Ubuntu error message and a no entry sign

WhiteBones Posted messages 88 Status Member -  
 osmane -
Hello,

Just starting out with Ubuntu, I don't even know where to look for my answer, so I'm asking my question here:
Since I tried to update Ubuntu, a stop sign has appeared in the top bar of the screen and I get this message when I hover the mouse over it (it's in English because I can't change the languages yet):
"An error occurred, please run Package Manager from the right-click menu or apt-get in a terminal to see what is wrong.
The error message was: ' Error: Opening the cache (E:Encountered a section with no Package: header, E:Problem with Mergelist /var/lib/apt/lists/fr.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_main_binary-i386_Packages, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.)'. This usually means that your installed packages have unmet dependencies"
I want to emphasize that I'm just starting to use Ubuntu and I really know nothing about it, so for the answers, if you could be as precise as possible ;)

Thank you in advance for your responses

Configuration: Linux / Firefox 4.0

10 answers

  1. WhiteBones Posted messages 88 Status Member 12
     
    I should also mention that I am using Ubuntu 11.04 - the Natty Narwhal.
    1
  2. laoshu Posted messages 1251 Status Member 351
     
    Good evening,

    The message clearly states (if I'm not mistaken, my English being what it is...) that some of your packages have unmet dependencies.

    Packages can be considered software, even if that's not necessarily the case. Most packages rely on other packages... and therefore they depend on them.

    Normally, you shouldn't have to worry about such things, Ubuntu knows the dependencies of each package and installs them automatically.

    You must have tried to install something? Or there might have been an error during the update?

    If you open a terminal ("terminal," "konsole," "x-term," whatever) and type:
    sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get -y upgrade 

    You will need to enter your password, and nothing will display on the screen, that's normal. Then many lines will follow. They describe what the system is doing. Are there any lines that look like error messages?
    And does the problem persist?

    Never throw your computer out of the window!
    0
  3. WhiteBones Posted messages 88 Status Member 12
     
    It's when I wanted to update the system, the update was not made and there is an error message.

    So I did as you told me and here is what it gives:
    Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com natty InRelease
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty InRelease
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates InRelease
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security InRelease
    Atteint http://extras.ubuntu.com natty Release.gpg
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty Release.gpg
    Atteint https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security Release.gpg
    Atteint http://extras.ubuntu.com natty Release
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates Release.gpg
    Atteint https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security Release
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty Release
    Atteint http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main Sources
    Atteint https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/main Sources
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates Release
    Atteint http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main i386 Packages
    Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main TranslationIndex
    Atteint https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/restricted Sources
    Atteint https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/universe Sources
    Atteint https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/multiverse Sources
    Atteint https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/main i386 Packages
    Atteint https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/restricted i386 Packages
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main Sources
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted Sources
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe Sources
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse Sources
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main i386 Packages
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted i386 Packages
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe i386 Packages
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse i386 Packages
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main TranslationIndex
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse TranslationIndex
    Atteint https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/universe i386 Packages
    Atteint https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/multiverse i386 Packages
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/main TranslationIndex
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/multiverse TranslationIndex
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/restricted TranslationIndex
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/universe TranslationIndex
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted TranslationIndex
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe TranslationIndex
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main Sources
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted Sources
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe Sources
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse Sources
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main i386 Packages
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted i386 Packages
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe i386 Packages
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse i386 Packages
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main TranslationIndex
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse TranslationIndex
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted TranslationIndex
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe TranslationIndex
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-fr
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse Translation-fr
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted Translation-fr
    Atteint http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe Translation-fr
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/main Translation-fr_FR
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/main Translation-fr
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/main Translation-en
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/multiverse Translation-fr_FR
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/multiverse Translation-fr
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/multiverse Translation-en
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/restricted Translation-fr_FR
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/restricted Translation-fr
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/restricted Translation-en
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/universe Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-fr_FR
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/universe Translation-fr
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/universe Translation-en
    Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-fr
    Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main Translation-fr
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse Translation-fr
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted Translation-fr
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe Translation-fr
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe Translation-en
    Reading package lists... Error!
    E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
    E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty-security_universe_binary-i386_Packages
    E: The package lists or the status file could not be parsed or read.
    0
  4. laoshu Posted messages 1251 Status Member 351
     
    The command returns the contents of the file `/etc/apt/sources.list`, which typically contains a list of repository sources for package management on Debian-based systems.

    --
    Never throw your computer out of the window!
    0
  5. WhiteBones Posted messages 88 Status Member 12
     

    #deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 11.04 _Natty Narwhal_ - Release i386 (20110427.1)]/ natty main restricted

    # Voir https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes pour savoir comment mettre à jour vers
    # des versions plus récentes de la distribution.
    deb http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty main restricted
    deb-src http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty main restricted

    ## Mises à jour majeures des correctifs de bogues produites après la sortie finale de la
    ## distribution.
    deb http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-updates main restricted
    deb-src http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-updates main restricted

    ## N.B. les logiciels de ce dépôt ne sont EN AUCUN CAS SOUTENUS par l'équipe Ubuntu
    ##. Veuillez également noter que les logiciels dans l'univers NE RECEVRONT PAS de
    ## révisions ou mises à jour de l'équipe de sécurité d'Ubuntu.
    deb http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty universe
    deb-src http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty universe
    deb http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-updates universe
    deb-src http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-updates universe

