Unable to fix broken/missing dependencies

This is a peculiar issue that I have never come across before, and the internet says absolutely zilch about it. I keep coming across this error:

Error: BrokenCount > 0

The notification tells me that there are unmet dependencies, so I decide to try and root the issue myself by doing a little internet mining.

I found a topic centered around this issue that suggested running the following command:

sudo apt --fix-broken install

So I ran the command, confirmed that the dependencies should be install despite extra storage usage and waited.

This was the log:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following package was automatically installed and is no longer required:
  pepperflashplugin-nonfree
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove it.
The following additional packages will be installed:
  add-apt-key libqt5designer5 libqt5help5 python3-bs4 python3-html5lib
  python3-lxml python3-pyqt5 python3-pyqt5.qtsvg python3-webencodings
Suggested packages:
  python3-genshi python3-lxml-dbg python-lxml-doc python3-pyqt5-dbg
The following NEW packages will be installed
  add-apt-key libqt5designer5 libqt5help5 python3-bs4 python3-html5lib
  python3-lxml python3-pyqt5 python3-pyqt5.qtsvg python3-webencodings
0 to upgrade, 9 to newly install, 0 to remove and 150 not to upgrade.
1 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/6,451 kB of archives.
After this operation, 27.3 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
readlink: missing operand
Try 'readlink --help' for more information.
stat: missing operand
Try 'stat --help' for more information.
E: Problem executing scripts DPkg::Pre-Invoke 'stat -c %Z $(readlink -f $(which opera)) > /tmp/opera.timestamp'
E: Sub-process returned an error code

This keeps stopping the dependencies from running:

readlink: missing operand
Try 'readlink --help' for more information.
stat: missing operand
Try 'stat --help' for more information.
E: Problem executing scripts DPkg::Pre-Invoke 'stat -c %Z $(readlink -f $(which opera)) > /tmp/opera.timestamp'
E: Sub-process returned an error code

I went into root thunar and tried deleting the file, no effect. I do not know what lead up to this.

sudo apt-get update --fix-missing

sudo apt-get install -f

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get clean

sudo apt-get autoremove

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get upgrade

Hopefully, one of those will correct the issue, if not all of them run each.

  StarTreker

yoda
Who's running in low power mode

1 Like

No difference, this is really strange

Can you run sudo apt update?
Does it show any errors?
It sounds like a faulty repository.

What program are you trying to install that led to breakage?

Is this a Virtual Build (running Zorin remotely or in VirtualBox or VMWare)?

Resetter, that’s the program I’m trying to install

And it isn’t virtual

I will post the results shortly

sudo apt updatedoes not error, but it shows me this:
150 packages can be upgraded. Run 'apt list --upgradable' to see them.

So I try and upgrade it:
sudo apt-get upgrade

And I get this:

You might want to run 'apt --fix-broken install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies.
 resetter : Depends: add-apt-key (>= 1.0) but it is not installed
            Depends: python3-pyqt5 (>= 5.5.0) but it is not installed
            Depends: python3-bs4 (>= 4.4.0) but it is not installed
            Depends: python3-pyqt5.qtsvg (>= 5.5.0) but it is not installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt --fix-broken install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

So I run this and I get this:

The following package was automatically installed and is no longer required:
  pepperflashplugin-nonfree
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove it.
The following additional packages will be installed:
  add-apt-key libqt5designer5 libqt5help5 python3-bs4 python3-html5lib python3-lxml python3-pyqt5 python3-pyqt5.qtsvg python3-webencodings
Suggested packages:
  python3-genshi python3-lxml-dbg python-lxml-doc python3-pyqt5-dbg
The following NEW packages will be installed
  add-apt-key libqt5designer5 libqt5help5 python3-bs4 python3-html5lib python3-lxml python3-pyqt5 python3-pyqt5.qtsvg python3-webencodings
0 to upgrade, 9 to newly install, 0 to remove and 150 not to upgrade.
1 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/6,451 kB of archives.
After this operation, 27.3 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
readlink: missing operand
Try 'readlink --help' for more information.
stat: missing operand
Try 'stat --help' for more information.
E: Problem executing scripts DPkg::Pre-Invoke 'stat -c %Z $(readlink -f $(which opera)) > /tmp/opera.timestamp'
E: Sub-process returned an error code

I also do not have a USB drive with me so far as I lost it, so it would be appreciated if you could provide me with steps that do not lead to me having to reinstall Zorin with one. If there are no other options I'll probably order one.

