I Cannot install or remove packages

Question

I tried to install the openoffice.org package but it gave an error. Now i cannot repair, remove or install nothing. The Software center of xubuntu gives this error log. Nothing seems to solve this. I tried apt-get install -f but it does not solve the problem either. Any suggestions?

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(Reading database ... 184189 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking libreoffice-common (from .../libreoffice-common_1%3a3.5.4-0ubuntu1.1_all.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libreoffice-common_1%3a3.5.4-0ubuntu1.1_all.deb (--unpack):
 trying to overwrite '/usr/bin/soffice', which is also in package openoffice.org-debian-menus 3.2-9502
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
rmdir: erro ao remover /var/lib/libreoffice/share/prereg/: Ficheiro ou directoria inexistente
rmdir: erro ao remover /var/lib/libreoffice/share/: Directoria no vazia
rmdir: erro ao remover /var/lib/libreoffice/program/: Ficheiro ou directoria inexistente
rmdir: erro ao remover /var/lib/libreoffice: Directoria no vazia
rmdir: erro ao remover /var/lib/libreoffice: Directoria no vazia
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils ...
Processing triggers for shared-mime-info ...
Processing triggers for gnome-icon-theme ...
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/libreoffice-common_1%3a3.5.4-0ubuntu1.1_all.deb
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-java-common:
 libreoffice-java-common depends on libreoffice-common; however:
  Package libreoffice-common is not installed.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-java-common (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-filter-mobiledev:
 libreoffice-filter-mobiledev depends on libreoffice-java-common; however:
  Package libreoffice-java-common is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-filter-mobiledev (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-base:
 libreoffice-base depends on libreoffice-java-common (>= 1:3.5.4~); however:
  Package libreoffice-java-common is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-base (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-core:
 libreoffice-core depends on libreoffice-common (>> 1:3.5.4); however:
  Package libreoffice-common is not installed.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-core (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-style-human:
 libreoffice-style-human depends on libreoffice-core; however:
  Package libreoffice-core is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-style-human (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-math:
 libreoffice-math depends on libreoffice-core (= 1:3.5.4-0ubuntu1.1); however:
  Package libreoffice-core is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-math (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-impress:
 libreoffice-impress depends on libreoffice-core (= 1:3.5.4-0ubuntu1.1); however:
  Package libreoffice-core is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-impress (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-style-tango:
 libreoffice-style-tango depends on libreoffice-core; however:
  Package libreoffice-core is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-style-tango (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice:
 libreoffice depends on libreoffice-core (= 1:3.5.4-0ubuntu1.1); however:
  Package libreoffice-core is not configured yet.
 libreoffice depends on libreoffice-impress; however:
  Package libreoffice-impress is not configured yet.
 libreoffice depends on libreoffice-math; however:
  Package libreoffice-math is not configured yet.
 libreoffice depends on libreoffice-base; however:
  Package libreoffice-base is not configured yet.
 libreoffice depends on libreoffice-filter-mobiledev; however:
  Package libreoffice-filter-mobiledev is not configured yet.
 libreoffice depends on libreoffice-java-common (>= 1:3.5.4~); however:
  Package libreoffice-java-common is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-writer:
 libreoffice-writer depends on libreoffice-core (= 1:3.5.4-0ubuntu1.1); however:
  Package libreoffice-core is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-writer (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of mythes-en-us:
 mythes-en-us depends on libreoffice-core | openoffice.org-core (>= 1.9) | language-support-writing-en; however:
  Package libreoffice-core is not configured yet.
  Package openoffice.org-core is not installed.
  Package language-support-writing-en is not installed.
dpkg: error processing mythes-en-us (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-help-zh-cn:
 libreoffice-help-zh-cn depends on libreoffice-writer | language-support-translations-zh; however:
  Package libreoffice-writer is not configured yet.
  Package language-support-translations-zh is not installed.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-help-zh-cn (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-base-core:
 libreoffice-base-core depends on libreoffice-core (= 1:3.5.4-0ubuntu1.1); however:
  Package libreoffice-core is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-base-core (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-gnome:
 libreoffice-gnome depends on libreoffice-core (= 1:3.5.4-0ubuntu1.1); however:
  Package libreoffice-core is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-gnome (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-help-pt-br:
 libreoffice-help-pt-br depends on libreoffice-writer | language-support-translations-pt; however:
  Package libreoffice-writer is not configured yet.
  Package language-support-translations-pt is not installed.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-help-pt-br (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-emailmerge:
 libreoffice-emailmerge depends on libreoffice-core; however:
  Package libreoffice-core is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-emailmerge (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libreoffice-help-en-gb:
 libreoffice-help-en-gb depends on libreoffice-writer | language-support-translations-en; however:
  Package libreoffice-writer is not configured yet.
  Package language-support-translations-en is not installed.
dpkg: error processing libreoffice-help-en-gb (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

