Broken “unmet dependencies” list won't let me purge or install anything












0














I tried installing Steam today on my laptop, and to no surprise it's broken and needs tweaking just like every single time I have ever installed Steam on Linux.



In my process of trying to fix the missing dependencies, I managed to completely and utterly break my apt-get functionality it appears.



Here's what is going on.



sudo apt-get install cowsay


which pops out the lovely and rather completely useless message:



Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
cowsay is already the newest version.
You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
libllvm3.6:i386 : Depends: zlib1g:i386 (>= 1:1.2.0) but it is not going to
be installed
libpciaccess0:i386 : Depends: zlib1g:i386 (>= 1:1.2.3.3) but it is not going to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

So I do the next logical step, the console is telling me to run:

sudo apt-get -f install


Alright, well try that. Nope, I'm just going to give you the illusion that I'm working and make you mad:



Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
zlib1g:i386

The following NEW packages will be installed:
zlib1g:i386

0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 13 not upgraded.
6 not fully installed or removed.

Need to get 0 B/52.9 kB of archives.

After this operation, 182 kB of additional disk space will be used.

Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y

(Reading database ... 386548 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../zlib1g_1%3a1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1_i386.deb ...
Unpacking zlib1g:i386 (1:1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1) ...
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/zlib1g_1%3a1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1_i386.deb (--unpack):
trying to overwrite shared '/usr/share/doc/zlib1g/changelog.Debian.gz', which is different from other instances of package zlib1g:i386

Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/zlib1g_1%3a1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1_i386.deb

E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)


At this point, I feel like I've tried everything. I followed a pretty lengthy guide on try reconfiguring my dpkg, using apt-get clean, and so on. Rebooting has done nothing for me.



I'm completely lost. I'd just reinstall Linux but I don't want to backup all my work just because Steam broke my freaking apt-get.










share|improve this question





























    0














    I tried installing Steam today on my laptop, and to no surprise it's broken and needs tweaking just like every single time I have ever installed Steam on Linux.



    In my process of trying to fix the missing dependencies, I managed to completely and utterly break my apt-get functionality it appears.



    Here's what is going on.



    sudo apt-get install cowsay


    which pops out the lovely and rather completely useless message:



    Reading package lists... Done
    Building dependency tree
    Reading state information... Done
    cowsay is already the newest version.
    You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these:
    The following packages have unmet dependencies:
    libllvm3.6:i386 : Depends: zlib1g:i386 (>= 1:1.2.0) but it is not going to
    be installed
    libpciaccess0:i386 : Depends: zlib1g:i386 (>= 1:1.2.3.3) but it is not going to be installed
    E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

    So I do the next logical step, the console is telling me to run:

    sudo apt-get -f install


    Alright, well try that. Nope, I'm just going to give you the illusion that I'm working and make you mad:



    Reading package lists... Done
    Building dependency tree
    Reading state information... Done
    Correcting dependencies... Done
    The following extra packages will be installed:
    zlib1g:i386

    The following NEW packages will be installed:
    zlib1g:i386

    0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 13 not upgraded.
    6 not fully installed or removed.

    Need to get 0 B/52.9 kB of archives.

    After this operation, 182 kB of additional disk space will be used.

    Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y

    (Reading database ... 386548 files and directories currently installed.)
    Preparing to unpack .../zlib1g_1%3a1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1_i386.deb ...
    Unpacking zlib1g:i386 (1:1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1) ...
    dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/zlib1g_1%3a1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1_i386.deb (--unpack):
    trying to overwrite shared '/usr/share/doc/zlib1g/changelog.Debian.gz', which is different from other instances of package zlib1g:i386

    Errors were encountered while processing:
    /var/cache/apt/archives/zlib1g_1%3a1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1_i386.deb

    E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)


    At this point, I feel like I've tried everything. I followed a pretty lengthy guide on try reconfiguring my dpkg, using apt-get clean, and so on. Rebooting has done nothing for me.



    I'm completely lost. I'd just reinstall Linux but I don't want to backup all my work just because Steam broke my freaking apt-get.










    share|improve this question



























      0












      0








      0







      I tried installing Steam today on my laptop, and to no surprise it's broken and needs tweaking just like every single time I have ever installed Steam on Linux.



      In my process of trying to fix the missing dependencies, I managed to completely and utterly break my apt-get functionality it appears.



      Here's what is going on.



      sudo apt-get install cowsay


      which pops out the lovely and rather completely useless message:



      Reading package lists... Done
      Building dependency tree
      Reading state information... Done
      cowsay is already the newest version.
      You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these:
      The following packages have unmet dependencies:
      libllvm3.6:i386 : Depends: zlib1g:i386 (>= 1:1.2.0) but it is not going to
      be installed
      libpciaccess0:i386 : Depends: zlib1g:i386 (>= 1:1.2.3.3) but it is not going to be installed
      E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

      So I do the next logical step, the console is telling me to run:

      sudo apt-get -f install


      Alright, well try that. Nope, I'm just going to give you the illusion that I'm working and make you mad:



      Reading package lists... Done
      Building dependency tree
      Reading state information... Done
      Correcting dependencies... Done
      The following extra packages will be installed:
      zlib1g:i386

      The following NEW packages will be installed:
      zlib1g:i386

      0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 13 not upgraded.
      6 not fully installed or removed.

