"dpkg was interrupted" - how to fix it

[Thomas Blasejewicz]

J さんは書きました:
> On Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 21:35, Thomas Blasejewicz <thomas at s7.dion.ne.jp> wrote:
>
>   
>> I am sorry, I am not a computer wizard. So, when I entered Alt+F2 (I
>> read about that) I was NOT asked for usename or PW or anything and just
>> entered that command.
>>     
>
> Yeah... my mistake.  Sorry...  Alt+F2 opens the "Run Dialog"  I was
> thinking Ctrl+Alt+F?? that opens various terminals.  IN this case,
> Ctrl+Alt+F2 changes you over to one of the consoles (command line
> interfaces), same thing you get when you you open a terminal as I
> asked about.
>
> I have a feeling that opening the Run Dialog won't work because
> there's no terminal for feedback (e.g. prompting for the password when
> you run a command with sudo)...
>
>   
>> Just now, I tried to use the GUI you suggested.
>> There is my username followed by " : ~$ " after which I entered the said
>> command.
>> I then get a very long list of more stuff I do not understand, starting
>> with "dpkg: action requires specification of options" (or something like
>> that. My system is the Japanese localized version, so I don't know
>> exactly, what the phrase here would be in English)
>>     
>
> Yeah, your command is wrong.  I tried it myself... it should be this, I believe:
>
> sudo dpkg --configure -a
>
> most system commands have what are called man pages (Manual Pages)
> which can be accessed from a terminal using the command "man
> <program/command name>"
>
> Not all man pages are good, mind you, some, maybe even most, are not
> so well written ;-) but they can be informative and useful.  Here is a
> bit from the dpkg man page about --configure:
>
> --configure package...|-a|--pending
>               Reconfigure an unpacked package. If -a  or  --pending  is  given
>               instead  of  package, all unpacked but unconfigured packages are
>               configured.
>
>               Configuring consists of the following steps:
>
>               1. Unpack the configuration files, and at the same time back  up
>               the  old  configuration  files,  so that they can be restored if
>               something goes wrong.
>
>               2. Run postinst script, if provided by the package.
>
> I did a little poking around, and you can try this command as well,
> also from inside the terminal:
>
> sudo apt-get -f install
>
> which tells the program apt-get to fix broken things...
>
> So you're running Japanese localization?  I have a good friend who
> does that for his wife as well.  If you'd like, I can try to get you
> in contact off list with him as he has a lot of experience running
> various Linuxes with the Japanese localization.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jeff
>
>   
I tried Ctrl+Alt+F2 -> that did transport me into outer space - a place 
I did understand even less and then was not able to leave any more.
I tried entering the commands you suggested again, with or without 
spaces before the "-" and all other possible variations I can think of 
etc., but I could not make anything work yet.

Probably this thread is already annoying to a lot of people, so if there 
would be one person willing to talk me through this ... I would be 
eternally grateful
I am afraid, that person would also have to be extraordinary patient, 
because, frankly all the well-meant advice and instructions sound to me 
like some
ancient egyptian, hieroglyphic talk I am unable to follow.


Thank you
Thomas