On upgrading to 16.04 LTS, I have come to the following unresolvable dependencies
root@computer:/opt# apt-get -f install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... failed.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
gstreamer1.0-plugins-good : Depends: libtag1v5 (>= 1.9.1-2.4ubuntu1) but it is not installed
libncurses5 : Depends: libtinfo5 (= 6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) but 6.0+20161126-1 is installed
libncurses5-dev : Depends: libtinfo5 (= 6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) but 6.0+20161126-1 is installed
libtinfo-dev : Depends: libtinfo5 (= 6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) but 6.0+20161126-1 is installed
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.
E: Unable to correct dependencies
If I then download libtag1v5 1.9.1.2.4ubuntu1 manually,
root@computer:/opt# dpkg -i libtag1v5_1.9.1-2.4ubuntu1_i386.deb
Selecting previously unselected package libtag1v5:i386.
dpkg: considering removing libtag1c2a in favour of libtag1v5:i386 ...
dpkg: libtag1c2a is not properly installed; ignoring any dependencies on it
dpkg: yes, will remove libtag1c2a in favour of libtag1v5:i386
(Reading database ... 1081893 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack libtag1v5_1.9.1-2.4ubuntu1_i386.deb ...
Unpacking libtag1v5:i386 (1.9.1-2.4ubuntu1) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libtag1v5:i386:
libtag1v5:i386 depends on libtag1v5-vanilla (= 1.9.1-2.4ubuntu1); however:
Package libtag1v5-vanilla:i386 is not installed.
dpkg: error processing package libtag1v5:i386 (--install):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.23-0ubuntu9) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
libtag1v5:i386
and chasing that dependency problem…
root@computer:/opt# dpkg -r libtag1c2a
dpkg: warning: ignoring request to remove libtag1c2a, only the config
files of which are on the system; use --purge to remove them too
root@computer:/opt# dpkg --purge libtag1c2a
dpkg: dependency problems prevent removal of libtag1c2a:
gstreamer0.10-plugins-good:i386 depends on libtag1c2a (>= 1.5).
dpkg: error processing package libtag1c2a (--purge):
dependency problems - not removing
Errors were encountered while processing:
libtag1c2a
where gstreamer1.0-plugins-good is the very package I am trying to correct in the first place.
I can’t tell if my brain is fried or if I have really encountered a circular reference.
⋮
I also think I have come to circular dependencies with libtinfo, libtag*, libtag*vanilla, and libncursesw5. For example with libtinfo:
root@computer:/opt# apt-get -f install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... failed.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
gstreamer0.10-plugins-good : Depends: libtag1c2a (>= 1.5) but it is not installable
libncurses5 : Depends: libtinfo5 (= 6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) but 6.0+20161126-1 is installed
libncurses5-dev : Depends: libtinfo5 (= 6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) but 6.0+20161126-1 is installed
libtag1v5 : Depends: libtag1v5-vanilla (= 1.9.1-2.4ubuntu1) but it is not installed
libtinfo-dev : Depends: libtinfo5 (= 6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) but 6.0+20161126-1 is installed
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.
E: Unable to correct dependencies
OK, so let's dpkg -i libtinfo5 (= 6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1)…
root@computer:/opt# dpkg -i libtinfo5_6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1_i386.deb
dpkg: warning: downgrading libtinfo5:i386 from 6.0+20161126-1 to 6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1
(Reading database ... 1081890 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack libtinfo5_6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1_i386.deb ...
Unpacking libtinfo5:i386 (6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) over (6.0+20161126-1) ...
Setting up libtinfo5:i386 (6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.23-0ubuntu9) ...
root@computer:/opt# apt-get -f install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... failed.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
gstreamer0.10-plugins-good : Depends: libtag1c2a (>= 1.5) but it is not installable
libncursesw5 : Depends: libtinfo5 (= 6.0+20161126-1) but 6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1 is installed
libtag1v5 : Depends: libtag1v5-vanilla (= 1.9.1-2.4ubuntu1) but it is not installed
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.
E: Unable to correct dependencies
So libncursesw5 requires libtinfo5 (= 6.0+20161126-1), whereas another library requires the 20160213 version. Additionally, libncursesw5 is not removable because procps depends on it, and vital system components which cannot be removed (eg, xdm) depend on procps.
root@computer:/opt# dpkg -i libtinfo5_6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1_i386.deb
dpkg: warning: downgrading libtinfo5:i386 from 6.0+20161126-1 to 6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1
(Reading database ... 1081890 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack libtinfo5_6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1_i386.deb ...
Unpacking libtinfo5:i386 (6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) over (6.0+20161126-1) ...
Setting up libtinfo5:i386 (6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.23-0ubuntu9) ...
root@computer:/opt# apt-get -f install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... failed.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
gstreamer0.10-plugins-good : Depends: libtag1c2a (>= 1.5) but it is not installable
libncursesw5 : Depends: libtinfo5 (= 6.0+20161126-1) but 6.0+20160213-1ubuntu1 is installed
libtag1v5 : Depends: libtag1v5-vanilla (= 1.9.1-2.4ubuntu1) but it is not installed
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.
E: Unable to correct dependencies
root@computer:/opt# ls libtag*
libtag1c2a_1.5-3_i386.deb libtag1v5_1.11.1+dfsg.1-0.1_i386.deb libtag1v5-vanilla_1.11.1+dfsg.1-0.1_i386.deb libtag1-vanilla_1.9.1-2_i386.deb
libtag1c2a_1.9.1-2_i386.deb libtag1v5_1.9.1-2.4ubuntu1_i386.deb libtag1v5-vanilla_1.9.1-2.4ubuntu1_i386.deb
root@computer:/opt# dpkg -i libtag1c2a_1.5-3_i386.deb
Selecting previously unselected package libtag1c2a.
dpkg: regarding libtag1c2a_1.5-3_i386.deb containing libtag1c2a:
libtag1v5:i386 conflicts with libtag1c2a
libtag1c2a (version 1.5-3) is to be installed.
dpkg: error processing archive libtag1c2a_1.5-3_i386.deb (--install):
conflicting packages - not installing libtag1c2a
Errors were encountered while processing:
libtag1c2a_1.5-3_i386.deb
root@computer:/opt# dpkg -r libtag1v5
dpkg: dependency problems prevent removal of libtag1v5:i386:
gstreamer1.0-plugins-good:i386 depends on libtag1v5 (>= 1.9.1-2.4ubuntu1).
dpkg: error processing package libtag1v5:i386 (--remove):
dependency problems - not removing
Errors were encountered while processing:
libtag1v5:i386
