Update Manager Needs Update & STOPS WORKING

[jerry]

Aaron Duncan wrote:
> I have been trying to use this absolutely worthless update manager for a
> week.  I am using a Dell Optiplex 270 with a P4.  The OS works fine 
> and runs
> applications just as nice.  However, the update manager that pops up 
> tells
> me there are 5 updates available.  I double click the icon to view said
> updates to find that one of them is an update to the update manager 
> itself.
> No matter what I check or uncheck on the list, when I choose to install
> them, THAT'S IT.  All I get is a rotating 'wait until you fall asleep' 
> icon
> for the mouse pointer.  It's annoying as hell.  Bear in mind, this is the
> very first time I have tried to use linux, so your fancy jargon regarding
> such will only confuse and irritate me more.  Please, keep it simple.  Is
> there a way to do the updates through terminal?  I am slowly learning 
> how to
> use that and some of its commands.  However, as of late, the most used
> command is KILL as I have to smash the update manager to get my machine
> back.  Can any one help?  Dumb it down if you have to, but please, don't
> discourage me even more.
>
> Aaron
>

Let's see if I can shed some light on your problem.

You say you are able to use the terminal try this in the terminal:

sudo aptitude update

sudo aptitude install update-manager

sudo upgrade


Try to run each of these commands one at a time and  let us know if they 
are able to complete and basically what happens. If a command does not 
run successfully post the result for analysis.

Hope this helps
Jerry