Re: apt-get upgrade error- SOLVED

[Camaleón <noelamac@gmail.com>]

On Sat, 19 Feb 2011 12:29:39 -0500, Paul Cartwright wrote:

>>> >  virtualbox has been purged from my system, but that file: # ls -l
>>> >  /var/lib/dpkg/available
>>> >  -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 25094284 Feb 19 08:00
>>> >  /var/lib/dpkg/available
>>> >  
>>> >  is rather large...
>>>      
>> Try running "dpkg --clear-avail".
>>
>>
> that did it!! no more error!!!

Good :-)

> the only other question I have is, why are all these packages being held
> back??
> # apt-get upgrade
> Reading package lists... Done
> Building dependency tree
> Reading state information... Done
> The following packages have been kept back:

(...)

There are many :-O

> 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 281 not upgraded.

I can aventure why a package is "kept back" (it may have unmet 
dependencies that cannot be managed by just "apt-get upgrade" and needs 
"apt-get dist-upgrade) but being hundreds of packages in your case I 
would not try that, it can be dangerous. 

Wait until someone in the know can give you an accurate-and-safe 
advice :-)

Greetings,

-- 
Camaleón