Ubuntu 11.04 Update Manager Could not initialize the package information.
I have been running the latest Ubuntu 11.04 for about a month now, and the update manager was always working like a charm, though I had an error few days back when trying to update my Ubuntu using Ubuntu Update Manger. The error was as follow:
Could not initialize the package information. Please report this bug agaist the ‘update-manager’ package that include the following error message:
‘E:Encoutered a section with no Package: header, E:problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/ae.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dist_natty_main_binary-amd64_Package, E:The package lists or status files could not be parsed or opened.’
A snapshot image of the error is showing below:
As I fuzzed with the error for two days, I thought I will share how I resolved it with other Ubuntu users in the community to make sure they are well on in no time. below is the commands I have ran that resolved the above problem & should work out for you too:
sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/* -vf
sudo apt-get update
After that just run the Ubuntu Update Manager, & you should be all ready to go.
Enjoy using Ubuntu & happy updating.
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June 17th, 2011 at 9:36 am |
It works. Thanks a lot.
June 17th, 2011 at 10:04 am |
I am glad it did & hope you enjoy your Ubuntu ride :).
June 24th, 2011 at 1:19 pm |
Perfect. Works great!
June 24th, 2011 at 2:49 pm |
May I my problem is bigger than yours because it persisted. An error regarding my proxy was presented. Could be that my proxy settings are corrupted. How can you help me.
June 25th, 2011 at 8:43 am |
Awesome. Thanks. Any idea how the update manager developed this error?
June 26th, 2011 at 11:46 am |
It did work for me too. Thank you very much!
June 27th, 2011 at 1:42 pm |
1).
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:Malformed line 5 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (dist)’
please help
I tried what not 🙁
pls help stoiloff@yahoo.com
June 28th, 2011 at 3:56 pm |
It works for anyone that gets that message! You saved me oodles of time!
June 29th, 2011 at 7:26 am |
Hi Paulak,
I am glad I was able to save you a bit of time, maybe you will use it to give back some to the community.
Regards,
Eiad
June 29th, 2011 at 7:27 am |
Hi Stoiloff,
Please try to run updates right after you follow the procedure in the post, that should fix it.
Regards,
Eiad
June 29th, 2011 at 7:28 am |
Hi ljackass,
It seems unfortunately a bug, but its fixed after you install the latest updates.
Regards,
Eiad
June 29th, 2011 at 10:27 pm |
yoooooooooo….this saved me now…thanks alot…
June 30th, 2011 at 4:33 pm |
You welcome Goutam :).
July 3rd, 2011 at 1:38 pm |
thank you very much
i just feel i must format until i see this site
it’s work
thanks again
July 15th, 2011 at 10:20 am |
Thanks a ton 🙂
July 16th, 2011 at 1:53 am |
i did the command and it didnt work it loaded alot of stuff in the terminal but then said
E:encounter a section with no package: header
E: problem with mergelist /var/lib/apt/lists/repository.cario-dock.org_ubuntu_dists_interpid_cario-dock_binary-i386_packages
E: the package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened
July 24th, 2011 at 10:27 am |
Awesome – thanks a bunch, it worked great – and I am NOT a savy Linux user!
July 28th, 2011 at 5:00 pm |
It worked but I had to load the Update Manager twice. The first time it had an error message but I didn’t read it, sorry, but the second time it worked, then I updated.
July 31st, 2011 at 11:17 am |
I have the same issue as Alex. The error throws:
‘E:Encountered a section with no Package:header,
E:Problem with MergeList/var/lib/apt/lists/
us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dist_natty_main_binary-
amd64_Packages,E:The package lists or status file could not
be parsed or opened.’
August 5th, 2011 at 9:15 pm |
Information sharing will save lot of time for others and help others in moving fast instead of roaming around the problem.
Thanks for your post. you post solved my problem.. you saved 2 days of effort that i have to spend. (which you already did 🙂 )
Keep posting . Thank you
Abhi
August 8th, 2011 at 11:06 am |
thanks man this worked perfectly!!!!!!!!!
August 16th, 2011 at 12:33 pm |
Yah it’s work. Thank you very much.
August 28th, 2011 at 2:27 am |
Hello
I am using Natty, I have tried to install a software using PPA. Then I have write some commands 2/3 times in Terminal as per instruction. Since then I can’t update or can’t install any software.
Forum friends, would you please give me the solution to resolve the problem.
