3

I don't usually post on such forums, but I finally gave up on figuring out what's going on here and I need some help.

I need to install Adobe Reader. I am running Ubuntu 12.04 Precise x64 on Intel Core 2 Duo:

$ uname -a
Linux Edison 3.2.0-26-generic #41-Ubuntu SMP Thu Jun 14 17:49:24 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I get the following error by attempting to "sudo apt-get install acroread":

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 acroread : Depends: ia32-libs (>= 20080808) but it is not going to be installed
            Depends: nspluginwrapper but it is not going to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

If I try to install "sudo apt-get install ia32-libs", I get:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 ia32-libs : Depends: ia32-libs-multiarch
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

Finally, if I try to install "sudo apt-get install ia32-libs-multiarch", I get:

ia32-libs-multiarch:i386 : Depends: bluez-alsa:i386 but it is not going to be installed
                            Depends: libgettextpo0:i386 but it is not going to be installed
                            Depends: gstreamer0.10-plugins-base:i386 but it is not going to be installed
                            Depends: gstreamer0.10-plugins-good:i386 but it is not going to be installed
                            Depends: gtk2-engines:i386 but it is not going to be installed
.
.
.

Does anyone have any idea what's going on?

Improve this question

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
2

I had a similar problem with broken dependencies when trying to install wine and acroread, and a complaint when trying to install ia32-libs-multiarch, just after upgrading to 12.04 from 11.04 (passing over 11.10). It seems that some ppa's I had in 11.04 installed newer versions of applications in the system. After upgrading, the remains of these apps seemed to do some mess in the dependencies.

The solution that seems to work (until now), was found on a german ubuntu board (http://forum.ubuntuusers.de, posts from user Lasall):

First a downgrade is required and done with the following: create the 'preferences' file:

sudo vi /etc/apt/preferences

and insert the following lines:

Package: *       
Pin: release a=precise*
Pin-Priority: 2012

Pin-Priority must be greater than 1000.

Then you may downgrade the offending applications with:

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Then you may install packages that complained about dependencies, like sudo apt-get install ia32-libs-multiarch, or sudo apt-get install ia32-libs.

Finally, you should remove the file you just created:

sudo rm /etc/apt/preferences

because else no new updates would be found.

Hope this helps you too!

Improve this answer
0

You have dependencies that are not being met. What I have done in the past to fix this problem is download the files needed. Afterwards you can then try to install Adobe Reader.

Improve this answer
1
  • Well, I finally gave up and reinstalled all of Ubuntu 12.04 x64, and I am happy to announce that everything is running as it should. The only thing different that I did (that I recall) is that I now used the installation CD as opposed to DVD, but I doubt that made the difference. Thank you for the help!
    – user78513
    Jul 23, 2012 at 2:13
0

E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

This is telling yo that you have broken packages, apt-get cannot meet the dependencies of the new packages until the old broken ones are fixed.

This command should fix your broken packages(make sure you have an internet connection active.)

sudo apt-get install -f

After the old packages are fixed you should be able to install the needed dependencies for Adobe, which will include the mutliarch libs

Improve this answer
5
  • I ran the command, and here's what I got <pre> $ sudo apt-get install -f Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. </pre> Adobe still cannot install....
    – user78513
    Jul 22, 2012 at 2:24
  • Yes, exactly the same.
    – user78513
    Jul 22, 2012 at 2:32
  • Fresh install. This is a VERY weird problem. I installed Ubuntu 12.04 onto virtualbox, and I didn't have any of these issues. Now, when I installed it onto my real hard drive, I get this 32-bit dependency issue.
    – user78513
    Jul 22, 2012 at 3:49
  • Two last things you can try and then I'm tapped out. It could be possible that the packages you downloaded are corrupt, delete th downloaded packages(this delete ALL your downloaded packages in the cache)sudo apt-get clean and then try downloading then again. I might even go the the software center and use the edit software sources to select a different mirror before downloading again just in case it's a problem with the mirror. Of course after changing the software sources you will need to sudo apt-get update
    – TrailRider
    Jul 22, 2012 at 4:12
  • Well, I finally gave up and reinstalled all of Ubuntu 12.04 x64, and I am happy to announce that everything is running as it should. The only thing different that I did (that I recall) is that I now used the installation CD as opposed to DVD, but I doubt that made the difference. Thank you for the help!
    – user78513
    Jul 23, 2012 at 2:12

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .