[Bug 788900] [NEW] Could Not Initialize the Package Information - Malformed 1st word

[D.B. Pole]

Public bug reported:

Binary package hint: update-manager

Text from the error message: 
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 1st word in the Status line, E:Error occurred while
processing psmisc (UsePackage2), E:Problem with MergeList
/var/lib/dpkg/status, E:The package lists or status file could not be
parsed or opened.'

The above error occurred out of nowhere.  I was not updating anything or
installing any packages.  Started up update-manager and there it is.

** Affects: update-manager (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/788900

Title:
  Could Not Initialize the Package Information - Malformed 1st word

Status in “update-manager” package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  Binary package hint: update-manager

  Text from the error message: 
  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 1st word in the Status line, E:Error occurred while
  processing psmisc (UsePackage2), E:Problem with MergeList
  /var/lib/dpkg/status, E:The package lists or status file could not be
  parsed or opened.'

  The above error occurred out of nowhere.  I was not updating anything
  or installing any packages.  Started up update-manager and there it
  is.