Following packages have unmet dependencies error

General Help
21

I got this after running the command : sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
Get:1 Index of /ubuntu focal-security InRelease [128 kB]
Hit:2 fr.archive.ubuntu.com / ubuntu.lafibre.info focal InRelease
Get:3 fr.archive.ubuntu.com / ubuntu.lafibre.info focal-updates InRelease [128 kB]
Hit:4 fr.archive.ubuntu.com / ubuntu.lafibre.info focal-backports InRelease
Hit:5 Index of /ubuntu bionic InRelease
Hit:6 Index of /stable/ focal InRelease
Hit:7 Index of /patches/ focal InRelease
Hit:8 Index of /apps/ focal InRelease
Hit:9 Index of /drivers/ focal InRelease
Hit:10 http://ppa.launchpad.net/zorinos/apps/ubuntu focal InRelease
Hit:11 http://ppa.launchpad.net/zorinos/drivers/ubuntu focal InRelease
Hit:12 http://ppa.launchpad.net/zorinos/patches/ubuntu focal InRelease
Get:13 http://ppa.launchpad.net/zorinos/stable/ubuntu focal InRelease [18,1 kB]
Fetched 274 kB in 2s (175 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
1899 packages can be upgraded. Run 'apt list --upgradable' to see them.
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run 'apt --fix-broken install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu : Depends: libc6 (>= 2.38) but 2.28-0ubuntu1+zorin4 is installed
Depends: libctf-nobfd0 (>= 2.36) but it is not installed
Depends: libctf0 (>= 2.36) but it is not installed
Depends: libgprofng0 (>= 2.41) but it is not installable
Depends: libjansson4 (>= 2.14) but 2.11-1 is installed
Depends: libsframe1 (>= 2.41) but it is not installable
Depends: libstdc++6 (>= 13.1) but 8.4.0-1ubuntu1~18.04 is installed
Depends: libzstd1 (>= 1.5.5) but 1.3.3+dfsg-2ubuntu1.2 is installed
libbinutils : Depends: libc6 (>= 2.38) but 2.28-0ubuntu1+zorin4 is installed
Depends: libsframe1 but it is not installable
Depends: libzstd1 (>= 1.5.5) but 1.3.3+dfsg-2ubuntu1.2 is installed
libc-dev-bin : Depends: libc6 (> 2.39) but 2.28-0ubuntu1+zorin4 is installed
Recommends: libc-devtools (> 2.39) but it is not installable
libc6-dev : Depends: libc6 (= 2.39-0ubuntu8) but 2.28-0ubuntu1+zorin4 is installed
Depends: libcrypt-dev but it is not installed
Depends: rpcsvc-proto but it is not installable
libgcc-s1 : Depends: libc6 (>= 2.35) but 2.28-0ubuntu1+zorin4 is installed
libgcc-s1:i386 : Depends: libc6:i386 (>= 2.35) but it is not installed
locales : Depends: libc-bin (> 2.39)
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt --fix-broken install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

22

What about

sudo apt clean && sudo apt autoremove

to clear the cache in APT
Whatever Noble repo package you were trying to install may still be presently calling in its dependencies.

1 Like
23

If the above doesn't work, can you check:

apt show binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu -a | awk '/^Version|Depends/ { print }'

This should show at least one result, but hopefully two or more that have different versions.

sc1
sc1883×276 16.9 KB

1 Like
24

@Aravisian I never wanted to install Noble repo.
I don't know how it got added in the list.

@zenzen here is what i got

apt show binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu -a | awk '/^Version|Depends/ { print }'
WARNING: apt does not have a stable CLI interface. Use with caution in scripts.

Version: 2.42-4ubuntu2
Depends: binutils-common (= 2.42-4ubuntu2), libbinutils (= 2.42-4ubuntu2), libc6 (>= 2.38), libctf-nobfd0 (>= 2.36), libctf0 (>= 2.36), libgcc-s1 (>= 4.2), libgprofng0 (>= 2.41), libjansson4 (>= 2.14), libsframe1 (>= 2.41), libstdc++6 (>= 13.1), libzstd1 (>= 1.5.5), zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
Version: 2.34-6ubuntu1.9
Depends: binutils-common (= 2.34-6ubuntu1.9), libbinutils (= 2.34-6ubuntu1.9), libc6 (>= 2.27), libctf-nobfd0 (>= 2.33.50), libctf0 (>= 2.33.50), libgcc-s1 (>= 3.0), libstdc++6 (>= 5.2), zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
Version: 2.34-6ubuntu1
Depends: binutils-common (= 2.34-6ubuntu1), libbinutils (= 2.34-6ubuntu1), libc6 (>= 2.27), libctf-nobfd0 (>= 2.33.50), libctf0 (>= 2.33.50), libgcc-s1 (>= 3.0), libstdc++6 (>= 5.2), zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
Version: 2.30-15ubuntu1
Depends: binutils-common (= 2.30-15ubuntu1), libbinutils (= 2.30-15ubuntu1), libc6 (>= 2.27), zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)

