CAn't Update with apt-get

[AlexKillometer]

Since Debian Stretch has moved to LTS (Long Term Support), you need to modify/edit your /etc/apt/source.list as shown in the link below:
https://wiki.debian.org/LTS/Using

The current LTS version is Debian 9 stretch and will be supported from 2020-07-06 to 2022-06-30. To receive security updates, your /etc/apt/sources.list should look like this one:

Code: Select all

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

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

----snip, but please do read the entire wiki page, there is more details.-----

That package may have "unsupported" dependencies, and this is why your error message is saying:

---partial--Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have requested an impossible situation

From the same,link I posted above:

Check for unsupported packages

Not all packages of the Debian archive are supported by LTS. To check whether you have unsupported packages installed on your machine, please install the debian-security-support package (use the version in stretch, unstable will not work as expected). A check for new unsupported packages is run every time packages are installed. You can also run the 'check-support-status' utility manually to get a list of all unsupported packages installed on your system.

AlexKillometer>> Is there some method of applying updates for Debian 10 that could create a different outcome?

You could probably still upgrade to Debian 10, but you should not try mixing Debian 10 , with Debian 9, see: https://wiki.debian.org/DontBreakDebian

If you're trying to install software that isn't available in the current Debian Stable release, it's not a good idea to add repositories for other Debian releases. The problems might not happen right away, but the next time you install updates.

There might be a way to use the Debian 10 updates, but that is much more advanced then what I can help you with, that is to say I have never tried doing something like that, but it seems like I have seen posts where other have tried,
I think in most cases it resulted in a broken system, ...So your best option really is to try to do a full upgrade, there is detailed instructions here:
https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/amd64/release-notes/ch-upgrading.html
Some of the details may not apply to you, it appears complicated , etc, but really isn't that bad, the first time though is more difficult, you really need to read the instructions carefully, and if there is any part you are not sure about, ask here before trying it. Many users think it is just easier to do a fresh install, and in some cases it is,
Either way, you need to be sure to make a good back up /copy of all the important data , that you need to save,.....that could be a entirely new topic if you need help with how to make a backup,etc, but if you do need help with that , please do start a new topic for that.
Sorry I am not really able to help more, someone else might know of a way to get the package or packages you need from Debian 10, but I think you could just make your backup and do the upgrade faster,...

Thats OK, I learned a few things from your responses. I really liked the links you put in here. I've taken some time to try and read documentation available on this site, but I find it not very intuitive to learn from, and often get lost. I was especially glad to see the Debian 10 Source Lists. Even though the advice given was to not mix them, I had been searching for what they were in the first place, thinking that maybe The process would just be like installing a Debian ISO from a USB on a empty system; out with the bad, in with the good. I will have to try installing from a USB Bootable drive using only the programs I already have installed, since I can't update anything. THis was not sucessfull the first few times, but back to the drawing board, as they say.

[seaken64]

@AlexKillometer - I am curious to see if you can get this solved. I am also trying to learn more about Debian. I do not wish to poke at you but I cannot understand exactly what you are asking and why you have taken offense in a of couple cases. Here is my "take" on this topic in hopes that I can help you get it sorted out. I think there is a solution but the framing of the question is not clear enough.

Incidental problems that may be related include inability to launch a terminal window. I do all my commands from ALT+CTRL+F5, which launches a second login instance.

I think that you are trying to say that you can't launch a virtual terminal so instead use ALT-CTRL-F5 to open a separate console and enter commands in that console session. Why can't you open a virtual terminal? How long has it been since you were successful in opening a virtual terminal? Have you tried alternate terminals instead of the default?

sudo apt-get upgrade
(Removed list of packages downloaded from sourcelists)

Why remove the list? That could be valuable information for troubleshooting. The post also seems to be chopped up and does not appear to reflect the actual terminal read out from the apt-get command in it's entirety. Not easy to troubleshoot from this.

The error is coming from Perl, not directly from apt-get. Then it proceeds to tell the user what to look for to make corrections.

The error from "install locales" also tells the user where to look for the problem. The same for "locale-gen". The same messages are repeated.

"apt install -f" does not fix what is broken, so the solution is elsewhere.

The source list shown looks appropriate for Debian 9. But given that other lists have been truncated how can we know for sure that the sources list does not contain something else?

What is the language and locale files that are supposed to be installed?

Was a search done on some of these terms?

