Recreated part of /var/lib/dpkg/info; apt reinstall now fails with "Internal Error, No file name"

[Halvor Raknes]

When you delete system files...there's only one fix..reinstall.

This is why it's so important to backup your system with a system image created with Foxclone and Rescuezilla.

I have major resource restraints, i.e. storage space and money.

 

[Halvor Raknes]

I investigated further.

• apt-cache policy, apt-cache show, and apt-cache showpkg all look normal.
• The relevant .deb files exist in /var/cache/apt/archives/.
• apt reinstall fails for openssh-server, rsyslog, and samba-common with:

E: Internal Error, No file name for <package>:amd64

Additionally:

$ dpkg -V apt apt-utils
dpkg: warning: files list file for package 'apt' missing
dpkg: warning: files list file for package 'apt-utils' missing

and

$ ls /var/lib/dpkg/info | grep '^apt'
aptkit.conffiles
aptkit.list
aptkit.md5sums

There are no apt.* or apt-utils.* files under /var/lib/dpkg/info, although

dpkg -l apt apt-utils

reports both packages as installed (ii).
Could the missing metadata for apt itself explain the repeated No file name internal error, or is there another APT state that I should investigate?

 

[Condobloke]

major resource restraints, i.e. storage space and money.

A great number of us are familiar with that feeling.

 

[Halvor Raknes]

I have changed the thread title to reflect the current focus of my troubleshooting.

At this point, it seems that the internal apt/dpkg malfunction needs to be resolved before attempting any broad package reinstallation. My repeated apt reinstall attempts consistently fail with:

E: Internal Error, No file name for <package>:amd64

so I believe that issue should be understood first.

 

[craigevil]

sudo apt distclean
sudo apt update

If the above doesn't work take a look at:

Chapter 2. Debian package management

How to Fix dpkg "Broken Packages" Errors

Fix dpkg broken package errors step by step: configure pending packages, repair dependencies with apt --fix-broken, force-remove stuck packages, and rebuild the dpkg database.

linuxjunkies.org

Number 13 here has a good answer https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/161866/how-to-recreate-var-lib-dpkg-status

You can re-create

/var/lib/dpkg/status by copying the backup from /var/backups/​

 

[Halvor Raknes]

sudo apt distclean
sudo apt update

If the above doesn't work take a look at:

Chapter 2. Debian package management

How to Fix dpkg "Broken Packages" Errors

Fix dpkg broken package errors step by step: configure pending packages, repair dependencies with apt --fix-broken, force-remove stuck packages, and rebuild the dpkg database.

linuxjunkies.org

Number 13 here has a good answer https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/161866/how-to-recreate-var-lib-dpkg-status

You can re-create

/var/lib/dpkg/status by copying the backup from /var/backups/​

Thanks. apt update completes successfully, and /var/lib/dpkg/status appears to be intact.

The remaining blocker is that every apt reinstall ends with


E: Internal Error, No file name for <package>:amd64


even though:

• apt-cache policy looks correct,
• apt-cache show reports the expected Filename:,
• the corresponding .deb file exists in /var/cache/apt/archives/.

Also, dpkg -V apt apt-utils reports that the .list files for apt and apt-utils are missing from /var/lib/dpkg/info.

Do you think that missing metadata for apt itself could explain the "No file name" internal error?

 

[craigevil]

Try the fix shown here: https://deverrors.com/errors/apt-internal-error-no-filename

you could also try doing:

sudo dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb
dpkg --configure -a