25

Ok, let's take a closer look at those specifically.

apt show binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu -a

And do a listing of the files that account for the preference when updating:

ls -l /etc/apt/preferences.d

While you are at it, also check that none of the source files are pointing to the 24.04 repositories. You already showed the output of that folder and everything seemed fine based on the names, but I have to wonder if maybe the contents have been updated for some reason.

grep -i noble /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*

I don't mean to discourage you but I think it might be faster to do a fresh start at this point, as we'll be picking up the pieces for a while. Sometimes it happens, especially during version updates, that repositories get out of sync and things start falling apart a little bit. This is why is good to have backups in place, to save ourselves the headache that issues like this leave behind.

26

apt show binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu -a
Package: binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu
Version: 2.42-4ubuntu2
Status: install ok unpacked
Priority: optional
Section: devel
Source: binutils
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com
Original-Maintainer: Matthias Klose doko@debian.org
Config-Version: 2.30-21ubuntu1~18.04.9
Installed-Size: 11,8 MB
Depends: binutils-common (= 2.42-4ubuntu2), libbinutils (= 2.42-4ubuntu2), libc6 (>= 2.38), libctf-nobfd0 (>= 2.36), libctf0 (>= 2.36), libgcc-s1 (>= 4.2), libgprofng0 (>= 2.41), libjansson4 (>= 2.14), libsframe1 (>= 2.41), libstdc++6 (>= 13.1), libzstd1 (>= 1.5.5), zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
Suggests: binutils-doc (= 2.42-4ubuntu2)
Breaks: binutils (<< 2.29-6), binutils-dev (<< 2.38.50.20220609-2)
Replaces: binutils (<< 2.29-6), binutils-dev (<< 2.38.50.20220609-2)
Homepage: https://www.gnu.org/software/binutils/
Download-Size: unknown
APT-Manual-Installed: no
APT-Sources: /var/lib/dpkg/status
Description: GNU binary utilities, for x86-64-linux-gnu target
This package provides GNU assembler, linker and binary utilities
for the x86-64-linux-gnu target.
.
You don't need this package unless you plan to cross-compile programs
for x86-64-linux-gnu and x86-64-linux-gnu is not your native platform.

Package: binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu
Version: 2.34-6ubuntu1.9
Priority: extra
Build-Essential: yes
Section: devel
Source: binutils
Origin: Ubuntu
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com
Original-Maintainer: Matthias Klose doko@debian.org
Bugs: OpenID transaction in progress
Installed-Size: 10,1 MB
Depends: binutils-common (= 2.34-6ubuntu1.9), libbinutils (= 2.34-6ubuntu1.9), libc6 (>= 2.27), libctf-nobfd0 (>= 2.33.50), libctf0 (>= 2.33.50), libgcc-s1 (>= 3.0), libstdc++6 (>= 5.2), zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
Suggests: binutils-doc (= 2.34-6ubuntu1.9)
Breaks: binutils (<< 2.29-6)
Replaces: binutils (<< 2.29-6)
Homepage: https://www.gnu.org/software/binutils/
Task: ubuntustudio-video, ubuntu-mate-core, ubuntu-mate-desktop
Download-Size: 1 614 kB
APT-Sources: fr.archive.ubuntu.com / ubuntu.lafibre.info focal-updates/main amd64 Packages
Description: GNU binary utilities, for x86-64-linux-gnu target
This package provides GNU assembler, linker and binary utilities
for the x86-64-linux-gnu target.
.
You don't need this package unless you plan to cross-compile programs
for x86-64-linux-gnu and x86-64-linux-gnu is not your native platform.

