[SOLVED] no software would upgrade/install after upgrade from 17.04

[amgadelsaiegh]

since the upgrade, the software center can't make any new installs or updates
even when i try this manually,tried to install akregator for example and here is the result:

sudo apt install akregator
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
akregator is already the newest version (4:17.04.3-0ubuntu1).
You might want to run 'apt --fix-broken install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
libvtk6.3 : Depends: gdal-abi-2-2-3 but it is not installable
           Depends: libgl2ps1.4 but it is not installable
           Depends: libnetcdf13 (>= 4.0.1) but it is not installable
libwxgtk3.0-0v5 : Depends: libwxbase3.0-0v5 (>= 3.0.4+dfsg) but 3.0.3.1+dfsg2-1 is to be installed
mplayer : Depends: libcdio-cdda2 (>= 10.2+0.94+2) but it is not installable
         Depends: libcdio-paranoia2 (>= 10.2+0.94+2) but it is not installable
openjdk-8-jre : Depends: openjdk-8-jre-headless (= 8u162-b12-1) but 8u162-b12-0ubuntu0.17.10.2 is to be installed
xorg : Depends: xserver-xorg (>= 1:7.7+19ubuntu7) but 1:7.7+19ubuntu3 is to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt --fix-broken install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

when i tried apt-fix-broken install,this was the result:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
apg bmon byobu ccze cmatrix fonts-roboto-hinted htop jp2a kodi-bin kodi-data kodi-visualization-spectrum libbonobo2-0
libbonobo2-common libbonoboui2-0 libbonoboui2-common libcdio15 libcec4 libcrossguid0 libdirectfb-1.7-7 libenca0
libfabric1 libgirara-gtk3-2 libgl2ps1 libgnome-2-0 libgnome-keyring-common libgnome-keyring0 libgnome2-common
libgnomecanvas2-0 libgnomecanvas2-common libgnomeui-0 libgnomeui-common libgnomevfs2-0 libgnomevfs2-common
libhdf5-openmpi-100 libhwloc-plugins libhwloc5 libibverbs1 libjpeg-turbo-progs libjs-iscroll libjsoncpp1 liblept5
libmicrohttpd12 libnetcdf-c++4 libopencv-shape3.1 libopenmpi2 liborbit-2-0 libp8-platform2 libpcrecpp0v5
libprotobuf10 libpsm-infinipath1 librdmacm1 libsrtp0 libsynctex1 libtesseract-data libtesseract3 libtgvoip1.0
libtinyxml2.6.2v5 libva-wayland1 libvorbisidec1 libwxbase3.0-0v5 linux-headers-4.13.0-16
linux-headers-4.13.0-16-generic linux-headers-4.13.0-25 linux-headers-4.13.0-25-generic linux-headers-4.13.0-32
linux-headers-4.13.0-32-generic linux-headers-4.13.0-37 linux-headers-4.13.0-37-generic linux-image-4.13.0-16-generic
linux-image-4.13.0-25-generic linux-image-4.13.0-32-generic linux-image-4.13.0-37-generic
linux-image-extra-4.13.0-16-generic linux-image-extra-4.13.0-25-generic linux-image-extra-4.13.0-32-generic
linux-image-extra-4.13.0-37-generic moreutils net-tools ocl-icd-libopencl1 openmpi-bin openmpi-common pastebinit
python-imaging python-olefile python-pil python-urwid python-wxversion python3-newt run-one speedometer tmux tree
xscreensaver-data
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following packages will be REMOVED:
default-jre displaycal hollywood libopencv-contrib3.1 libopencv-viz3.1 libvtk6.3 libwxgtk3.0-0v5 mplayer
openjdk-8-jre python-wxgtk3.0 xorg
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 11 to remove and 1 not upgraded.
6 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 232 MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Setting up dash (0.5.8-2.10) ...
No diversion 'diversion of /bin/sh by dash', none removed.
This should never be reached
dpkg: error processing package dash (--configure):
installed dash package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
dash
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

what do you suggest?

