Debian – Can’t install any packages with apt

aptdebianpackage-management

I have big problem on my Debian 6 server. I can't install/uninstall any packages on my system. When I try install something I see this error:

You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 consolekit : Depends: libglib2.0-0 (>= 2.37.3) but 2.24.2-1 is to be installed
              Breaks: udev (< 204-1) but 164-3 is to be installed
 libgudev-1.0-0 : Depends: libglib2.0-0 (>= 2.37.3) but 2.24.2-1 is to be installed
 libpolkit-agent-1-0 : Depends: libglib2.0-0 (>= 2.37.3) but 2.24.2-1 is to be installed
                       Depends: libpolkit-gobject-1-0 (>= 0.105) but 0.96-4+squeeze2 is to be installed
 libsecret-1-0 : Depends: libglib2.0-0 (>= 2.38.0) but 2.24.2-1 is to be installed
 libudisks2-0 : Depends: libglib2.0-0 (>= 2.37.3) but 2.24.2-1 is to be installed
 policycoreutils : Depends: libaudit0 but it is not going to be installed
 xserver-xorg-input-all : Depends: xserver-xorg-input-vmmouse but it is not going to be installed
                          Recommends: xserver-xorg-input-wacom but it is not going to be installed
 xserver-xorg-input-evdev : Depends: libevdev2 (>= 0.9.1) but it is not going to be installed
                            Depends: libmtdev1 (>= 1.1.0) but it is not going to be installed
 xserver-xorg-input-synaptics : Depends: libevdev2 (>= 1.3) but it is not going to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

When I try apt-get -f install:

dpkg: considering deconfiguration of sysvinit-utils, which would be broken by installation of startpar ...
dpkg: no, sysvinit-utils is essential, will not deconfigure
 it in order to enable installation of startpar
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/startpar_0.59-3_amd64.deb (--unpack):
 installing startpar would break existing software
configured to not write apport reports

Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/startpar_0.59-3_amd64.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

/etc/apt/sources.list contains:

deb http://ftp.pl.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main
deb-src http://ftp.pl.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main
deb http://http.debian.net/debian/ squeeze-lts main contrib non-free
deb-src http://http.debian.net/debian/ squeeze-lts main contrib non-free
deb http://http.debian.net/debian/ squeeze main contrib non-free
deb-src http://http.debian.net/debian/ squeeze main contrib non-free
deb http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main
deb http://debian.sur5r.net/i3/ squeeze universe
deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian sid main

Best Answer

The errors stem from the fact that your apt configuration mixes Squeeze (Debian 6) and Sid (Debian unstable). This is a bad idea...

You need to drop sid from your /etc/apt/sources.list file (comment the line with #), then run

apt-get update
apt-get -f install

to fix things.

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About your requirements, Iceweasel is the supported Firefox derivative (fork), I'm currently running debian as my desktop OS at work and use iceweasel every day, no problem. Gnome3, I think it'll be available on the next stable release, BTW what release are you running? Squeeze? If so I think (IIRC) Wheezy will have it. And finally, about graphics performance/quality, that depends a lot on your graphics card and its driver, but if you think of it like having transparencies, windows closing with fancy effects and so on, you'll need a moderm desktop or compiz (work with gnome2) which I think its available on stable (wheeze).

I have modified a bit your sources.list for wheeze, do you mind to test it and report back?

deb http://http.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze contrib non-free main
deb-src http://http.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main

deb http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main non-free contrib
deb-src http://http.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze/updates main

# squeeze-updates, previously known as 'volatile'
deb http://mirror.cse.iitk.ac.in/debian/ squeeze-updates main non-free contrib
deb-src http://mirror.cse.iitk.ac.in/debian/ squeeze-updates main non-free contrib

# 3rd party repositories
deb http://packages.dotdeb.org squeeze all
deb-src http://packages.dotdeb.org squeeze all
deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org squeeze main non-free

If you happen to be using wheezy or sid you'll have to change all squeeze ocurrences for the one you're using.

Please, backup your sources.list before replacing it, then test it as follows:

Refresh caches

# apt-get update

Search package

# apt-cache vlc

Install package

# apt-get install <package_name>

If find trouble, please report back with output for those three commands, or at least for the first and last.

Also, if you are already using Wheezy or sid, forget what I said about Gnome3 not being available, it should be there but wheezy is yet to be release and sid is always the development branch.

Linux – Sample /etc/apt/sources.list for Linux Mint 17

From my own system, a Linux Mint 17.1 Rebecca, the file /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list contains this:

deb http://packages.linuxmint.com rebecca main upstream import 
deb http://extra.linuxmint.com rebecca main
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty main restricted universe multiverse 
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security main restricted universe multiverse 
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ trusty partner

My /etc/apt/sources.list is empty.

Best Answer

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