Package: binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu
Version: 2.34-6ubuntu1
Priority: extra
Build-Essential: yes
Section: devel
Source: binutils
Origin: Ubuntu
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com
Original-Maintainer: Matthias Klose doko@debian.org
Bugs: OpenID transaction in progress
Installed-Size: 10,1 MB
Depends: binutils-common (= 2.34-6ubuntu1), libbinutils (= 2.34-6ubuntu1), libc6 (>= 2.27), libctf-nobfd0 (>= 2.33.50), libctf0 (>= 2.33.50), libgcc-s1 (>= 3.0), libstdc++6 (>= 5.2), zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
Suggests: binutils-doc (= 2.34-6ubuntu1)
Breaks: binutils (<< 2.29-6)
Replaces: binutils (<< 2.29-6)
Homepage: https://www.gnu.org/software/binutils/
Task: ubuntustudio-video, ubuntu-mate-core, ubuntu-mate-desktop
Download-Size: 1 614 kB
APT-Sources: fr.archive.ubuntu.com / ubuntu.lafibre.info focal/main amd64 Packages
Description: GNU binary utilities, for x86-64-linux-gnu target
This package provides GNU assembler, linker and binary utilities
for the x86-64-linux-gnu target.
.
You don't need this package unless you plan to cross-compile programs
for x86-64-linux-gnu and x86-64-linux-gnu is not your native platform.

Package: binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu
Version: 2.30-15ubuntu1
Priority: extra
Build-Essential: yes
Section: devel
Source: binutils
Origin: Ubuntu
Maintainer: Ubuntu Core developers ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com
Original-Maintainer: Matthias Klose doko@debian.org
Bugs: OpenID transaction in progress
Installed-Size: 12,0 MB
Depends: binutils-common (= 2.30-15ubuntu1), libbinutils (= 2.30-15ubuntu1), libc6 (>= 2.27), zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4)
Suggests: binutils-doc (= 2.30-15ubuntu1)
Breaks: binutils (<< 2.29-6)
Replaces: binutils (<< 2.29-6)
Homepage: https://www.gnu.org/software/binutils/
Task: ubuntu-desktop, xubuntu-core, xubuntu-desktop, lubuntu-qt-desktop, ubuntustudio-desktop-core, ubuntustudio-desktop, ubuntukylin-desktop, ubuntu-mate-core, ubuntu-mate-desktop, ubuntu-budgie-desktop
Supported: 5y
Download-Size: 1 856 kB
APT-Sources: Index of /ubuntu bionic/main amd64 Packages
Description: GNU binary utilities, for x86-64-linux-gnu target
This package provides GNU assembler, linker and binary utilities
for the x86-64-linux-gnu target.
. You don't need this package unless you plan to cross-compile programs
for x86-64-linux-gnu and x86-64-linux-gnu is not your native platform.

ls -l /etc/apt/preferences.d
total 8
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 295 sept. 8 2020 zorin-os-patches.pref
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 300 sept. 8 2020 zorinos-patches.pref

The grep command doesn't return anything in the terminal

I didn't know it was this complicated to solve this problem.
Anyway tomorrow evening (2nd October) I'll be trying again to update using the integrated tool from the OS if it doesn't work then I'll reinstall Zorin 16.3 (Zorin 17 is having a bug with time when display seconds that Zorin 16.3 didn't have).

27

Me neither. Upgrades can get tricky when there's a problem, as it tends to leave the computer in an entangled state that is simply not easy to recover from. A fresh install is often the easier solution (one of the reason I always do that instead of using upgrades, even on Windows).

2 Likes
28

It was worth taking the chance to try seeing if corrected sources would work. Sometimes, it does.
One must remember to Clean the cache after doing a correction of the sources with sudo apt clean in order to remove the packages that were downloaded and placed in the cache prior to cleaning the sources up.

Some lessons sting and this was one for me when I migrated to GnuLinux: Always check your sources and always back up your data.
I went through many fresh installs learning this in the early days.

29

@Aravisian I have run sudo apt clean
And also sudo apt clean && sudo apt autoremove
The second give also unmet dependencies message.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade also give plenty error message due to unmet dependencies.

sudo apt clean
sudo apt clean && sudo apt autoremove
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run 'apt --fix-broken install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu : Depends: libc6 (>= 2.38) but 2.28-0ubuntu1+zorin4 is installed
Depends: libctf-nobfd0 (>= 2.36) but it is not installed
Depends: libctf0 (>= 2.36) but it is not installed
Depends: libgprofng0 (>= 2.41) but it is not installable
Depends: libjansson4 (>= 2.14) but 2.11-1 is installed
Depends: libsframe1 (>= 2.41) but it is not installable
Depends: libstdc++6 (>= 13.1) but 8.4.0-1ubuntu1~18.04 is installed
Depends: libzstd1 (>= 1.5.5) but 1.3.3+dfsg-2ubuntu1.2 is installed
libbinutils : Depends: libc6 (>= 2.38) but 2.28-0ubuntu1+zorin4 is installed
Depends: libsframe1 but it is not installable
Depends: libzstd1 (>= 1.5.5) but 1.3.3+dfsg-2ubuntu1.2 is installed
libc-dev-bin : Depends: libc6 (> 2.39) but 2.28-0ubuntu1+zorin4 is installed
Recommends: libc-devtools (> 2.39) but it is not installable
libc6-dev : Depends: libc6 (= 2.39-0ubuntu8) but 2.28-0ubuntu1+zorin4 is installed
Depends: libcrypt-dev but it is not installed
Depends: rpcsvc-proto but it is not installable
libgcc-s1 : Depends: libc6 (>= 2.35) but 2.28-0ubuntu1+zorin4 is installed
libgcc-s1:i386 : Depends: libc6:i386 (>= 2.35) but it is not installed
locales : Depends: libc-bin (> 2.39)
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt --fix-broken install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

