Oh dear - GDebi "Software Index is Broken"!

[mingle]

Hi, just me again!

Yesterday I began my first foray into Kubuntu and it's been 'interesting'

Since running into a MSN bug in Kopete, I thought I'd install Skype instead and downloaded the "skype-debian_1.4.0.118-1_i386.deb" package from the Skype website.

When I clicked on it, the GDebi installer kicks off, but after a short while (say 30 seconds) of disk access, it just stops/disappears, with no apparent error. Skype is nowhere to be seen...

Today when I try the same thing (clicking on the Skype .deb packed) GDebi pops up with a rather nasty-looking error requestor:

"Software Index is Broken - unknown
Software index is broken
This is a major failure of your software management system. Please check for broken packages with synaptic, check the file permissions and correctness of the file '/etc/apt/sources.list' and reload the software information with: 'sudo apt-get update' and 'sudo apt-get install -f'."

Not particularly helpful for newbie, but quite annoying, since I suspect that not only is Skype stuffed, but if I try and install any .deb packages I'll get the same error...

Are there any simple fixes for this and WHY is the installation of apps on Linux such a pain in the rump? :-P

Cheers,

Mike.

[Snowhog]

Re: Oh dear - GDebi "Software Index is Broken"!

Start with this.

To fix Adept errors:
Open a console and type:

sudo dpkg --configure -a

should fix it, else continue with

sudo apt-get clean

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install

[mingle]

Re: Oh dear - GDebi "Software Index is Broken"!

Hi,

I followed your suggestions and at the "sudo apt-get update" command I get the follwoing message:

"E: Type '/home/mike/desktop/firefox-2.0.0.12' is not known on line 76 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list"

Today, I tried manually adding the Firefox 2.0.0.12 folder (which is on my desktop) to the list of software locations in Adept in the hope of being able to install Firefox 2.0.0.12 this way... Hmm...

When I try and run Adept from the taskbar, I get an error window:

"Could Not Open Cache - Adept Installer

The APT Database could not be opened! This may be caused by incorrect APT configuration or some similar problem. Try running apt-setup and apt-get update in a terminal as root and see if it helps to resolve the problem."

OH DEAR!

Is there a manual way to remove the "/home/mike/desktop/firefox-2.0.0.12" entry?

Are Adept and GDebi linked in some way?

Cheers,

Mike.

[Snowhog]

Re: Oh dear - GDebi "Software Index is Broken"!

Open a console and type:

cat /etc/apt/sources.list

Copy and paste the output for review.

[mingle]

Re: Oh dear - GDebi "Software Index is Broken"!

Thanks for your help!

Here ya go:

Looks like there may be a few issues here...

I guess I need to remove that last line?

Cheers,

Mike.

-----

# deb cdrom:[Kubuntu 7.10 _Gutsy Gibbon_ - Release i386 (20071016.1)]/ gutsy main restricted
# See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.

# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy main restricted
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb-src http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy main restricted

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the
## distribution.
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy-updates main restricted
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb-src http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy-updates main restricted

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
## universe WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu security
## team.
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy universe
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb-src http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy universe
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy-updates universe
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb-src http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy-updates universe

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
## multiverse WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu
## security team.
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy multiverse
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb-src http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy multiverse
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy-updates multiverse
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb-src http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy-updates multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'backports'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
# deb http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy-backports main restricted universe multiverse
# deb-src http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy-backports main restricted universe multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's
## 'partner' repository. This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is
## offered by Canonical and the respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu
## users.
# deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu gutsy partner
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu gutsy partner

# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu gutsy-security main restricted
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu gutsy-security main restricted
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu gutsy-security universe
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu gutsy-security universe
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
# deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu gutsy-security multiverse
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy main universe restricted multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy main universe restricted multiverse #Added by software-properties
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu gutsy-security multiverse
/home/mike/desktop/firefox-2.0.0.12mike@Evo-D510:~$

[Snowhog]

Re: Oh dear - GDebi "Software Index is Broken"!

