Power loss during update

[steve7233]

My brother was updating his laptop when I accidentally unplugged the AC. Oops It says to run dpkg -- config -a but then it errors and says to use more or less pipe. Where should I put the More command? I tried the end but it error ed. I don't have a lot of experience with more or less except a file list.

Looks like smileys are not working. Is something wrong with your server?

[oshunluvr]

more or less go after the pipe (shift backslash) like:

|less

|more

[steve7233]

more or less go after the pipe (shift backslash) like:

|less

|more

I tried that but it gave an error..

sudo dpkg -- configure -- a - |more

[oshunluvr]

Well, I don't know why you'd pipe that command anyway, but it would be:

sudo dpkg --configure -a |more

You have too many spaces and an extra -

[Rod J]

You have to be EXACT with terminal commands. You have a space where it shouldn't be (-- configure). Copy and paste is your friend here, as it's so easy to make little typos.

Try running these commands (they generally fix just about anything when updates go awry):


sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade


Then to fix any further problems:


sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt -f install


You may have to repeat the last two lines if there is still a problem.

Edit: oshunluvr just pipped me for the spaces problem.

[oshunluvr]

Edit: oshunluvr just pipped me for the spaces problem.

Actualy Rod, I think I misspoke in that regard, extra spaces don't matter in CLI commands. I believe bash combines the delimiter.

However, extra "-" definitely will not work!

[jlittle]

Actualy Rod, I think I misspoke in that regard, extra spaces don't matter in CLI commands. I believe bash combines the delimiter.

Spaces between words don't matter, but within what bash calls "words" or quoted strings they certainly do, and sudo dpkg -- configure - a as the OP used will not work at all; "--configure" is seen by bash as a word. Many punctuation characters are words on their own, like vertical bar and parentheses (except when they're not, when they're in a recognized combination like "((" or "||"), but a "hyphen-minus^*" is not. So x|y and x - y are three words each, and x-y is one.

(This stuff is horrible, I'm not proud that I know about it.)

^* I kid not, that's what code point U+002D is called.

[oshunluvr]

Yeah, I knew that. Had I thought it through before posting, I would have made the distinction clear. Thanks for clarifying.

[steve7233]

I think I got it. What you said didn't exactly work but I think I figured it out.
The full upgrade command didn't work until I ran the configure commands.I am running the full update command now. Warning If you interrupt the AC during an update then things will be broken and you have to fiddle with configure to get it fixed.

[Snowhog]

(This stuff is horrible, I'm not proud that I know about it.)

You should be (proud). There is nothing wrong with knowing esoteric stuff. Embrace your geekiness. Revel in the knowing.

[Rod J]

Embrace your geekiness.

+1

[jlittle]

...Embrace your geekiness. Revel in the knowing.

That was a chuckle. I bear my sceptre of geekdom (my multitool) almost everywhere (I don't have it in bed, or in the shower, and I'm not allowed it on planes or in court).

John Little

[steve7233]

I agree with Snowhog. Just NEVER tell anyone your an expert or allow anyone to think you are an expert, cause then you look like an idiot when things don't go as you expected!

[oshunluvr]

I have a t-shirt:

"No, I will not fix your computer"

[GreyGeek]

What really blows their minds is that when they call you with a problem and you walk up to their computer, put your hands on it, and say "Heal!" .... and the problem disappears.

Had that happen once. What the person who called me didn't feel was the static spark of electricity that jumped from me and zapped her monitor. Don't know how that "fixed" it but her monitor never gave her any more problems.