I feel like I'm stuck in non recoverable state at this point.

30

When trying to run the Zorin upgrader again :
Screenshot from 2024-10-02 20-05-43

Content of the report :
[CHECKING] Started
[CHECKING:Validating Upgrade Attempt] Started
[CHECKING:Validating Upgrade Attempt] Completed
[CHECKING:Checking Filesystem] Started
[CHECKING:Checking Filesystem] Completed
[CHECKING:Restarting Apt] Started
[CHECKING:Restarting Apt] Completed
[CHECKING:Simulating Flatpak Transaction] Started
[CHECKING:Simulating Flatpak Transaction] Completed
[CHECKING:Processing Apt Repos] Started
[CHECKING:Processing Apt Repos] Completed
[CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Started
[CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Completed
[CHECKING:Calculating Upgradeable Packages] Started
[CHECKING:Calculating Upgradeable Packages] Fatal Error: { GDBus.Error:org.debian.apt.TransactionFailed: error-cache-broken: The following packages have unmet dependencies:

binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu: Depends: binutils-common (= 2.42-4ubuntu2) but 2.42-4ubuntu2 is installed
Depends: libbinutils (= 2.42-4ubuntu2) but 2.42-4ubuntu2 is installed
Depends: libctf-nobfd0 (>= 2.36) but it is not installed
Depends: libctf0 (>= 2.36) but it is not installed
Depends: libgcc-s1 (>= 4.2) but 14-20240412-0ubuntu1 is installed
Depends: libgprofng0 (>= 2.41) but it is not installed
Depends: libsframe1 (>= 2.41) but it is not installed
Depends: libstdc++6 (>= 13.1) but 8.4.0-1ubuntu1~18.04 is installed
Depends: zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4) but 1:1.2.11.dfsg-0ubuntu2.2 is installed
libbinutils: Depends: libsframe1 but it is not installed
Depends: zlib1g (>= 1:1.2.0) but 1:1.2.11.dfsg-0ubuntu2.2 is installed
Depends: binutils-common (= 2.42-4ubuntu2) but 2.42-4ubuntu2 is installed
libc-dev-bin: libc6-dev: Depends: libc6 (= 2.39-0ubuntu8) but 2.28-0ubuntu1+zorin4 is installed
Depends: libc-dev-bin (= 2.39-0ubuntu8) but 2.39-0ubuntu8 is installed
Depends: libcrypt-dev but it is not installed
Depends: rpcsvc-proto but it is not installed
libgcc-s1: Depends: gcc-14-base (= 14-20240412-0ubuntu1) but 14-20240412-0ubuntu1 is installed
libgcc-s1:i386: Depends: gcc-14-base (= 14-20240412-0ubuntu1) but 14-20240412-0ubuntu1 is installed
locales: }
[CHECKING:Calculating Upgradeable Packages] Failed
[CHECKING] Failed
[CHECKING:Restoring System] Started
[CHECKING:Restoring System] Completed

31

Do you have beneath the Zorin Desktop another Desktop installed?

32

No on this machine I have only Zorin installed.

33

At this point I would just go for the fresh installation. I agree it's not ideal, but I think we're past the point where this is the easier option. Remember that the contents of the USB drive you use to boot Zorin OS for a new installation will be overwritten so make sure to make copies of it, in addition to your own personal files in the computer, of course.

1 Like
34

Yes that's what I will do this evening.
Thanks to the everyone who replied quickly to help.

@Aravisian and @zenzen big thanks for your help even though it seems I'm in a dead-end here.

You can close this thread as I'll be reinstalling.
Thanks for everything.

35

It looks like a package got installed that changed your base files.

I would definitely do a reinstall at this point. Your only other option would be to go through /var/log/apt/history.log and find which were recently installed and revert them manually.
Which - means that cleaning apt cache would not have helped since that package was installed and no longer sitting in the cache.