Package system is broken. How to fix it?

I just recently bought an arduino and requires gcc-avr/avrdude to compile the software. I installed avr for another microprocessor component a while ago but is obviously an outdated version (gcc version 3.3 20030512 (prerelease)) so I went ahead to update these but it didn't work.

(Please note that before hand I also broke my aptdaemon through an incomplete wine installation (couldn't get passed font installation agreement) but I fixed that via a re-installation then accepting the agreement.)

I am trying to update these by running bingo's build script but the dependencies it requires cannot be installed due to avr... terminal reports

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
build-essential is already the newest version.
libncurses5-dev is already the newest version.
libncurses5-dev set to manually installed.
libusb-0.1-4 is already the newest version.
libx11-dev is already the newest version.
You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
arduino-core : Depends: gcc-avr but it is not going to be installed
avr-libc : Depends: gcc-avr (>= 1:4.3.4) but it is not going to be installed
Depends: binutils-avr (>= 2.20) but it is not going to be installed
binutils-dev : Depends: binutils (= 2.21.0.20110327-2ubuntu3) but 2.21.0.20110327-2ubuntu2 is to be installed
libcwidget-dev : Depends: libcwidget3 (= 0.5.16-3ubuntu2) but it is not going to be installed
Depends: libsigc++-2.0-dev but it is not going to be installed
Depends: libncursesw5-dev but it is not going to be installed
libmpfr-dev : Depends: libgmp3-dev (>= 4.2.dfsg-1) but it is not going to be installed
python-dev : Depends: python (= 2.7.1-0ubuntu5.1) but 2.7.1-0ubuntu5 is to be installed
Depends: python2.7-dev (>= 2.7.1-1~) but it is not going to be installed
tk8.4-dev : Depends: tk8.4 (= 8.4.19-4) but it is not going to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

But running

apt-get -f install

results in

(Reading database ... 163021 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking binutils-avr (from .../binutils-avr_2.20.1-1ubuntu2_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/binutils-avr_2.20.1-1ubuntu2_i386.deb (--unpack):
trying to overwrite '/usr/bin/avr-size', which is also in package avr-binutils 2.13.90.030512-2
dpkg-deb: error: subprocess paste was killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Unpacking gcc-avr (from .../gcc-avr_1%3a4.3.5-1_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/gcc-avr_1%3a4.3.5-1_i386.deb (--unpack):
trying to overwrite '/usr/bin/avr-g++', which is also in package avr-gcc-c++ 3.2.90.20030512-2
dpkg-deb: error: subprocess paste was killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/binutils-avr_2.20.1-1ubuntu2_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/gcc-avr_1%3a4.3.5-1_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

I have tried running update manager and updating my system via it but all I get is an error message

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
arduino-core: Depends: gcc-avr but it is not installed
avr-libc: Depends: gcc-avr (>= 1:4.3.4) but it is not installed
Depends: binutils-avr (>= 2.20) but it is not installed

which then tells me to try running apt-get -f install which just results the same as last time.

So how can I fix my system, I really need the new avr, please :) BTW, my system is Ubuntu 11.04

After you get that error, try sudo apt-get -f install to force an install of the files that didn't get loaded because of the error.

Then try sudo apt-get update again, sudo apt-get -f install back and forth until only the package that has the error is left.

sudo dpkg --configure -a

and clean the cache

sudo apt-get clean

This usually happens as a result of 'Unmet dependencies for installed packages'.

Here's a simple solution if you have 'Synaptic' installed:

• Open Synaptic.
• Go To 'Status' (in the left navigation).
• Choose 'Broken'.
• Remove these broken packages.

Otherwise it can be dealt via CLI:

Open terminal and run this command:

sudo apt-get clean

Above command will clean out the local repository of retrieved package file.

sudo apt-get install -f

Will correct broken dependencies i.e. -f here stands for “fix broken”.

sudo dpkg --configure -a

will configure all (-a) the packages which haven't been configured yet. In the end do run the update command sudo apt-get update.

Open synaptic . Then go to status and choose Broken. Then remove completely the broken packages.

This should correct your system.

Had the same problem, an

sudo apt-get clean

followed by an

sudo apt-get update

followed by an

sudo apt-get upgrade -f

fixed it. I hope this helps!