Using Google/DuckDuckgo/Startpage… enter the terms as displayed in the console:
"Can't exec "locale": No such file or directory at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Encoding.pm line 16."
"Use of uninitialized value $Debconf::Encoding::charmap in scalar chomp at /usr/share/perl5/Debconf/Encoding.pm line 17."
"dpkg: warning: 'ldconfig' not found in PATH or not executable"

using "su -" created a password prompt for the super user. I assume your looking for what elevated privileges do to commands. It looks like I don't remember my password for the su.

Yes, running the commands as root sometimes yields different results. Not remembering your passwords would indicate a system that has not been used for awhile. When was the last time you attempted an "upgrade"? Have you ever run "dist-upgrade" as root? When was the last time you installed a new package?

** another users suggestion of sudo passwd root allowed th SU pasword to change. this new level of access did not change the outcome for the apt-get upgrade command

So the same result with root. That's good info. I can't help but wonder what would happen if you invoke a "dist-upgrade" instead of "upgrade".

I can always try to upgrade to Debian 10, but the problem is not the local reception of packages. I have already downloaded all available updates from my current sourcelist. I cannot install them, however.

I think there is some confusion of terms. "Update" updates the database of available upgrades for the packages on your system. The packages will be downloaded when you invoke the "upgrade" or "dist-upgrade". Are the packages in fact being downloaded? The "install -f" command previously said there were 252 packages not upgraded. Looks like the "upgrade" is failing to finish the process of upgrading packages.

stevepusser: "OP, just save your data if you have any, and install Debian 10 as suggested many times.
I also have a feeling you broke your system by doing things that you haven't told us, perhaps by trying to install incompatible debs with dpkg instead of apt, or adding incompatible repos.

AlexKillometer: "Hey Steve, I'm not sure what you were trying to do, interjecting to repeat advice that, in your own words, were "suggested many times". This was not helpful. Continuing on, as you did, worried about the things I "havent'y told [you]" is a curious way of dismissing my problems, and avoids offering a better solution.

I don't understand why you took offense at stevepusser's comment. It makes perfect sense. Installing Debian 10 would very likely fix your broken Debian 9. And it is very likely that you have not yet divulged enough information for this forum to help solve the mystery. You have already deleted valuable information that could be useful for troubleshooting. And you have failed to tell us more about your system and it's history. Your entire presence on this forum is in this thread. How can we know what you do not tell us? If you want a better solution you need to share better information.

I had already decided to retry installing debian 10 as in a fresh new system before your comments. It didn't seem to occur to you that I HAD already explored this option, and that my decision to post here COULD have been to weigh the costs in time of both. I don't visit these forums much

How can we know what you had already explored if you don't tell us? You could have told us that you started this topic because you were considering re-installing Debian using version 10 because you are having some trouble upgrading your current version 9. You could have reviewed the announcements and stickeys that remind you how to be prepared by doing certain tasks before you post and then how to properly ask for help. It's not fair for you to get upset at other forum users who are trying to help if you are not being forthcoming to begin with.

maybe The process would just be like installing a Debian ISO from a USB on a empty system; out with the bad, in with the good. I will have to try installing from a USB Bootable drive using only the programs I already have installed, since I can't update anything. THis was not sucessfull the first few times, but back to the drawing board, as they say.

Again, "update" is the wrong term. Please spend some time reading up on updating and upgrading and "full-upgrade" and using "apt" instead of "apt-get" etc. If you do decide to do a fresh install of Debian 10 you will also want to read up on making a proper backup of your system prior to the upgrade. This is what the others are trying to tell you.

Seaken64

[arid]

Give it up OP!

Wipe out all that trash that you screwed up and install Debian 10.

That means WIPE ALL on the partition. New downloaded Debian 10.

Straight install, no personal ideas that you might think about.

After it is up and running then you adjust.

I normally advocate sid to start so you're always ahead of the game rather than
wondering why your screen is covered with cobwebs.

Debian now comes with synaptic out of the box.

Use synaptic, not a terminal, for all updates, upgrades, installs, removals.

It will keep you from doing bad things to your system.

Synaptic also contains all the info on the 61,688 pkgs as of this moment, of course on sid.

You also have all your editable sources in synaptic.

I just did my daily update and there is a problem with python.

Not to worry, just install the other updates and wait for the python fix.

Easy, peasy.

There is a daily build download for sid if you want to go for it...

[sickpig]

I normally advocate sid to start so you're always ahead of the game

ahead or behind? as you are without security updates

"
Please note that security updates for "unstable" distribution are not managed by the security team. Hence, "unstable" does not get security updates in a timely manner. For more information please see the Security Team's FAQ.
"
ref:
https://www.debian.org/releases/sid/