Recurring update problem in Hardy

[SPQR]

I have been using Kubuntu since Breezy on my home computer and my laptop. Since installing Hardy I have the same problem occurring seemingly more and more frequently, and is identical on both machines. During an adept package update, a package (always different) refuses to update, then becomes impossible to update, purge or remove, giving "package is in a very inconsistant state" messages, and then prevents any other packages from updating. I've always tried dpkg --configure -a , aptitude install -f and apt-get -f install, and all types of approaches such as trying to force an earlier version, changing repositories and others suggested in the forums, and have never had any success, always having to re-install. My last installation was only a week ago and I'm in the same position again, today with xulrunner.
Can anyone come up with an explanation for this- is it Hardy or is it me?
Does anyone have any suggestions for what might be causing this?

[ppberns]

Re: Recurring update problem in Hardy

Hi,

I have had this happen on occasion to me. What I had to do was to uninstall the app (first confirn the app name with dpkg -l |grep xxx) then reinstall the app and it usually came down as the newer version. Not sure what or why it happens but it does (my last one was with k3b).

[SPQR]

Re: Recurring update problem in Hardy

Thanks so much for the reply, but I forgot to say in the original post that it is also impossible to reinstall, as all sorts of error messages about unmet dependencies start popping up- so I'm always left with no option other than reinstalling as updates become impossible.
After another day of frustration with this, I'm wondering if I'm beginning to see a pattern- it always seems to be connected with firefox- Java, xulrunner, flashplugin-nonfree etc.
Since the days when firefox wasn't being updated in the repositories until long after updates from Mozilla, I have downloaded firefox and thunderbird and run them independently from the "official" kubuntu version, so I can update myself as soon as there is a Mozilla update.
Does anyone think this might be the root of my really frustrating problem- now I'm going to try the versions from the repositories and see how long before my next reinstall (I hope it can be more than some days!)

[ppberns]

Re: Recurring update problem in Hardy

Hi,

I understand your frustrations. I have pasted my sources.list with all the repo's I have needed to meet all the dependencies (at least for my system). Cut and paste what you don't have and then sudo apt-get update and see if now all your dependencies are found. Some are commented out because I run on 64 bit and some of the repos are 32 bit but I left in for completeness.

# If you get errors about missing keys, lookup the key in this file
# and run these commands (replace KEY with the key number)

# gpg --keyserver subkeys.pgp.net --recv KEY
# gpg --export --armor KEY | sudo apt-key add -

# Modified /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70debconf to include
# APT::Cache-Limit "141943904";

# Ubuntu supported packages (packages, GPG key: 437D05B5)
# deb cdrom:[Kubuntu 8.04 _Hardy Heron_ - Release amd64 (20080423)]/ hardy main restricted
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates main restricted
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-security main restricted
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-proposed main restricted
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates main restricted
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-security main restricted
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-proposed main restricted

# Ubuntu community supported packages (packages, GPG key: 437D05B5)
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy universe multiverse
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates universe multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-security universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-proposed universe multiverse
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy universe multiverse
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates universe multiverse
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-security universe multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-proposed universe multiverse

# Ubuntu backports project (GPG key: 437D05B5)
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-backports main restricted universe multiverse

# Dependencies Repositories
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted universe multiverse

# Bug fix Updates
deb http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates main restricted universe multiverse

# Medibuntu - Ubuntu 7.10 "gutsy gibbon"
# Please report any bug on https://bugs.launchpad.net/medibuntu/
## deb http://packages.medibuntu.org/ hardy free non-free
## deb-src http://packages.medibuntu.org/ hardy free non-free

# CANONICAL COMMERCIAL REPOSITORY (Hosted on Canonical servers, not Ubuntu servers.
# RealPlayer10, Opera and more to come.)
## deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ hardy partner

# Swiftweasel
deb http://download.tuxfamily.org/swiftweasel hardy multiverse

# This is for KDE 4
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/kubuntu-members-kde4/ubuntu hardy main

# libxslt
#deb http://www.backports.org/debian woody libxslt

# libxslt
#deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/po.../libx/libxslt/

# Telepathy for Ubuntu
#deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/telepathy/ubuntu gutsy main restricted universe multiverse
#deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/telepathy/ubuntu gutsy main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/telepathy/ubuntu hardy main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://fr.packages.medibuntu.org/ hardy free non-free

# For updated Compiz Fusion
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/compiz/ubuntu hardy main

# Google software repository
deb http://dl.google.com/linux/deb/ stable non-free

# Wicd for wireless networking
deb http://apt.wicd.net hardy extras