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When installing software, the following message appears:

Package operation failed. The installation or removal of a software package failed.
installArchives() failed: dpkg: error: failed to open package info file `/var/lib/dpkg/available' for reading: No such file or directory
Error in function:

When pressing "Install" the install progress bar reaches just till the middle then the message appears, but the icon of the program that I was installing remains on the Unity launcher.

It also does not allow me to perform updates, the following message appears:

Package operation failed The installation or removal of a software package failed." appears
and in details appears:installArchives() failed: 
Extracting templates from packages: 96%%
Extracting templates from packages: 100%%
Preconfiguring packages ...

Extracting templates from packages: 96%%
Extracting templates from packages: 100%%
Preconfiguring packages ...

Extracting templates from packages: 96%%
Extracting templates from packages: 100%%
Preconfiguring packages ...

Extracting templates from packages: 96%%
Extracting templates from packages: 100%%
Preconfiguring packages ...
dpkg: error: failed to open package info file `/var/lib/dpkg/available' for reading: No such file or directory
Error in function:
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Refer to this answer where it says to restore the old /var/lib/dpkg/available-old. – Samik Jul 26 '12 at 13:10
Thanks! my problem is now completely resolved! :D – Martín Jul 27 '12 at 3:43

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