Cannot run, install, update, or uninstall python3 from ubuntu 24.04
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1564673/cannot-run-install-update-or-uninstall-python3-from-ubuntu-24-04
I'm currently trying to install python3 onto ubuntu24.04.3. I only realized that python came preinstalled with ubuntu after attempting sudo apt install python3.
I have now seemed to have permanently borked python and apt on my system. When I try to run any python operation, the system cannot find the python3command. When I try to run sudo apt install python3, I get the following output:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run 'apt --fix-broken install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
python3 : Depends: libpython3-stdlib (= 3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1) but 3.12.3-0ubuntu2 is to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt --fix-broken install' with no packages (or specify a solution).
I tried to run sudo apt install libpython3-stdliband got the following output:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run 'apt --fix-broken install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
python3 : PreDepends: python3-minimal (= 3.12.3-0ubuntu2) but 3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1 is to be installed
Depends: libpython3-stdlib (= 3.12.3-0ubuntu2) but 3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1 is to be installed
python3-dev : Depends: python3 (= 3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1) but 3.12.3-0ubuntu2 is to be installed
python3-venv : Depends: python3 (= 3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1) but 3.12.3-0ubuntu2 is to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt --fix-broken install' with no packages (or specify a solution).
I thought that there might have been an issue with my apt repos, so I ran a sudo apt update. It resulted in this error:
Hit:6 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-backports InRelease
Fetched 6,581 B in 1s (11.3 kB/s)
sh: 1: /usr/lib/cnf-update-db: Permission denied
Reading package lists... Done
E: Problem executing scripts APT::Update::Post-Invoke-Success 'if /usr/bin/test -w /var/lib/command-not-found/ -a -e /usr/lib/cnf-update-db; then /usr/lib/cnf-update-db > /dev/null; fi'
E: Sub-process returned an error code
Getting pretty frustrated at this point, I decided I'd try to run --fix-broken as it suggested.
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following package was automatically installed and is no longer required:
libllvm19
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove it.
The following additional packages will be installed:
libpython3-stdlib python3
Suggested packages:
python3-doc python3-tk
The following packages will be upgraded:
libpython3-stdlib python3
2 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 347 not upgraded.
3 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/33.1 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] Y
Setting up python3-minimal (3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1) ...
/var/lib/dpkg/info/python3-minimal.postinst: 5: py3compile: Permission denied
dpkg: error processing package python3-minimal (--configure):
installed python3-minimal package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 126
Errors were encountered while processing:
python3-minimal
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
I'm completely stuck at this point. And I'd much rather avoid doing a completely fresh ubuntu install. Does anyone know of a fix for this?
Thanks in advance!
Edit:
Here is my list of installed python packages:
libpython3-dev/noble-updates,noble-security,now 3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
libpython3-stdlib/now 3.12.3-0ubuntu2 amd64 [installed,upgradable to: 3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1]
libpython3.12-dev/now 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.8 amd64 [installed,upgradable to: 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.11]
libpython3.12-minimal/now 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.8 amd64 [installed,upgradable to: 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.11]
libpython3.12-stdlib/now 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.8 amd64 [installed,upgradable to: 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.11]
libpython3.12t64/now 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.8 amd64 [installed,upgradable to: 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.11]
python-apt-common/now 2.7.7ubuntu5 all [installed,upgradable to: 2.7.7ubuntu5.2]
python-babel-localedata/noble,now 2.10.3-3build1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-apport/noble-updates,noble-security,now 2.28.1-0ubuntu3.8 all [installed,automatic]
python3-apt/now 2.7.7ubuntu5 amd64 [installed,upgradable to: 2.7.7ubuntu5.2]
python3-aptdaemon.gtk3widgets/noble,now 1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu44 all [installed,automatic]
python3-aptdaemon/noble,now 1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu44 all [installed,automatic]
python3-attr/noble,now 23.2.0-2 all [installed,automatic]
python3-babel/noble,now 2.10.3-3build1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-blinker/noble,now 1.7.0-1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-bpfcc/noble,now 0.29.1+ds-1ubuntu7 all [installed,automatic]
python3-brlapi/noble,now 6.6-4ubuntu5 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-cairo/noble,now 1.25.1-2build2 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-certifi/noble,now 2023.11.17-1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-cffi-backend/noble,now 1.16.0-2build1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-chardet/noble,now 5.2.0+dfsg-1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-click/noble,now 8.1.6-2 all [installed,automatic]