    ## N.B. les logiciels de ce dépôt ne sont EN AUCUN CAS SOUTENUS par l'équipe Ubuntu
    ## et peuvent ne pas être sous une licence libre. Veuillez vous assurer de
    ## vos droits d'utilisation du logiciel. Veuillez également noter que les logiciels dans
    ## le multiverse NE RECEVRONT PAS de révisions ou mises à jour de l'équipe de
    ## sécurité d'Ubuntu.
    deb http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty multiverse
    deb-src http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty multiverse
    deb http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-updates multiverse
    deb-src http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-updates multiverse

    ## Décommentez les deux lignes suivantes pour ajouter des logiciels du dépôt 'backports'
    ##.
    ## N.B. les logiciels de ce dépôt peuvent ne pas avoir été testés aussi
    ## rigoureusement que ceux contenus dans la version principale, bien qu'ils incluent
    ## des versions plus récentes de certaines applications qui peuvent fournir des
    ## fonctionnalités utiles.
    ## Veuillez également noter que les logiciels dans les backports NE RECEVRONT PAS de
    ## révisions ou mises à jour de l'équipe de sécurité d'Ubuntu.
    # deb http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-backports main restricted universe multiverse
    # deb-src http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-backports main restricted universe multiverse

    deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-security main restricted
    deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-security main restricted
    deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-security universe
    deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-security universe
    deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-security multiverse
    deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-security multiverse

    ## Décommentez les deux lignes suivantes pour ajouter des logiciels du dépôt 'partenaire' de Canonical.
    ## Ce logiciel ne fait pas partie d'Ubuntu, mais est offert par Canonical et les
    ## fournisseurs respectifs comme un service aux utilisateurs d'Ubuntu.
    # deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ natty partner
    # deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ natty partner

    ## Ce logiciel ne fait pas partie d'Ubuntu, mais est proposé par des
    ## développeurs tiers qui souhaitent expédier leur dernier logiciel.
    deb http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty main
    deb-src http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty main
    0
  6. laoshu Posted messages 1251 Status Member 351
     
    ```plaintext
    # natty-security universe
    # natty-security multiverse

    Puis réessaye de faire «sudo apt-get update» et s'il n'y a pas d'erreur essaye ensuite «sudo apt-get upgrade»
    --
    Never throw your computer by the windows !
    ```
    0
  7. WhiteBones Posted messages 88 Status Member 12
     
    I don't quite understand what you mean by "Put # in front of the lines 'natty-security universe' and 'natty-security multiverse'". Can you explain in more detail please?
    0
  8. laoshu Posted messages 1251 Status Member 351
     
    This file is a configuration file that indicates to the "apt" program where to go to fetch updates.

    The character "#" at the beginning of a line is used to comment out that line. Thus, apt will not fetch anything from that address. This is almost the same as deleting the line, but putting a # in front of the line allows you to easily find it if you want to bring it back (you just need to delete the #).

    You will need to be root (by typing "sudo" or "sudo su") to modify this file.

    --
    Never throw your computer out of the window!
    0
  9. WhiteBones Posted messages 88 Status Member 12
     
    So I managed to modify the "sources list" file as you indicated, then I typed the commands in the terminal:

    «sudo apt-get update» gives this:
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty InRelease
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates InRelease
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security InRelease
    Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com natty InRelease
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty Release.gpg
    Hit https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security Release.gpg
    Received: 1 http://extras.ubuntu.com natty Release.gpg [72 B]
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates Release.gpg
    Hit https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security Release
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty Release
    Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com natty Release
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates Release
    Hit https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/main Sources
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main Sources
    Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main Sources
    Hit https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/restricted Sources
    Hit https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/main i386 Packages
    Hit https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/restricted i386 Packages
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/main TranslationIndex
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/restricted TranslationIndex
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted Sources
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe Sources
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse Sources
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main i386 Packages
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted i386 Packages
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe i386 Packages
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse i386 Packages
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main TranslationIndex
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse TranslationIndex
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted TranslationIndex
    Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main i386 Packages
    Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main TranslationIndex
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe TranslationIndex
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main Sources
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted Sources
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe Sources
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse Sources
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main i386 Packages
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted i386 Packages
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe i386 Packages
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse i386 Packages
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main TranslationIndex
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse TranslationIndex
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted TranslationIndex
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe TranslationIndex
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-fr
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse Translation-fr
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted Translation-fr
    Hit http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe Translation-fr
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/main Translation-fr_FR
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/main Translation-fr
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/main Translation-en
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/restricted Translation-fr_FR
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/restricted Translation-fr
    Ign https://ubuntu.com/security/notices natty-security/restricted Translation-en
    Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-fr
    Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/main Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/multiverse Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/restricted Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty/universe Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main Translation-fr
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/main Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse Translation-fr
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/multiverse Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted Translation-fr
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/restricted Translation-en
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe Translation-fr_FR
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe Translation-fr
    Ign http://fr.archive.ubuntu.com natty-updates/universe Translation-en
    72 o received in 4s (17 o/s)
    Reading package lists... Error!
    E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
    E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/extras.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_main_binary-i386_Packages
    E: The package lists or the status file cannot be parsed or read.

    And «sudo apt-get upgrade» gives this:
    Reading package lists... Error!
    E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
    E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/extras.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_main_binary-i386_Packages
    E: The package lists or the status file cannot be parsed or read.
    0
  10. WhiteBones Posted messages 88 Status Member 12
     
    I did some research on the internet and here is what I found: http://forum.ubuntu-fr.org/viewtopic.php?id=481901
    It seems that this has solved my problem because I no longer have the no entry sign, I'm waiting a bit before confirming completely.

    Thank you for your help ;)
    0
    1. osmane
       
      Hello,

      These commands resolve the issue:

      sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/* -vf
      sudo apt-get update
      1