[amgadelsaiegh]

when trying to do anything from muon package manager, the following error message appears:

dash
installed dash package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1

[jlittle]

What does ls -l /bin/*sh* say? On my system:

$ cd /bin
$ ls -l sh dash bash
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1113504 Apr  5 06:30 bash
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  121432 Jan 25 20:14 dash
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       4 Apr  6 22:03 sh -> dash

If yours has no /bin/dash, and /bin/sh links to /bin/dash, APT will be in strife. Google reports people working around this by linking to bash. So, if your listing says something like

ls: cannot access 'dash': No such file or directory
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1113504 Apr  5 06:30 bash
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       4 Apr  6 22:03 sh -> dash

You could try the workaround
cd /bin; sudo rm sh; sudo ln -s bash sh
If what's missing is sh, cd /bin; sudo ln -s dash sh

[amgadelsaiegh]

What does ls -l /bin/*sh* say? On my system

-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1113504 Apr  4 20:30 /bin/bash
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  121432 Jan 25 09:14 /bin/dash
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       4 Apr  4 20:30 /bin/rbash -> bash
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       4 Oct 20  2017 /bin/sh -> dash
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       4 Jan 25 09:14 /bin/sh.distrib -> dash
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       7 Oct 20  2017 /bin/static-sh -> busybox

[GreyGeek]

That's similar to my KDE Neon User Edition, fully updated.

$  ls -l /bin/*sh*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1037528 May 16  2017 /bin/bash
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  253816 Jun 15  2017 /bin/btrfs-show-super
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  154072 Feb 17  2016 /bin/dash
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       4 May  3 23:04 /bin/rbash -> bash
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       4 May  3 23:04 /bin/sh -> dash
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       4 May  3 23:04 /bin/sh.distrib -> dash
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root       7 May  3 23:04 /bin/static-sh -> busybox

[jlittle]

... 
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  121432 Jan 25 09:14 /bin/dash
...

Ok, sh and dash are there, your problem isn't exactly the same as the one I found on google.

Regards, John Little

[GreyGeek]

You tried autoremove and it didn't appear to work. Try
sudo apt clean

After that's done, if it works or not, a standard repair procedure for busted apt problems is to repeatedly do the following until no errors are reported or the errors are the same.
sudo apt -f install
sudo dpkg --configure -a

If errors continue after 3 or more repeats of those two commands then do
sudo dpkg-divert --list
and post the results. Meanwhile, read the manual on dpkg-divert (man dpkg-divert) and notice the add, remove and listpackage
option.

IF, after a day or two at trying to repair this, it would probably be a lot easier to back up your important data and then to a clean install, restore your important data and avoide the steps that led to this problem.

[jlittle]

Another workaround I saw is

sudo /var/lib/dpkg/info/dash.preinst install
sudo dpkg --configure -a

The last command might do nothing.

[amgadelsaiegh]

the command sudo apt -f install returned:

Setting up dash (0.5.8-2.10) ...
No diversion 'diversion of /bin/sh by dash', none removed.
This should never be reached
dpkg: error processing package dash (--configure):
installed dash package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
dash
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

and command sudo dpkg --configure -a :

Setting up dash (0.5.8-2.10) ...
No diversion 'diversion of /bin/sh by dash', none removed.
This should never be reached
dpkg: error processing package dash (--configure):
installed dash package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libwxgtk3.0-0v5:amd64:
libwxgtk3.0-0v5:amd64 depends on libwxbase3.0-0v5 (>= 3.0.4+dfsg); however:
 Version of libwxbase3.0-0v5:amd64 on system is 3.0.3.1+dfsg2-1.

dpkg: error processing package libwxgtk3.0-0v5:amd64 (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libvtk6.3:
libvtk6.3 depends on gdal-abi-2-2-3; however:
 Package gdal-abi-2-2-3 is not installed.
libvtk6.3 depends on libgl2ps1.4; however:
 Package libgl2ps1.4 is not installed.
libvtk6.3 depends on libnetcdf13 (>= 4.0.1); however:
 Package libnetcdf13 is not installed.

dpkg: error processing package libvtk6.3 (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of openjdk-8-jre:amd64:
openjdk-8-jre:amd64 depends on openjdk-8-jre-headless (= 8u162-b12-1); however:
 Version of openjdk-8-jre-headless:amd64 on system is 8u162-b12-0ubuntu0.17.10.2.

