Synaptic Update - failure indication

[Optiker]

I recently updated form 6.06 to 8.04 using the network update process. At the end of the process, it indicated that it had failed. I later discovered that it had not, and in fact, had updated perfectly as far as I could tell.

Since then, every tie I've used Synaptic to update a package, following the update, two failure dialog boxes have popped up. However, in every case, the update has, in fact, been successful. I don't know enough to understand what is going on. Can anybody explain what's going on, if it's important for normal use, and if so, what I can do (within the limitations of limited experience) to correct it? The two error boxes, one with the text output showing details, are at the following URLs:

first error dialog box: http://tinyurl.com/643orf

second error dialog box with details: http://tinyurl.com/5agm5l

Thanks!
Optiker

[lmilano]

Re: Synaptic Update - failure indication

Yes, you need to fix this. Maybe this is a very old package, no needed anymore. Some script launched by that package is failing. Did you try uninstalling it in Synaptic? You shouldn't it this package is needed by other packages, but synaptic will let you know in that case.

Also: I like gtkorphan:
http://www.marzocca.net/linux/gtkorphan.html

It allows you to remove legacy packages that are no longer needed. Strongly recommended if you always keep upgrading (like I do :-) )

Hope this helps!

[Optiker]

Re: Synaptic Update - failure indication

lmilano...thanks for the reply!

The example error boxes that I linked were just an example. I have gotten this with every update that I've tried or installation that I've tried, not just that one. I know very little about it, but each of these returns that same error description - all citing that python-irclib and Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg error code (1), then "a package failed to install, trying to recover." Apparently it does recover each time because each update or installation is installed - apparently properly.

It looks like a great endorsement for error recovery, but seems like it wold be a good thing to eliminate the source of the problem.

Also, regarding legacy packages, since this is an update, would there be any legacy packages? Does the new installation clear out the old, or just replace those components that are new versions of existing ones? If just replacing, then I can see why there would be legacy packages, if cleared first, should only be those that are included in the new version, which should be current ones, right?

Thanks again!
Optiker

[lmilano]

Re: Synaptic Update - failure indication

Ok, the underlying tools launch a reconfiguration of packages that have not been configured correctly so far, and new packages. So, since this package is stuck, it will kepp trying to reconfigure itself each time you install anything.

The other point: an upgrade replaces older versions by newer versions. However, packaging is very modular (in order to reduce components, libraries, etc). So, package A needs 10 small libraries, and Synaptic installs them automatically (it lets you know, but it checks for dependencies for you). Now, you upgrade and you have a new version of package A, but some of the libraries it used to need are not needed anymore, but still in the system. Not to mention, you uninstall package A, but you still have these 10 small libraries in your system. Gtkorphan takes care of that (it doesn't do anything without your permission), I run it in my systems every once in a while to keep them lean ...

[Optiker]

Re: Synaptic Update - failure indication

lmilano...OK, that helps me to understand. I'll take a look at Gtkorphan, but if it gives me the option of removing or not, I'm not experienced enough to make an intelligent choice, so would normally take the default, which for that kind of operation usually means the safe choice of "do nothing". That doesn't make it very helpful to me. But, I'll look into it and see what all it comes up with for suggested removal.

Thanks!
Optiker

[lmilano]

Re: Synaptic Update - failure indication

Sure, my pleasure ;-) But that's more of a long term thing, I would rather remove the problematic package first (you don't need gtkorphan for that)

[jglen490]

Re: Synaptic Update - failure indication

lmilano...OK, that helps me to understand. I'll take a look at Gtkorphan, but if it gives me the option of removing or not, I'm not experienced enough to make an intelligent choice, so would normally take the default, which for that kind of operation usually means the safe choice of "do nothing". That doesn't make it very helpful to me. But, I'll look into it and see what all it comes up with for suggested removal.

Thanks!
Optiker

From time to time I have a problem package that doesn't properly install. The first thing I try is:

sudo dpkg -C

(note that the -C is an upper case "C"). This will produce output that will either complete the broken process, or will identify packages that can be removed or have broken dependencies. You might post the output if it's too foreign to you.

Also I checked to see if there's package called python-irclib on my machine -- nothing. You can try:

sudo dpkg --purge python-irclib

. This will try to remove the package and any configurations that may exist.