Solution 1

To solve this you can:
1-use synaptic and completely remove the broken packages then reinstall
2-try the command

sudo dpkg --configure -a

then try

sudo apt-get install -f

Solution 2

Try this. Open terminal type

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -f
sudo apt-get autoremove
sudo apt-get clean

root@nuno-P5KC:~# sudo apt-get install -f
A ler as listas de pacotes... Pronto
A construir árvore de dependências       
A ler a informação de estado... Pronto
A corrigir dependências... Feito
Os seguintes pacotes foram instalados automaticamente e já não são necessários:
  linux-headers-3.2.0-29-generic linux-headers-3.2.0-29
Utilize 'apt-get autoremove' para os remover.
Os seguintes pacotes extra serão instalados:
  libreoffice-common
Pacotes sugeridos:
  libreoffice-style-hicontrast libreoffice-style-crystal libreoffice-style-oxygen
Serão instalados os seguintes NOVOS pacotes:
  libreoffice-common
0 pacotes actualizados, 1 pacotes novos instalados, 0 a remover e 8 não actualizados.
24 pacotes não totalmente instalados ou removidos.
É necessário obter 20,9 MB de arquivos.
Após esta operação, serão utilizados 52,7 MB adicionais de espaço em disco.
Deseja continuar [Y/n]? 
Obter:1 http://pt.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libreoffice-common all 1:3.5.4-0ubuntu1.1 [20,9 MB]
Obtidos 20,9 MB em 10s (1944 kB/s)                                                                                                                        
(A ler a base de dados ... 184189 ficheiros e directórios actualmente instalados.)
A descompactar libreoffice-common (desde .../libreoffice-common_1%3a3.5.4-0ubuntu1.1_all.deb) ...
dpkg: erro ao processar /var/cache/apt/archives/libreoffice-common_1%3a3.5.4-0ubuntu1.1_all.deb (--unpack):
 a tentar sobre-escrever '/usr/bin/soffice', que também está no pacote openoffice.org-debian-menus 3.2-9502
rmdir: erro ao remover «/var/lib/libreoffice/share/prereg/»: Ficheiro ou directoria inexistente
rmdir: erro ao remover «/var/lib/libreoffice/share/»: Directoria não vazia
rmdir: erro ao remover «/var/lib/libreoffice/program/»: Ficheiro ou directoria inexistente
rmdir: erro ao remover «/var/lib/libreoffice»: Directoria não vazia
rmdir: erro ao remover «/var/lib/libreoffice»: Directoria não vazia
A processar 'triggers' para desktop-file-utils ...
A processar 'triggers' para shared-mime-info ...
A processar 'triggers' para gnome-icon-theme ...
A processar 'triggers' para hicolor-icon-theme ...
A processar 'triggers' para man-db ...
Foram encontrados erros enquanto processava:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/libreoffice-common_1%3a3.5.4-0ubuntu1.1_all.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Comments

[green]

Please post the output of sudo apt-get -f install.

[blade19899]

to install openoffice you must completely remove libreoffice like so sudo apt-get purge libreoffice* then install openoffice like so sudo apt-get install openoffice

[Nuno]

this also does not work:sudo apt-get purge libreoffice*

[Nuno]

the sudo apt-get update works fine but the sudo apt-get install -f fails!

[Nuno]

this sudo dpkg --configure -a does not work either.

[Nuno]

i used the synaptic and removed the broken packages of the openoffice and all problems were sent behind my backs. Solved! Thank you for your great support. I wish a excellent day.

[Darryl Williams]

first type sudo apt-get clean and type again sudo apt-get install -f