Poulos

1,544
7
19
30

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered May 06 '21 at 11:20

0

Please check the solution of the linked question,

sudo apt-get --reinstall install python3-minimal

answered May 06 '21 at 11:20

Towsif Ahamed Labib

173

How is this an answer to the OP? – Artur Meinild May 07 '21 at 07:43

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited Dec 22 '11 at 15:39

0

It looks like it ran sudo apt-get update OK but then skipped the sudo apt-get upgrade part. Try running sudo apt-get upgrade again, post any exact errors you may get.

edited Dec 22 '11 at 15:39

N.N.

18,219

answered Dec 22 '11 at 14:53

Richard

8,502
11
47
72

here's what I got:
Reading package lists... Done alex@griever:~$ ncy tree... 50%

and it doesn't go past that
– Alex Poulos Dec 22 '11 at 22:24

"a problem occurred when checking for updates" error

4 Answers4