You're running Gutsy according to the sources.list file. But, every repository except for:

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy main universe restricted multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy main universe restricted multiverse

is commented out.

Open Adept Manager (K Menu | System | Adept Manger) and click on Adept | Manage Repositories. On the first tab, check all items (you don't need the last item checked unless you intend to download source files for compiling). On the Third-Party Software tab uncheck/delete the cdrom repository entry. Close the window. If Adept doesn't automatically fetch updates, click on Fetch Updates. You will now have access to the thousands of available packages.

[mingle]

Re: Oh dear - GDebi "Software Index is Broken"!

Hi Paul (?),

I've done a clean install directly from the latest Kubuntu 7.10 CD image and am treading VERY carefully!

I'd like to install Firefox and also Skype.

When I look at the details of the Firefox 2.0.0.6 version in Adept, it shows the following text in its description:

"This is a build of a random development version (aka trunk). It is meant for preview and not for production use."

How do I SAFELY install the current version of Firefox (2.0.0.12)?

Also, do you have any tips for the install of Skype (again the latest package, directly from the Skype website), since this seemed to be the cause of many of my installer problems yesterday...

Cheers,

Mike.

[Rog131]

Re: Oh dear - GDebi "Software Index is Broken"!

About Firefox (and repositories)

From repositories Firefox 2:

Version: 2.0.0.6+2nobinonly-0ubuntu1
and
Version: 2.0.0.11+2nobinonly-0ubuntu0.7.10 (backported ?)

You need to open more repositories:

Adept Howto
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/AdeptHowto?h...ht=%28adept%29

Repositories/Kubuntu
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Kubuntu


Userfriendly package manger: Synaptic (gtk application)
- it is in the repositories

Synaptic
http://www.nongnu.org/synaptic/index.html

Synaptic Package Manager
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticHowto


But note that:

Latest version is Firefox 2.0.0.12. If you want this version now:

Get it directly from Mozilla:
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/?from=getfirefox
or use Ubuntuzilla:
http://ubuntuzilla.wiki.sourceforge.net/

This is the home of the Ubuntuzilla project, which is a python script that allows the user to install the latest versions of Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla SeaMonkey, and Mozilla Thunderbird on Ubuntu Linux. Ubuntuzilla has a support forum on the Ubuntu Forums in the 3rd party projects area, which you are encouraged to use if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions.

Links:
Topic: SeaMonkey or Firefox/Thunderbird?
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3089363.0

How to install ANYTHING in Ubuntu!
http://monkeyblog.org/ubuntu/installing/

Topic: TAR BALLS
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3085135.0

FAQ: Adobe flash
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3090377.0

Topic: Embedded video firefox application/x-mplayer2
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3090893.0

[Fintan]

Re: Oh dear - GDebi "Software Index is Broken"!

Also, do you have any tips for the install of Skype (again the latest package, directly from the Skype website), since this seemed to be the cause of many of my installer problems yesterday...

Get the debian etch version and it will install nicely with gdebi:
http://www.skype.com/intl/en/downloa.../linux/choose/

[mingle]

Re: Oh dear - GDebi "Software Index is Broken"!

Hi Fintan,

Is there any difference between the one listed on the Skype site for "Feisty Fawn 7.04" and "Debian Etch"?

The file appears to be one and the same?

If it's the same, then this is the one that failed to work for me. GDebi kicks off and accesses the disk, but then just disappears after about 30 seconds... No error, no Skype install, nothing...

And this is on a clean Kubuntu 7.10 install...

I run the installer by simply clicking on the Skype .deb package - do I need to do anything else?

Hmm...

Cheers,

Mike.

[Fintan]

Re: Oh dear - GDebi "Software Index is Broken"!

Well, hmmm. it has been a while :P.

Have a look here:
http://www.medibuntu.org/

It is easy and also give you some needed codecs for multimedia as well as the lastes version of skype.

Hope this helps