dpkg: error processing package openjdk-8-jre:amd64 (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of mplayer:
mplayer depends on libcdio-cdda2 (>= 10.2+0.94+2); however:
 Package libcdio-cdda2 is not installed.
mplayer depends on libcdio-paranoia2 (>= 10.2+0.94+2); however:
 Package libcdio-paranoia2 is not installed.

dpkg: error processing package mplayer (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xorg:
xorg depends on xserver-xorg (>= 1:7.7+19ubuntu7); however:
 Version of xserver-xorg on system is 1:7.7+19ubuntu3.

dpkg: error processing package xorg (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
dash
libwxgtk3.0-0v5:amd64
libvtk6.3
openjdk-8-jre:amd64
mplayer
xorg

tried it 3 times

[amgadelsaiegh]

the command sudo /var/lib/dpkg/info/dash.preinst install returned

No diversion 'diversion of /bin/sh by dash', none removed.
Adding 'diversion of /bin/sh to /bin/sh.distrib by bash'

and sudo dpkg --configure -a gave:

Setting up dash (0.5.8-2.10) ...
Removing 'diversion of /bin/sh to /bin/sh.distrib by bash'
Adding 'diversion of /bin/sh to /bin/sh.distrib by dash'
Removing 'diversion of /usr/share/man/man1/sh.1.gz to /usr/share/man/man1/sh.distrib.1.gz by bash'
Adding 'diversion of /usr/share/man/man1/sh.1.gz to /usr/share/man/man1/sh.distrib.1.gz by dash'
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libwxgtk3.0-0v5:amd64:
libwxgtk3.0-0v5:amd64 depends on libwxbase3.0-0v5 (>= 3.0.4+dfsg); however:
 Version of libwxbase3.0-0v5:amd64 on system is 3.0.3.1+dfsg2-1.

dpkg: error processing package libwxgtk3.0-0v5:amd64 (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libvtk6.3:
libvtk6.3 depends on gdal-abi-2-2-3; however:
 Package gdal-abi-2-2-3 is not installed.
libvtk6.3 depends on libgl2ps1.4; however:
 Package libgl2ps1.4 is not installed.
libvtk6.3 depends on libnetcdf13 (>= 4.0.1); however:
 Package libnetcdf13 is not installed.

dpkg: error processing package libvtk6.3 (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of openjdk-8-jre:amd64:
openjdk-8-jre:amd64 depends on openjdk-8-jre-headless (= 8u162-b12-1); however:
 Version of openjdk-8-jre-headless:amd64 on system is 8u162-b12-0ubuntu0.17.10.2.

dpkg: error processing package openjdk-8-jre:amd64 (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of mplayer:
mplayer depends on libcdio-cdda2 (>= 10.2+0.94+2); however:
 Package libcdio-cdda2 is not installed.
mplayer depends on libcdio-paranoia2 (>= 10.2+0.94+2); however:
 Package libcdio-paranoia2 is not installed.

dpkg: error processing package mplayer (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xorg:
xorg depends on xserver-xorg (>= 1:7.7+19ubuntu7); however:
 Version of xserver-xorg on system is 1:7.7+19ubuntu3.

dpkg: error processing package xorg (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
libwxgtk3.0-0v5:amd64
libvtk6.3
openjdk-8-jre:amd64
mplayer
xorg

[acheron]

Please post the contents of:

/etc/apt/sources.list

[amgadelsaiegh]

used the command "sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list" and this is the output

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic main universe restricted multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ bionic-security universe multiverse main restricted
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates universe multiverse main restricted

[GreyGeek]

That's a problem with upgrading over a fresh install. It appears that your /etc/apt/sources.list file has a mixture of 17.04 and 18.04 sources. Can you delete the ones that have "Zesty" in their links and then
sudo apt clean
and
sudo apt -f install
sudo dpkg --configure -a
several times.
If there are no "Zesty" lines in your sources.list file then consider just doing a fresh install. It will save you loads of time and troubles.

[amgadelsaiegh]

problem solved by following these steps

-open muon package manager
-open software sources from settings menu
- press the reset button in the bottom left corner and let it proceed
-open the konsole & excute these commands
sudo apt clean
and
sudo apt -f install
sudo dpkg --configure -a

thanks greygeek for help