Fwd: Install/Remove programs

[Brian McKee]

>On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 12:48 PM, Dave Rogers <derogers at rogers.com> wrote:
>> On Mon, 2008-06-02 at 11:50 -0400, Brian McKee wrote:
>> On Sun, Jun 1, 2008 at 11:56 AM, Dave Rogers <derogers at rogers.com> wrote:
>>> My install/remove programs is not working.  It shows the programs and lets
>>> me select an action but when it attempts to remove or add it freezes.  Any
>>> suggestions?  I am a new user to Ubuntu and moved from Windows two weeks
>>> ago.  Help!
>>    When you say 'freezes' what happens?  Just that program freezes?
>> The whole desktop?
>> A little more info would be helpful.
>>    A good second troubleshooting step would be to try Synaptic.  It's
>> under System -> Administration
> One other thing I should have told you is that it will not install the new
> upgrades this morning.

OK Dave.  I think a trip to the terminal is appropriate here.  Since you've
recently moved from Windows I'm going to assume you don't use the terminal much.

(If I'm wrong, please don't take this as condescending....)

First step is log out and in again if you haven't since you first
started having problems.

Second step is to open a terminal Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal

Now type the following command   (easiest might be to just copy and paste this)

  sudo aptitude update  && sudo aptitude upgrade

and hit the return key.  This is pretty much the same thing as right
clicking the update icon and saying 'install all updates' *except* you
get a log better error reporting by launching it this way.

It will ask you for your password - just type it and hit return  (You
won't see your typing on the screen, that's fine, it's working)

Now you are going to get some or a whole bunch of output....
Wait until it's done and you get your prompt and flashing cursor back.
Now just copy and paste everything it said into an email and send it
back to us on the list and we can tell you what's going on.

You can just close the terminal program after you've copied the output.

Brian