Re: apt-get error ("Couldn't configure a pre-depend")

[Chris <aim@fk.urban.ne.jp>]

> (snipped)
> > I'm trying to upgrade from slink to the latest unstable using apt-get
> > dist-upgrade, and
> > after a 180MB download (14 hours!) I got this error message:
> >
> > "E: Internal Error, Couldn't configure a pre-depend."
> >
> > What does this mean, and how can I fix it (or better yet, where can read
> > up on it)?
> > I have a few slink-jp packages installed as well.  Could these be
> > messing things up...?
> >
> > Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!  :-)
> >
> Yuckk... this is a mess.  If you can apt-get install apt, then life will
> be good.  If you cannot, use dpkg -i to install all of the pre-depends
> for apt, and then dpk -i apt itself.
>
> Once you get the woody version of apt running, the everything should clear out.
>
> >
> > --
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> >

Thanks guys, that got me part way!  I did apt-get install apt, and it seemed to do its
thing there for a while.

But I've got a new and even more exciting error message now:

 "E: This installation run will require temporarily removing the
  essential package libpam0g due to a Conflicts/Pre-Depends
  loop.  This is often bad [ ?! ], but if you really want to do it,
  activate the APT::Force-LoopBreak option.
  E: Internal Error, Could not early remove libpam0g
  Some errors occured while unpacking.  I'm going to
  configure the packages that were installed..."

It then gives me an exit error (100) and sends me back to #3 on the main menu.

Again, I'd really appreciate any help. (I don't know much about Linux yet, but libpam
is an authentication module, right?  Is there some way of using another method of
authentication to get around this problem? Or is there a better way?)


Thanks again...