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16.04LTS...new install on a replacement HDD...anything but a deb file will not install. Shows a file in /etc/apt with an "invalid file type" and dumps the install. Deb files work OK. I'm thinking I should boot USB and FSCK the directory. Could use some input.enter image description here

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    What PPA? What deb? Pleaase edit you question and describe exactly what you're trying to do, what are the expected results and what's happening instead.
    – user589808
    Jan 13, 2017 at 16:56
  • ALL debs. ALL ppas. I'm simply trying to install (1) Bitcoin Core, and (2) Seamonkey. I had both installed and working on the old drive. In each case the install will proceed, then fail at the same place because of a file named /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades.ucf-dist being a bad file type. I could install LibreOffice, Teamviewer, and a number of others using deb files with no issues, and a couple from the Ubuntu center. The ppa install for Bitcoin also fails for the same reason. Wassup?
    – Firetree Actual
    Jan 13, 2017 at 18:48
  • I added the screenshot...this was during the apt-get update, but the same error.
    – Firetree Actual
    Jan 13, 2017 at 18:54
  • Could you please post text files, dialogue messages, and program output listings as text, not as images? To achieve the latter two you can either 1) select, copy & paste the dialogue text or terminal content or 2) save the program output to a file and use that. Longer listings (≥100 lines) should be uploaded to a pastie service and linked to in the question. Thanks.
    – David Foerster
    Jan 13, 2017 at 22:11
  • There are some warnings and notices in the output of apt-get update but nothing serious that should prevent package installation by Apt altogether. Could you please include the output of an example of a package installation via apt-get install -f <PACKAGE> in your question? Thanks.
    – David Foerster
    Jan 13, 2017 at 22:13

1 Answer 1

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To solve the error messages, in the terminal, type:

sudo mv /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades.ucf-dist ~/Documents

this will move the offending file to your Documents folder. The file was originally created during a "unattended-upgrades" Software Update. If needed in the future, it will be recreated as "20auto-upgrades", without user action.

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  • YOWZA! Thank you! That was exactly what I needed to hear. This will likely solve the issue with Seamonkey and another app. I had no clue, and couldn't find anything anywhere. I will also try to use a bit more elocution in my posts (re David Foerster). This is the first I've had to ask for help, and this seems to be the place to get it.
    – Firetree Actual
    Jan 14, 2017 at 17:38
  • Why not just delete the offending file?
    – Kaz Wolfe
    Jan 15, 2017 at 3:01
  • @KazWolfe posterity might want to see it...
    – heynnema
    Jan 15, 2017 at 4:00
  • Fair enough, but at least chown it over to the user so you don't have root things all over the home folder.
    – Kaz Wolfe
    Jan 15, 2017 at 4:01

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