E: Read error - read (5: Input/output error) E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened. [closed]

Question

This all started when a red dot appeared on the menu bar.

Machine was operating poorly so I read the message that stated there was an error run package manager so I followed a thread to a person with the same message and run the recommended command and got the following message

The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  language-pack-kde-en language-pack-kde-en-base libhal1 hal libhal-storage1
  hal-info

So I ran the command that was to remove them and terminal claimed success. I still have the previous mentioned error reported on the menu bar.

sudo apt-get -f install 
Reading package lists... Error!
E: Read error - read (5: Input/output error)
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened. 

machine is performing about the same except the Software Center crashes.

Answer 1

Your system no longer needs those packages and is letting you know that you can remove them if you want. If you read the next line on your screen (in the terminal where you copied this from) you'll notice it says that you can run apt-get autoremove to remove these packages.

The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
 language-pack-kde-en language-pack-kde-en-base libhal1 hal
 libhal-storage1 hal-info
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

Answer 2

If you look to the whole message, not only the portion you post but the rest of the output too, it suggests that you run the autoremove command of apt

So, if you run sudo apt-get autoremove, you will get rid of these packages you don't need anymore.

Answer 3

That's not an error, just a message telling you there are packages that were automatically installed to satisfy dependencies, but which are no longer needed.

So if there was an error--for example, if it said "error" or other text to tell you there was a problem--then the were automatically installed message is separate from it. You'd then have to provide more information (what you were trying to accomplish, what command you ran, its complete output, and any other information you think might be relevant), to get an answer.