If you run sudo apt-get update and receive an error similar to the following, you may have a newer version of linux-image-server and linux-headers-server than any linux-server package available from your configured software sources:
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-server:
linux-server depends on linux-image-server (= 3.2.0.37.44); however:
Version of linux-image-server on system is 3.2.0.37.45.
linux-server depends on linux-headers-server (= 3.2.0.37.44); however:
Version of linux-headers-server on system is 3.2.0.37.45.
dpkg: error processing linux-server (–configure):
dependency problems – leaving unconfigured
This could occur for a very short time even if you’re using a central server (or for a longer time if there were a problem updating it). This happened to me when I ran out of storage on my server during an update. There are a few ways of dealing with this error:
Ignore It
If you’re able to use the package manager for other purposes, for example, to install other packages, then you can just ignore this. When your mirror gets updated, you’ll probably just get the package.
It’s not a problem not to have the latest linux-server package, as it’s a metapackage that doesn’t provide any actual software. It exists only so it can list three packages as dependencies, ensuring they remain installed:
• linux-generic-pae (this is only a dependency on i386–32-bit, that is–systems)
• linux-headers-server
• linux-image-server
You already have the latest versions of linux-headers-server and linux-image-server. My guess is that this is a 64-bit system, which is why no message about linux-generic-pae was shown. It seems like everything is fine.
However:
• If the problem is preventing updating and installing other packages from working (as opposed to just showing those messages whenever you do so but not interfering with it), then you should apply some other solution.
• You may also wish to do so, if you just don’t like seeing these messages all the time and want to get rid of them.
• It’s a little strange you’re not getting this package, even if you use a mirror that lags a bit behind the main download server, because this package is also provided by http://security.ubuntu.com. That server should always been enabled in /etc/apt/sources.list. So I recommend checking to make sure that is enabled. You may want to back up sources.list before editing it (sudo cp /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.old). The problem could also be a consequence of a caching web proxy (if you use one) with stale data (the solutions below will work around that, too).
Change to a Different Download Server
Change your mirror:
1. Open your source.list using your favorite text editor, ie
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list
2. locate http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu and replace it with http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu.
After changing your mirror, run:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
If you like, you can change your server back after linux-server is updated.
Manually Download and Install the .deb Package File
1. You can manually download and install the .deb file for the latest version of the linux-servermetapackage in Ubuntu 12.04.
2. cd to wherever you want to download the package.
• If this is a 64-bit system, run:
wget https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+archive/primary/+files/linux-server_3.2.0.23.25_amd64.deb
• If this is a 32-bit system, run this instead:
wget https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+archive/primary/+files/linux-server_3.2.0.23.25_i386.deb
Note: You can obtain these links from the Launchpad page for the linux-meta source package in Ubuntu.
3. Now (for both 64-bit and 32-bit), run this command to install the package:
sudo dpkg -i linux-server_3.2.0.23.25_*.deb
Remove the Package
Since it’s a metapackage providing software you already have, you can remove the package. Then you won’t get the error anymore. You can install it again later if you like (you could periodically run apt-get update && apt-cache policy linux-server to see if the new version is available).
There are two steps, if you want to remove it. The first is to uninstall linux-server. The second is to make sure the packages won’t be automatically removed later.
The dependencies will not be removed immediately. So it doesn’t matter which of these steps you do first.
1. Uninstall linux-server.
sudo apt-get remove linux-server
2. Mark the dependencies as manually installed. To tell apt about packages that you intend to have installed even if nothing remains that declares them a dependency.
• If this is a 64-bit system:
sudo apt-mark manual linux-image-server linux-headers-server
• If it’s a 32-bit system, run this instead:
sudo apt-mark manual linux-image-server linux-headers-server linux-generic-pae
Note: You should have apt-mark but if you don’t and you cannot install software, you can use apt-get install instead of apt-mark manual. Specifying a package manually for installation causes it to be marked as manually installed even if was already installed.
