Ubuntu
software-center package

daughter TRIED to install from software center, now i can't install anything

Asked by Dan Trapp

unknown to me, daughter tried to install from unbutu softwear center but 1 of the things didn't load. I don't know which one. when i try to load from there i get an error that reads; previous installation hasn't been completed because of an error or being closed in an unfriendly way. must repair before installing/uninstalling software. i go to synaptic package manager and get this message; ERROR OCCURRED E: dpkg was interupted, you must manually run 'sudo dpkg--configure-a' to correct the problem (and right below that it reads); E:_cache->open()failed, please report. then i open terminal and it reads; dan@dan-desktop:^$ (I"M NOT SURE THAT THE SYMBOL BETWEEN THE : AND THE $ IS RIGHT< BUT IT IS CLOSE) i type in sudo dpkg--configure-a hit enter and it tells me that the command is not found, and retypes dan@dan-desktop:^$ again. i'm very new to computers and not familiar with the terms, but i would really appriciate it is someone could help me figure this out. by the way, 5 years i played with windows, and then a friend turned me on to unbutu. even with this problem, i think that this is the greatest system ever!!! Dan Trapp.

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Ubuntu software-center Edit question
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Esmaeil MIRZAEE
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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

ok what is the output of:

sudo dpkg --configure -a; sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get upgrade

You can copy and paste to and from the terminal.

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mycae (mycae) said : 		#2

Hello Dan,

Note that there is a space between dpkg and --configure

Without the space, it is trying not to run _the "dpkg" command with the value "--configure"_, but rather a nonexistant command "dpkg--configure".

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Best Esmaeil MIRZAEE (esmaeilmirzaee) said : 		#3

Hi Dan
If you don't run with supervisor privilege you got below error.
$ dpkg --configure
dpkg: requested operation requires superuser privilege

If you run with supervisor privilege you got below error.
$ sudo dpkg --configure
dpkg: --configure needs at least one package name argument
Type dpkg --help for help about installing and deinstalling packages
In this error you want add a package name such as last package you tried to install.

Why do you want run this?

The useful link
http://www.cyberciti.biz/howto/question/linux/dpkg-cheat-sheet.php
http://www.debianadmin.com/debianubuntu-package-management-using-dpkg.html

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Dan Trapp (ratansilverbear) said : 		#4

I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THERE FOR ALL THE HELP AND SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN ME. THE INFORMATION YOU GAVE ME HELPED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IT TURNED OUT THE PACKAGE THAT DIDN'T FINISH WAS AN UPDATE PACKAGE THAT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT. MY COMPUTER IS UP AND RUNNING BETTER THAN BEFORE. AFTER I APOLOGISED TO MY DAUGHTER, I FIGURED THAT I SHOULD LET YOU KNOW ALSO. THANKS AGAIN AND LIKE I SAID, THIS IS THE BEST OPERATING SYSTEM EVER! THANKS AGAIN DAN.

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#5

Glad you got the gold :)

I suggest you make an extra account for your daughter which is NOT in the admin account. You can do this with:

sudo adduser daughter

She can now log in as daughter and have her own settings and themes and desktop but wil NOT be able to manipulate anything outside of her home directory. YOU will be the admin and will be responsible for installing updates etc. Disable autologin and you will need to log in as the admin to do things. I also suggest you change your Ubuntu password to lock her out.