Can you please try:

sudo apt remove --purge resetter

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

and relay the results?

We can continue to trying to install resetter if the above works.

1 Like

Same damn error, I have no idea what this is. It keeps showing that opera timestamp error.

If there was a way I could just revert to like a previous version of Zorin, I would be happy to, because this error means I can't properly use the laptop

1 Like

Can you clear out /var/tmp, first.

sudo rm -rf /var/tmp/

Then

sudo apt clean && sudo apt autoremove

sudo apt --fix-broken install

Please relay the results

1 Like
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following package was automatically installed and is no longer required:
  pepperflashplugin-nonfree
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove it.
The following additional packages will be installed:
  add-apt-key libqt5designer5 libqt5help5 python3-bs4 python3-html5lib
  python3-lxml python3-pyqt5 python3-pyqt5.qtsvg python3-webencodings
Suggested packages:
  python3-genshi python3-lxml-dbg python-lxml-doc python3-pyqt5-dbg
The following NEW packages will be installed
  add-apt-key libqt5designer5 libqt5help5 python3-bs4 python3-html5lib
  python3-lxml python3-pyqt5 python3-pyqt5.qtsvg python3-webencodings
0 to upgrade, 9 to newly install, 0 to remove and 150 not to upgrade.
1 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 6,451 kB of archives.
After this operation, 27.3 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Get:1 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe amd64 add-apt-key all 1.0-0.5 [5,314 B]
Get:2 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe amd64 libqt5designer5 amd64 5.9.5-0ubuntu1 [2,761 kB]
Get:3 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe amd64 libqt5help5 amd64 5.9.5-0ubuntu1 [133 kB]
Get:4 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe amd64 python3-pyqt5 amd64 5.10.1+dfsg-1ubuntu2 [2,268 kB]
Get:5 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 python3-bs4 all 4.6.0-1 [67.8 kB]
Get:6 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe amd64 python3-pyqt5.qtsvg amd64 5.10.1+dfsg-1ubuntu2 [26.8 kB]
Get:7 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 python3-webencodings all 0.5-2 [10.4 kB]
Get:8 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 python3-html5lib all 0.999999999-1 [81.9 kB]
Get:9 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 python3-lxml amd64 4.2.1-1ubuntu0.4 [1,097 kB]
Fetched 6,451 kB in 2min 18s (46.8 kB/s)                                       
readlink: missing operand
Try 'readlink --help' for more information.
stat: missing operand
Try 'stat --help' for more information.
E: Problem executing scripts DPkg::Pre-Invoke 'stat -c %Z $(readlink -f $(which opera)) > /tmp/opera.timestamp'

I'm sorry, i may just be slow, but what version of Zorin are you running?

I only ask because it seems strange to see bionic repos.

16 is in focal isn't it? Which one is in 15.3?

I didn't see zorin repos either.

1 Like

I figured it is Zorin OS 15.3. Not everyone jumped to Zorin 16 right away...

Really though, what throws me is: purging 'resetter' should work.
JustJeff, can you run each of these commands and post the Output of each one here?

sudo apt remove --purge resetter

sudo dpkg –configure -a

Zorin os 15.3 lite

Alright, I’ll do that as soon as I am home

Purge just seems to be broken, the same error comes up again and again

The second command doesn’t work because of dependency problems with resetter. The purge and remove command are broken

Can you try:

sudo apt clean && sudo apt update --fix-missing

sudo apt install -f

sudo dpkg --configure -a && sudo apt full-upgrade

sudo reboot

and test...

1 Like

No difference, in all honesty I might just reset the laptop, things just got worse. The wifi doesn't even work anymre

Sad to say, there may be corrupted files in Root causing these issues then... If you opt for a reinstall, please be sure to back up any personal files fully.

1 Like

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