Update manager can not open due to missing /var/lib/dpkg/status

Question

Update manager won't open, saying

E: could not open file/var/lib/dpkg/status - open(2: No such file or directory),
E: the package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.

What to do?

Answer 1

You have to restore the status file from a backup.Try using ,

sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status-old /var/lib/dpkg/status.bad

Answer 2

Only 2 commands works for me:

1. cp /var/backups/dpkg.status.0 /var/lib/dpkg/status.

2. sudo apt-get update

Answer 3

I had the same problem. I couldn't do ANYTHING involving the apt command or update manager, so I couldn't even get the tools that people recommeded I'd use to fix the problem.

I navigated to cd/var/lib/dpkg and found that it only contained 2 files: labels and lock. No status or anything.

So I just created a status file using

touch /var/lib/dpkg/status

and then I could use apt-get again. I did clean, purge, update and all that but it didn't help. Dpkg was useless. Seems like this can occur quite often, for instace if you shutdown during an update. I had to recover dpkg from scratch http://people.adams.edu/~cdmiller/posts/Ubuntu-dpkg-recovery/

Answer 4

Looks like this one, anyway, I have yet to try it. Will get back to you.

http://us.generation-nt.com/answer/broken-dpkg-status-help-204088711.html

Answer 5

Just had the same problem tried

sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status-old /var/lib/dpkg/status

it could not find the file opened nautilus and the whole var/lib directory was missing rebooted server and problem it fixed its-self - Time for a backup of everything and then maybe replace a few disks.

Answer 6

sudo cp /var/lib/dpkg/status-old /var/lib/dpkg/status

And then try to update.