What is the step-by-step procedure to fix the "The following packages have unmet dependencies"?

Question

I tried everything but made no progress. Can a smart soul help out?

Of course just sudo apt-get -f install does not work, same error.

$ sudo apt-get install arping
[sudo] password for dloo:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 arping : Depends: libnet1 (>= 1.1.2.1) but it is not going to be installed
          Depends: libpcap0.8 (>= 0.9.8) but it is not going to be installed
 libc-dev-bin : Depends: libc6 (< 2.16) but 2.17-0ubuntu4 is to be installed
 libc6-dev : Depends: libc6 (= 2.15-0ubuntu10.5) but 2.17-0ubuntu4 is to be installed
 libnih1 : PreDepends: libc6 (< 2.16) but 2.17-0ubuntu4 is to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

---

$ uname -a
Linux li366-234 2.6.39.1-x86_64-linode19 #1 SMP Tue Jun 21 10:04:20 EDT 2011 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

$ cat /etc/issue
Ubuntu 11.04 \n \l

Solution 1

I have no idea if it is still relevant for you to get help on this, but here is a summary of the things one could do to help in such situation (from here at Appuals (appuals.com)) :

Method 1: Use the -f parameter (I know you already did that, but I gather everything here altogether)

sudo apt-get install -f
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt-get install -f 

Method 2: Use Aptitude

sudo aptitude install PACKAGENAME

where PACKAGENAME is the package you’re installing, and press Enter to execute it. This will try to install the package via aptitude instead of apt-get, which should potentially fix the unmet dependencies issue.

Method 3: Make sure that the restricted and universe repositories are enabled and try a better server

software-properties-gtk

• In the Ubuntu Software tab, make sure that all the repositories (main, universe, restricted, multiverse) are enabled.
• Click the list of servers where it says “Download from”, and choose
• Click “Select Best Server”.

• Press Alt, Ctrl and T simultaneously to open a Terminal, and type in

  sudo apt-get update
  

  then press Once it’s done running, try installing the software again.

Method 4: Clean the package database

sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get autoclean

Method 5: Eliminate any held packages

sudo apt-get -u dist-upgrade

then (if pb):

sudo apt-get -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes dist-upgrade

and see if it fixes the issue. If it exits with X not upgraded at the end, where X is the number of held packages, you will need to delete them one by one.

To remove a held package,

sudo apt-get remove --dry-run PACKAGENAME

(PACKAGENAME is the package you’re trying to remove). The --dry-run parameter makes sure you are informed of whatever happens next. When you’ve removed all packages, try installing the one that caused the problem in the first place, and see what happens.

Method 6: Purge/Remove/Disable PPAs

Personal Package Archives are repositories that are hosted on the Launchpad, and are used to upgrade or install packages that aren’t usually available in the official repositories of Ubuntu. They’re most commonly a cause of unmet dependencies, especially when they’re used to upgrade an existing package from the Ubuntu repository. You can either disable, remove or purge them.

Then if they still show some dependency issues, let's purge them:

apt purge packageXX packageYY packageZZ

etc. until everything is clean

Some say also to edit /var/lib/dpkg/status and remove blocs which have not complete installation but I doubt this really solves problems, it is just hiding it under the carpet.

Solution 2

1. Did you try the following?

   apt-get check
   

2. Try first:

   sudo dpkg --configure -a
   

Followed by:

sudo apt-get -f install

Comments

[Darius]

What version of Ubuntu as that may give hints of why it is not working?

[chicago-ny]

Check my last edit

[Darius]

Any chance of upgrading your Ubuntu? 11 is out of support by now I think..

[Darius]

Any chance of upgrading your Ubuntu as per packages.ubuntu.com/search?keywords=arping it is not supported in that version of Ubuntu. Gluonman answer is your best bet short of upgrading.

[chicago-ny]

Thanks for trying to help, but both 1 and 2 gave me the same error :(