Apt-get issues, can't install anything

Question

I have been trying to install some software packages but I keep getting errors to do with linux-generic and linux-image-generic.

When running apt-get -f install this is the output, any help would be greatly appreciated:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  linux-generic linux-image-generic
The following packages will be upgraded:
  linux-generic linux-image-generic
2 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 322 not upgraded.
2 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/4,344 B of archives.
After this operation, 2,048 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-generic:
 linux-image-generic depends on linux-image-3.2.0-84-generic; however:
  Package linux-image-3.2.0-84-generic is not installed.
dpkg: error processing linux-image-generic (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-generic:
 linux-generic depends on linux-image-generic (= 3.2.0.84.98); however:
  Package linux-image-generic is not configured yet.
 linux-generic depends on linux-headers-generic (= 3.2.0.84.98); however:
  Version of linux-headers-generic on system is 3.2.0.126.141.
dpkg: error processing linux-generic (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
No apport report written because MaxReports has already been reached
No apport 
report written because MaxReports has already been reached
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-image-generic
 linux-generic
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

fkraiem the output of apt-cache policy linux-generic linux-image-generic is:

  linux-generic:
      Installed: 3.2.0.84.98
      Candidate: 3.2.0.126.141
      Version table:
         3.2.0.126.141 0
            500 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main amd64 Packages
            500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-security/main amd64 Packages
     *** 3.2.0.84.98 0
            100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
         3.2.0.23.25 0
            500 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main amd64 Packages
    linux-image-generic:
      Installed: 3.2.0.84.98
      Candidate: 3.2.0.126.141
      Version table:
         3.2.0.126.141 0
            500 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main amd64 Packages
            500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-security/main amd64 Packages
     *** 3.2.0.84.98 0
            100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
         3.2.0.23.25 0
            500 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main amd64 Packages

Elder Geek the ouput of dpkg --configure -a is:

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-image-generic:
     linux-image-generic depends on linux-image-3.2.0-84-generic; however:
      Package linux-image-3.2.0-84-generic is not installed.
    dpkg: error processing linux-image-generic (--configure):
     dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
    dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-generic:
     linux-generic depends on linux-image-generic (= 3.2.0.84.98); however:
      Package linux-image-generic is not configured yet.
     linux-generic depends on linux-headers-generic (= 3.2.0.84.98); however:
      Version of linux-headers-generic on system is 3.2.0.126.141.
    dpkg: error processing linux-generic (--configure):
     dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
    Errors were encountered while processing:
     linux-image-generic
     linux-generic

Please edit your question to add the output of apt-cache policy linux-generic linux-image-generic. — fkraiem, Apr 12 '17 at 17:32
See the following link: http://askubuntu.com/questions/403187/installarchives-failed-dpkg-dependency-problems-prevent-configuration-of-pa — Noisy_Botnet, Apr 12 '17 at 18:55
What's the output of sudo apt-get install -f linux-image-3.2.0-84-generic? — David Foerster, Apr 12 '17 at 20:30
Does this answer your question? installArchives() failed: dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of "package" — karel, Sep 26 '20 at 05:24

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 20 '21 at 06:06

0

I have similar dependency issues on RHEL systems when the kernel and linux-firmware packages are out of date. Have you recently updated/upgraded your Ubuntu install? If not,

sudo apt update && apt upgrade

should suffice to get your system up to date; once that has run through, restart your system and try the install again.

edited Jun 20 '21 at 06:06

BeastOfCaerbannog

14,585

answered Apr 12 '17 at 21:29

Foxie

551

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 20 '21 at 07:06

0

The suggestion from Noisy_Botnet's link (mentioned in their comment) seemed to solve the problem:

sudo dpkg -r linux-generic linux-image-generic
sudo apt-get install linux-generic

edited Jun 20 '21 at 07:06

matigo

22,138
7
45
75

answered Apr 13 '17 at 15:41

r1ck111

11

Apt-get issues, can't install anything

2 Answers2