[Bug 1000848] [NEW] Could not initialize the package information

[Tadhg McSherry]

Public bug reported:

I have a red circle warning on the top panel of my laptop using Unity in
Precise. It displays the following message and advised me to report it.
So here it is. This problem No. 1 at (a) below. A second problem on my
main computer desktop running Unity in Precise also at (b) below. Ubuntu
running great apart from these two. Any help appreciated.

(a) "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/ie.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-
updates_universe_i18n_Translation-en, E:The package lists or status file
could not be parsed or opened.' ".

(b) Sometimes when I click the dash button to go and find a program, the
computer just freezes and the only way to get out of it is to force the
computer down via the power button or do a Ctrl + Alt + F1 which brings
you into terminal mode and allows you to reboot the computer from the
command line. I am  a linux newbie, so bear with my questions. Thank
you.

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

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1000848

Title:
  Could not initialize the package information

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

Bug description:
  I have a red circle warning on the top panel of my laptop using Unity
  in Precise. It displays the following message and advised me to report
  it. So here it is. This problem No. 1 at (a) below. A second problem
  on my main computer desktop running Unity in Precise also at (b)
  below. Ubuntu running great apart from these two. Any help
  appreciated.

  (a) "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/ie.archive.ubuntu
  .com_ubuntu_dists_precise-updates_universe_i18n_Translation-en, E:The
  package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.' ".

  (b) Sometimes when I click the dash button to go and find a program,
  the computer just freezes and the only way to get out of it is to
  force the computer down via the power button or do a Ctrl + Alt + F1
  which brings you into terminal mode and allows you to reboot the
  computer from the command line. I am  a linux newbie, so bear with my
  questions. Thank you.

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