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How to solve: Ubuntu update error

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Problem:

Sometimes it happens that running the updates in Ubuntu results in following error:

Could not initialize the package information.
An unresolvable problem occurred while initializing the package information.
Please report this bug against the ‘update-manager’ package and include the following error message:
‘E:Encountered a section with no Package: header, E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_main_binary-amd64_Packages, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.’

While running sudo apt-get update results in the following error:

Reading package lists… Error!
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_main_binary-amd64_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.

Moreover, Synaptic Manger fails to start as well.

Solution:

The trick which worked with me is running following commands in the terminal (open terminal using Ctrl+Alt+T):

sudo rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
sudo apt-get update

Hope it solved your problem. Please do subscribe the blog to stay in touch. Suggestions, questions and feedback are welcome. Enjoy :)

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  • Closbar

    it doesn’t work for me it said “can not upgrade” an upgrade from ‘precise’ to ‘oneiric’ is not supported with this tool
    help me please

    • https://computerandyou.net/ Abhishek Prakash

      ‘precise’ to ‘oneiric’ ?
      Are you using Ubuntu 12.04 beta?
      I would advise you to delete the lines which relates to precise from your sources.list

      • Closbar

        right still ubuntu 11.10 but i was updating to 12.04 I open update manager and it said like thousand of updates are download already when i click install nothing happen and said run partial upgrade and when i click partial upgrade:
        “can not upgrade”
        an upgrade from ‘precise’ to ‘oneiric’ is not supported with this tool
        what do you mean with delete lines? where? how? I’m not a tech expert.
        Thanks foe your help i really appreciate it

    • https://computerandyou.net/ Abhishek Prakash

      ‘precise’ to ‘oneiric’ ?
      Are you using Ubuntu 12.04 beta?
      I would advise you to delete the lines which relates to precise from your sources.list

  • Bruno

    E: Malformed line 6 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (URI parse)
    how to resolve

    • https://computerandyou.net/ Abhishek Prakash

      Quick and dirty solution is to delete line number 6 from /etc/apt/sources.list

  • Ammaq16

    thinks

    • https://computerandyou.net/ Abhishek Prakash

      welcome

  • sagar

    thanks …:D

    • http://computerandu.wordpress.com Abhishek Prakash Chaturvedi

      u r welcome…

  • Pramit Mazumdar

    thanxx a ton ….. :)

    • https://computerandyou.net/ Abhishek Prakash

      you are welcom

  • kiran

    An unresolvable problem occurred while initializing the package information.

    Please report this bug against the ‘update-manager’ package and include the following error message:

    ‘E:Encountered a section with no Package: header, E:Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/extras.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_main_binary-i386_Packages, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.’

    • http://computerandu.wordpress.com Abhishek Prakash Chaturvedi

      did you try the solution?

  • Marcus

    Your solution worked perfectly for me. Many many thanks…

    • http://computerandu.wordpress.com Abhishek Prakash Chaturvedi

      You are most welcome Marcus

  • Debraj De

    awesome! you saved my life!

    • http://computerandu.wordpress.com Abhishek Prakash Chaturvedi

      You are welcome

  • JB de Guzman

    how to run that? im a newbie

    • http://computerandu.wordpress.com Abhishek Prakash Chaturvedi

      Open your terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and then type those commands…you have to enter your password….

  • JB

    hey how to run that? thnaks

  • r.b.niranjan

    i do it but it give the some error
    raja@raja-System-Product-Name:~$ sudo apt-get update
    E: Type ‘mine’ is not known on line 1 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list
    E: The list of sources could not be read.

    • http://computerandu.wordpress.com Abhishek Prakash Chaturvedi

      Use sudo apt-get clean before apt-get update….do tell me if it solves your problem…

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  • Cragerie

    Like the others above, thanks for this solution.

    • http://computerandu.wordpress.com Abhishek Prakash Chaturvedi

      You are welcome…

  • http://kottapalli.in narayana

    Hey! that was a great service! Eversince i upgraded my system from ubuntu 10.10 to 11.04, neither synaptic, nor ubuntu software center, nor apt-get worked!! Had to retain the system in “as installed” condition. Your solution was a miracle. I can upgrade everything now. Thanks a zillion!!! :)

    • http://computerandu.wordpress.com Abhishek Prakash Chaturvedi

      You are welcome..

  • Alek

    Worked for me too. Thanks! ubuntu 11.04 amd64

    • http://computerandu.wordpress.com Abhishek Prakash Chaturvedi

      You are welcome Alek

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  • http://gravatar.com/sylvaticus sylvaticus

    worked here… ubuntu 11.04 amd64…

    • http://computerandu.wordpress.com Abhishek Prakash Chaturvedi

      You are welcome…:)

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  • james

    thanks a lot :)
    it works for me …

    • http://computerandu.wordpress.com Abhishek Prakash Chaturvedi

      you are welcome James..:)

    • http://MarkMoriarty.com Mark Moriarty

      Thank you very much! Worked for me on TWO computers:
      This Dell Inspiron Core 2 Duo with Ubuntu 32-bit 11.04 installed via Wubi (30GB allocation),
      AND
      my Asus k53s i7 with Windows and Ubuntu 11.04 as proper dual boot.
      THANK YOU!!!
      It also fixed the mysterious problem of Ubuntu Software center not allowing me get any software. You’ve solved several of my problems and my friend’s problems with that simple command, thanks for sharing!
      I’ll remember this page!

      • http://MarkMoriarty.com Mark Moriarty

        The Asus is 64bit ^

      • http://computerandu.wordpress.com Abhishek Prakash Chaturvedi

        Good things come in small packages..:) Glad that it solved your problems…

        • kiran

          can you tell how to update mine 11.04 ubuntu for 32bit pc …as said above i was unable to type my password in terminal !!!! y ?

          • http://computerandu.wordpress.com Abhishek Prakash Chaturvedi

            I could not get what you meant by you are unable to type your password? More details please…

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