      Need to get 0 B/52.9 kB of archives.

      After this operation, 182 kB of additional disk space will be used.

      Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y

      (Reading database ... 386548 files and directories currently installed.)
      Preparing to unpack .../zlib1g_1%3a1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1_i386.deb ...
      Unpacking zlib1g:i386 (1:1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1) ...
      dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/zlib1g_1%3a1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1_i386.deb (--unpack):
      trying to overwrite shared '/usr/share/doc/zlib1g/changelog.Debian.gz', which is different from other instances of package zlib1g:i386

      Errors were encountered while processing:
      /var/cache/apt/archives/zlib1g_1%3a1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1_i386.deb

      E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)


      At this point, I feel like I've tried everything. I followed a pretty lengthy guide on try reconfiguring my dpkg, using apt-get clean, and so on. Rebooting has done nothing for me.



      I'm completely lost. I'd just reinstall Linux but I don't want to backup all my work just because Steam broke my freaking apt-get.










      share|improve this question















      I tried installing Steam today on my laptop, and to no surprise it's broken and needs tweaking just like every single time I have ever installed Steam on Linux.



      In my process of trying to fix the missing dependencies, I managed to completely and utterly break my apt-get functionality it appears.



      Here's what is going on.



      sudo apt-get install cowsay


      which pops out the lovely and rather completely useless message:



      Reading package lists... Done
      Building dependency tree
      Reading state information... Done
      cowsay is already the newest version.
      You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these:
      The following packages have unmet dependencies:
      libllvm3.6:i386 : Depends: zlib1g:i386 (>= 1:1.2.0) but it is not going to
      be installed
      libpciaccess0:i386 : Depends: zlib1g:i386 (>= 1:1.2.3.3) but it is not going to be installed
      E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

      So I do the next logical step, the console is telling me to run:

      sudo apt-get -f install


      Alright, well try that. Nope, I'm just going to give you the illusion that I'm working and make you mad:



      Reading package lists... Done
      Building dependency tree
      Reading state information... Done
      Correcting dependencies... Done
      The following extra packages will be installed:
      zlib1g:i386

      The following NEW packages will be installed:
      zlib1g:i386

      0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 13 not upgraded.
      6 not fully installed or removed.

      Need to get 0 B/52.9 kB of archives.

      After this operation, 182 kB of additional disk space will be used.

      Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y

      (Reading database ... 386548 files and directories currently installed.)
      Preparing to unpack .../zlib1g_1%3a1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1_i386.deb ...
      Unpacking zlib1g:i386 (1:1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1) ...
      dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/zlib1g_1%3a1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1_i386.deb (--unpack):
      trying to overwrite shared '/usr/share/doc/zlib1g/changelog.Debian.gz', which is different from other instances of package zlib1g:i386

      Errors were encountered while processing:
      /var/cache/apt/archives/zlib1g_1%3a1.2.8.dfsg-2ubuntu1_i386.deb

      E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)


      At this point, I feel like I've tried everything. I followed a pretty lengthy guide on try reconfiguring my dpkg, using apt-get clean, and so on. Rebooting has done nothing for me.



      I'm completely lost. I'd just reinstall Linux but I don't want to backup all my work just because Steam broke my freaking apt-get.







      apt dpkg






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited 16 hours ago









      Zanna

      50.3k13133241




      50.3k13133241










      asked Aug 14 '15 at 22:02









      user138741user138741

      148126




      148126






















          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          1














          I just fixed it. What I had to do was outlined in this post:
          Broken dependencies due to libjackd



          So I went to /usr/share/doc and then took zlib1g and zlib1g-dev and renamed both with a .old on the back. This allowed me to do my



          apt-get -f install


          and things seem to be happy now.






          share|improve this answer























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            1 Answer
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            1 Answer
            1






            active

            oldest

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            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            1














            I just fixed it. What I had to do was outlined in this post:
            Broken dependencies due to libjackd



            So I went to /usr/share/doc and then took zlib1g and zlib1g-dev and renamed both with a .old on the back. This allowed me to do my



            apt-get -f install


            and things seem to be happy now.






            share|improve this answer




























              1














              I just fixed it. What I had to do was outlined in this post:
              Broken dependencies due to libjackd



              So I went to /usr/share/doc and then took zlib1g and zlib1g-dev and renamed both with a .old on the back. This allowed me to do my



              apt-get -f install


              and things seem to be happy now.






              share|improve this answer


























                1












                1








                1






                I just fixed it. What I had to do was outlined in this post:
                Broken dependencies due to libjackd



                So I went to /usr/share/doc and then took zlib1g and zlib1g-dev and renamed both with a .old on the back. This allowed me to do my



                apt-get -f install


                and things seem to be happy now.






                share|improve this answer














                I just fixed it. What I had to do was outlined in this post:
                Broken dependencies due to libjackd



                So I went to /usr/share/doc and then took zlib1g and zlib1g-dev and renamed both with a .old on the back. This allowed me to do my



                apt-get -f install


                and things seem to be happy now.







                share|improve this answer














                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer








                edited Jan 4 at 22:40









                guntbert

                9,112133169




                9,112133169










                answered Aug 14 '15 at 22:13









                user138741user138741

                148126




                148126






























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