Here is the report I am having.
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:Type ‘c’ is not known on line 2 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/kaustav-dasmodak-kido-natty.list’
Please note I am a newbie of Ubuntu. Started with 10.10 then updated to 11.04
Best Regarding.
Ashraf uddin (beacon54)
August 28th, 2011 at 5:48 am |
Dear Friends n Foe
I have resolved my just now with this indication above,
working my updates. Thanks Admin
Thank you very much.
beacon54.
August 28th, 2011 at 11:36 am |
thanks dear………..
Yah it’s work.
September 1st, 2011 at 9:59 pm |
Perfect, thanks.
September 15th, 2011 at 2:42 am |
This is a life saver man. Thanks a bunch!
September 18th, 2011 at 6:29 am |
Thank you so much! this worked. you are the best 🙂
September 24th, 2011 at 12:21 pm |
Thanks for sharing – worked flawlessly! I love the ubuntu community!!
October 2nd, 2011 at 9:55 pm |
Spaceman, the Ubuntu Community love you too.
October 8th, 2011 at 6:24 am |
thank you so much from this newbie!!
October 14th, 2011 at 2:56 am |
Thanks a lot! saved me quite some time!
October 17th, 2011 at 3:56 pm |
Hi!
I added the following repository’s:-
‘https://dl-ssl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub’ and
‘deb http://dl-ssl.google.com/linux/deb/stable non-free main’
After doing this i tried to update and i received the following error message:-
Could not initialise the package information
An unresolvable problem occurred while initializing the package information.
Please report this bug for the ‘update-manager’ package and try to include the following error message:
‘E:Malformed line 50 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (URI parse)’
I would be grateful if someone could help. Thanks
October 17th, 2011 at 10:29 pm |
I have follow the procedure given in the post.
but i got a message
samarth@ubuntu:~$ sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/* -vf
rm: cannot remove `/var/lib/apt/lists/partial’: Is a directory
Please Help.
October 27th, 2011 at 11:25 pm |
Hi Andy,
Maybe that repository you added is incorrect. Try to remove it and see if that help solver your problem.
Regards,
Erick
October 30th, 2011 at 3:52 am |
I could not find solution to this. Every thing worked but again its giving error
obedraju@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get update
E: Malformed line 58 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (URI parse)
E: The list of sources could not be read.
Help…!!!
November 7th, 2011 at 3:45 am |
Wow it’s working fine.
November 13th, 2011 at 11:48 pm |
HI,
This is praveen. Iam new to ubuntu. i have same problem of update manager.
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/extras.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_main_binary-i386_Packages, E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.’
But i dont know how to solve the problem completely and where to type the command exactly.
(sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/* -vf
sudo apt-get update)
Could u please help me in detail.
November 14th, 2011 at 12:09 am |
I have follow the procedure given in the post.
but i got a message
kvgpraveen@kvgpraveen-Vostro-3500:~$ sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists* -vf
[sudo] password for kvgpraveen:
rm: cannot remove `/var/lib/apt/lists’: Is a directory
could u please help me………..in detail….
November 15th, 2011 at 4:06 am |
I got resolved using this….
sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/* –
sudo dpkg –clear-avail
sudo dpkg –configure -a
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
November 20th, 2011 at 6:17 am |
this did not work for me with error E: Malformed line 54 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (dist parse) could not be read told me could not be removed because it is a directory
November 22nd, 2011 at 10:12 am |
Thanks so much this worked first time 😀
December 1st, 2011 at 3:39 am |
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:Unable to parse package file /var/lib/apt/lists/in.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_oneiric_multiverse_i18n_Translation-en (1), E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.’
Pls help me out with this error. /it occured when i was trying to update ubuntu 11.04
December 15th, 2011 at 12:04 pm |
thanks :)..it worked
December 23rd, 2011 at 8:59 pm |
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January 10th, 2012 at 6:07 am |
TQ so Much.. It’s work..
I think this need to reinstall, it was not necessary..
January 17th, 2012 at 11:24 pm |
I have the same problem as katrina
” could not be removed because it is a directory”
Has anybody solved this please?
January 22nd, 2012 at 6:14 am |
Thank you!! It works!
February 5th, 2012 at 3:17 am |
hai Im having a similar problem
E:malformed line 6 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (dist parse)
E: the list of sources could not be read.
Please help.
May 16th, 2012 at 10:14 am |
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