[Bug 1017114] [NEW] Update Manager will not run

[Launchpad Bug Tracker]

You have been subscribed to a public bug:

I have been using Ubuntu 12.04 since the day of its release and it's
never missed a beat.  I'm new to Ubuntu and unclear on how best to
report this bug (if it is a bug).  The error messages attached have
indicated that it is a bug and that I should report it, so I am
endeavouring to do so.

I think the problem was caused by my attempting to install Chromium
Browser using the Ubuntu Software Centre package.  The installation
started as normal and then stopped with an error message that I had
never seen before.  In the upper toolbar (alongside the email icon)
there is now a red circle with a white horizontal bar in the centre -
when I click on that new icon, the following message appears:

"An error occurred, please run Package Manager from the right-click menu
or apt-get in a terminal to see what is wrong.  The error message was
"Error: Opening the cache (E: Encountered a section with no Package:
header, E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/ gb.archive, ubuntu
.com_ubuntu_dists_precise_backports_universe_binary-i386_Packages, E:
The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened)'  This
usually means that your installed packages have unmet dependencies."

I am not able to run synaptic (this program shuts itself down without
error message) and I am unclear on exactly what option to use with apt-
get.

I have spent a while reading up on bugs and how to report them but
haven't been able to use the other means described - "no bug detected".

I used the command "apt-cache policy pkgname" and received a message
with the same compnents of the message quoted above.

I then took two screenshots of error messages I received as I was
attempting to burrow into the problem and I will try to attach them
here.   It seems that I  can attach only one of these messages, and have
done so.

I can no longer use synaptic or the apt-get package manager - this error
kills them both, so future updates appear to be impossible.

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

-- 
Update Manager will not run
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1017114
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to update-manager in Ubuntu.