Failing to update packages due to some cryptic package conflict

Support System Updates
1

I just got the notification that the new package update is available (thank you Manjaro team). But when I try to apply the update, I face a cryptic conflict that I don’t know how to deal with.

❯ sudo pamac update --force-refresh
[sudo] password for mehran: 
Warning: Building packages as dynamic user
Warning: Setting build directory to /var/cache/pamac
Preparing...
Synchronizing package databases...
Refreshing core.db...                                                                                                                                                                                             
Refreshing extra.db...                                                                                                                                                                                            
Refreshing community.db...                                                                                                                                                                                        
Refreshing multilib.db...                                                                                                                                                                                         
Refreshing core.files...                                                                                                                                                                                          
Refreshing extra.files...                                                                                                                                                                                         
Refreshing community.files...                                                                                                                                                                                     
Refreshing multilib.files...                                                                                                                                                                                      
Refreshing AUR...                                                                                                                                                                                                 
Failed to synchronize AUR database                                                                                                                                                                                
Checking v86d dependencies...
Checking python-pyrsistent dependencies...
Warning: plymouth: local (24.004.60-6) is newer than extra (22.02.122-18)
Resolving dependencies...
Checking inter-conflicts...
Error: unresolvable package conflicts detected
Error: Failed to prepare transaction:
conflicting dependencies:
- x!�9t and a
             ��Ch�R�Z3z are in conflict

BTW, I have two machines both with Manjaro KDE Plasma on them. The desktop packages updated without any problems. But my laptop, well you see the error message above. Does anyone know how to deal with this issue? Just simply copy/pasting the name of the package does not help with finding it and of course, I cannot read/understand the name of the package!

2

For one thing, never use sudo with pamac, as it will change the permissions on your Pamac databases. Pamac will prompt you for your password if it requires escalated privileges.

That may be why you are seeing this in your output:

Failed to synchronize AUR database

This is the usual fix for damaged pamac databases:

sudo rm -rf /var/tmp/pamac

Then refresh your Pamac databases with:

pamac update --force-refresh

However, before you do that, please note that v86d has been dropped from Manjaro repositories and is no longer required for mhwd so there is something you need to do first:

If pamac GUI options Enable AUR support and Check for updates are enabled, users should check the package list before agreeing to update and un-check AUR packages.

If updating via the terminal, you should first do the update without the AUR:

pamac update --no-aur

After the update you should then remove the v86d package, and only after that do your AUR updates.

Also, why is this appearing in your output?

Refreshing community.db...

The community repo has not been active for more than a year. This suggests to me that you might have .pacnew & .pacsave files which need to be inspected and action taken.

Instructions for dealing with .pacnew files can be found in the Manjaro Wiki: 4.5 Pacnew and Pacsave files

You may need to install the pacman-contrib package to use the pacdiff command.

3 Likes
3

Thanks, @scotty65 for such a comprehensive answer. I learned a lot from you.

Before I tend to the .pacnew files matter, I want to show you the result of --no-aur update:

❯ pamac update --no-aur
Preparing...
==== AUTHENTICATING FOR org.manjaro.pamac.commit ====
Authentication is required to install, update, or remove packages
Multiple identities can be used for authentication:
 1.  ***** (*****)
 2.  Mehran (mehran)
Choose identity to authenticate as (1-2): 2
Password: 
==== AUTHENTICATION COMPLETE ====
Synchronizing package databases...
Warning: plymouth: local (24.004.60-6) is newer than extra (22.02.122-18)
Resolving dependencies...
Checking inter-conflicts...
Error: unresolvable package conflicts detected
Error: Failed to prepare transaction:
conflicting dependencies:
- x!�9t and a
             ��Ch���N<z are in conflict

Sorry that I had to mask my other account name. That one is my company’s account and I could not share it.

As you can see, I’m still facing the same problem as before. Apparently, the package facing the conflict is not an AUR package, is that right?

4

Hard to tell what the package is. How about you try updating using pacman instead of pamac for your system update:

sudo pacman -Syu
1 Like
5

That solved my problem. I mean it failed as well but at least it showed the culprit package name:

❯ sudo pacman -Syu
:: Synchronizing package databases...
 core is up to date
 extra is up to date
 community is up to date
 multilib is up to date
:: Starting full system upgrade...
:: Replace jupyter-server-ydoc with extra/jupyter-collaboration? [Y/n] 
:: Replace lib32-libva-mesa-driver with multilib/lib32-mesa? [Y/n] 
:: Replace lib32-mesa-vdpau with multilib/lib32-mesa? [Y/n] 
:: Replace libva-mesa-driver with extra/mesa? [Y/n] 
:: Replace mesa-vdpau with extra/mesa? [Y/n] 
warning: plymouth: local (24.004.60-6) is newer than extra (22.02.122-18)
:: Replace qcoro-qt6 with extra/qcoro? [Y/n] 
:: Replace tracker3 with extra/tinysparql? [Y/n] 
resolving dependencies...
looking for conflicting packages...
error: unresolvable package conflicts detected
error: failed to prepare transaction (conflicting dependencies)
:: tlp-1.7.0-1 and power-profiles-daemon-0.23-2 are in conflict

Then I deleted the tlp package and now I’m updating the system. Thanks a lot Scot.

1 Like
6

This is only for testing :wink:

For stable:

LANG=C;trizen -R v86d
:: Pacman command: /usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/pacman -R v86d
checking dependencies...
error: failed to prepare transaction (could not satisfy dependencies)
:: removing v86d breaks dependency 'v86d' required by mhwd
=>> Try again? [Y/n]: n

Edit:
This changed now with [Stable Update] 2024-11-30 - Kernels, Plasma, GNOME, COSMIC, LXQT, SYSTEMD

Apparently you have some /etc/*.pacnew files to take care of in your system.

1 Like
7

I’ve had the same cryptic update error. Deleting the tlp package fixed it. System is updating now. I’m not tech savy enough to understand what the tlp package does. Can I just leave it deleted or is there more to do after the update?

Can you guys explain in detail what you mean when you say “you have some .pacnew files to take care of in your system.”

8

Additionally you can :mag: “pacnew” in the forum
:footprints:

1 Like