2

At the moment I'm unable to update my system or install/uninstall any package. The source of the problem seems to be a broken package (tv-maxe installed from ppa:venerix/pkg) with unmet dependencies but all my attempts to get around the problem were to no avail:

apt-get install -f is ineffective and returns the following: E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (2)

Synaptic is of no use as well: 

E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.
E: Unable to correct dependencies

Another error I get is: 

dpkg: error: too-long line or missing newline in `/var/lib/dpkg/arch'

apt-get update returns:

Ign http://dl.google.com stable InRelease
Ign http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty InRelease                              
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease                                  
Ign http://dl.google.com stable InRelease                                      
Get:1 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates InRelease [64,4 kB]          
Hit http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg                                    
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease                                  
Hit http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg                                    
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security InRelease                       
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease                                  
Hit http://dl.google.com stable Release                                        
Get:2 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports InRelease [64,5 kB]        
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease                                  
Hit http://dl.google.com stable Release                                        
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main Sources                    
Hit http://dl.google.com stable/main amd64 Packages                            
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease                                  
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty Release.gpg                            
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease                                  
Get:3 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/main Sources [246 kB]
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted Sources              
Hit http://dl.google.com stable/main amd64 Packages                            
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease                                  
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease                                  
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe Sources                
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease                                  
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease                                  
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse Sources              
Get:4 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/restricted Sources [5.359 B] 
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease                                  
Get:5 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/universe Sources [144 kB]    
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease                                  
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main amd64 Packages             
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease                                  
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted amd64 Packages       
Get:6 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/multiverse Sources [5.162 B] 
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease                                  
Get:7 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages [656 kB] 
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main amd64 Packages                        
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe amd64 Packages         
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en                        
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Sources                               
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse amd64 Packages       
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main amd64 Packages                        
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main Translation-en             
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en                        
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse Translation-en       
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en_GB                         
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main amd64 Packages                        
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en                            
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en                        
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en_GB                         
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted Translation-en       
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en                            
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main amd64 Packages                        
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en                        
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe Translation-en         
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release.gpg                                
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release.gpg                        
Get:8 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/restricted amd64 Packages [15,9 kB]
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release.gpg                                
Get:9 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/universe amd64 Packages [329 kB]
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Sources                               
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main amd64 Packages                        
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en                   
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release.gpg                                
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release.gpg         
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main amd64 Packages                
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en                        
Get:10 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/multiverse amd64 Packages [13,0 kB]
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release.gpg                                
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/main Translation-en
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/multiverse Translation-en 
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main amd64 Packages                   
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/restricted Translation-en 
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en                  
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/universe Translation-en
Get:11 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/main Sources [8.221 B]
Get:12 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/restricted Sources [28 B]
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en            
Get:13 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/universe Sources [33,2 kB]
Get:14 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/multiverse Sources [1.898 B]
Get:15 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/main amd64 Packages [9.402 B]
Get:16 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/restricted amd64 Packages [28 B]
Get:17 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/universe amd64 Packages [39,6 kB]
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release                             
Get:18 http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/multiverse amd64 Packages [1.571 B]
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release                             
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/main Translation-en  
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release                              
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release                          
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/universe Translation-en
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release                             
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty Release                        
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release      
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main Sources                   
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted Sources
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe Sources           
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en           
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse Sources        
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted amd64 Packages
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe amd64 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse amd64 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main Translation-en_GB
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main Translation-en
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse Translation-en_GB
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted Translation-en_GB
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe Translation-en_GB
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://it.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe Translation-en
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en
Fetched 1.637 kB in 6s (264 kB/s)                                              
Reading package lists... Done

Any suggestions?

Improve this question
2
  • Please edit and add total output of sudo apt-get update. Also, can you add name of the PPA.
    – Ravan
    Nov 29, 2015 at 1:49
  • Please drop here to avoid extended discussion :)
    – Ravan
    Nov 29, 2015 at 13:51

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

The solution is after discussion in chat.

Thanks to @Sneetsher for his assistance/help.

The main error:

dpkg: error: too-long line or missing newline in `/var/lib/dpkg/arch'

The simple command will do the trick:

sudo sh -c 'echo -e -n "amd64\ni386">/var/lib/dpkg/arch'
Improve this answer
2
  • The above command - correct me if I'm wrong - restores the 'arch' file to its original state. This file was in fact corrupted in my system.
    – Giulio Sant
    Nov 29, 2015 at 17:29
  • Yes, correct. :)
    – Ravan
    Nov 30, 2015 at 1:41

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