[wellylug] Problems with Adept

[Daniel Pittman]

Steve Macdonald <steve at twininstallations.co.nz> writes:

First, some administrivia: when you reply to an existing message, then
change the body text and subject, it doesn't remove a bunch of email
headers that fit the message into an existing conversation.

As a result this showed up hidden in the middle of another thread, and
my mailer specifically highlighted it to me as a response to something
that I had previously discussed -- which it isn't.

If you wouldn't mind, please create a new message from scratch when you
want a new discussion.  It keeps threading nice, and it also increases
the odds that people will see and respond to your message.

> I am using kubuntu dapper and done and upgrade via adepts upgrade
> notifier. It crashed halfway through and now I can't use Adept to
> install anything.
>
> When ever I try to run adept I get this message
>
> "You will not be able to change your system settings in any way
> (install, remove or upgrade software), because another process is
> using the packaging system database (probably some other Adept
> application or apt-get or aptitude). Please close the other
> application before using this one."
>
> Even when I shut down and restart the laptop.
>
> How on earth can I solve this problem?

My guess would be that Adept is reporting a confusing error, and what
you actually have is a half-completed set of packages installed.

To help fix that, or to help identify better the real problem, can you
please open up a terminal session and run the command:

    sudo dpkg --configure -a

Give it your password when prompted.

If that runs successfully -- showing a list of packages configured or
installed, or whatever -- then try Adept.  If it works, problem solved.

If not try these command in the terminal:

    sudo aptitude update
    sudo aptitude dist-upgrade

Report the output when it starts reporting errors, as they should give a
clearer picture of what is actually wrong.

Regards,
        Daniel
-- 
Digital Infrastructure Solutions -- making IT simple, stable and secure
Phone: 0401 155 707        email: contact at digital-infrastructure.com.au
                 http://digital-infrastructure.com.au/