python3-colorama/noble,now 0.4.6-4 all [installed,automatic]
python3-commandnotfound/noble,now 23.04.0 all [installed,automatic]
python3-configobj/noble,now 5.0.8-3 all [installed,automatic]
python3-cryptography/noble-updates,noble-security,now 41.0.7-4ubuntu0.1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-cups/noble,now 2.0.1-5build6 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-cupshelpers/noble,now 1.5.18-1ubuntu9 all [installed,automatic]
python3-dateutil/noble,now 2.8.2-3ubuntu1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-dbus/noble,now 1.3.2-5build3 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-debconf/noble,now 1.5.86ubuntu1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-debian/noble,now 0.1.49ubuntu2 all [installed,automatic]
python3-defer/noble,now 1.0.6-2.1ubuntu1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-dev/noble-updates,noble-security,now 3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-distro-info/noble,now 1.7build1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-distro/noble,now 1.9.0-1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-distupgrade/now 1:24.04.27 all [installed,upgradable to: 1:24.04.28]
python3-dnspython/noble,now 2.6.1-1ubuntu1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-gdbm/noble,now 3.12.3-0ubuntu1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-gi/noble,now 3.48.2-1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-gpg/noble,now 1.18.0-4.1ubuntu4 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-httplib2/noble,now 0.20.4-3 all [installed,automatic]
python3-ibus-1.0/noble,now 1.5.29-2 all [installed,automatic]
python3-idna/noble-updates,noble-security,now 3.6-2ubuntu0.1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-jinja2/noble-updates,noble-security,now 3.1.2-1ubuntu1.3 all [installed,automatic]
python3-json-pointer/noble,now 2.0-0ubuntu1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-jsonpatch/noble,now 1.32-3 all [installed,automatic]
python3-jsonschema/noble,now 4.10.3-2ubuntu1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-jwt/noble,now 2.7.0-1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-launchpadlib/noble,now 1.11.0-6 all [installed,automatic]
python3-lazr.restfulclient/noble,now 0.14.6-1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-lazr.uri/noble,now 1.0.6-3 all [installed,automatic]
python3-ldb/now 2:2.8.0+samba4.19.5+dfsg-4ubuntu9.3 amd64 [installed,upgradable to: 2:2.8.0+samba4.19.5+dfsg-4ubuntu9.4]
python3-louis/noble,now 3.29.0-1build1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-markdown-it/noble,now 3.0.0-2 all [installed,automatic]
python3-markdown/noble,now 3.5.2-1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-markupsafe/noble,now 2.1.5-1build2 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-mdurl/noble,now 0.1.2-1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-minimal/noble-updates,noble-security,now 3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1 amd64 [installed,auto-removable]
python3-netaddr/noble,now 0.8.0-2ubuntu1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-netifaces/noble,now 0.11.0-2build3 amd64 [installed]
python3-netplan/now 1.1.2-2~ubuntu24.04.2 amd64 [installed,upgradable to: 1.1.2-8ubuntu1~24.04.1]
python3-oauthlib/noble,now 3.2.2-1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-olefile/noble,now 0.46-3 all [installed,automatic]
python3-pexpect/noble,now 4.9-2 all [installed,automatic]
python3-pil/noble-updates,noble-security,now 10.2.0-1ubuntu1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-pip-whl/noble-updates,noble-security,now 24.0+dfsg-1ubuntu1.3 all [installed,automatic]
python3-pip/noble-updates,noble-security,now 24.0+dfsg-1ubuntu1.3 all [installed]
python3-pkg-resources/noble-updates,noble-security,now 68.1.2-2ubuntu1.2 all [installed,automatic]
python3-problem-report/noble-updates,noble-security,now 2.28.1-0ubuntu3.8 all [installed,automatic]
python3-ptyprocess/noble,now 0.7.0-5 all [installed,automatic]
python3-pygments/noble,now 2.17.2+dfsg-1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-pyparsing/noble,now 3.1.1-1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-pyrsistent/noble,now 0.20.0-1build2 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-requests/noble-updates,noble-security,now 2.31.0+dfsg-1ubuntu1.1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-rich/noble,now 13.7.1-1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-samba/now 2:4.19.5+dfsg-4ubuntu9.3 amd64 [installed,upgradable to: 2:4.19.5+dfsg-4ubuntu9.4]
python3-serial/noble,now 3.5-2 all [installed,automatic]
python3-setuptools-whl/noble-updates,noble-security,now 68.1.2-2ubuntu1.2 all [installed,automatic]
python3-setuptools/noble-updates,noble-security,now 68.1.2-2ubuntu1.2 all [installed,automatic]
python3-six/noble,now 1.16.0-4 all [installed,automatic]
python3-software-properties/now 0.99.49.3 all [installed,upgradable to: 0.99.49.4]
python3-speechd/noble,now 0.12.0~rc2-2build3 all [installed,automatic]
python3-sss/noble-updates,now 2.9.4-1.1ubuntu6.3 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-systemd/noble,now 235-1build4 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-talloc/noble,now 2.4.2-1build2 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-tdb/noble,now 1.4.10-1build1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3-typing-extensions/noble,now 4.10.0-1 all [installed,automatic]
python3-tz/noble,now 2024.1-2 all [installed,automatic]
python3-update-manager/noble-updates,now 1:24.04.12 all [installed,automatic]
python3-urllib3/now 2.0.7-1ubuntu0.2 all [installed,upgradable to: 2.0.7-1ubuntu0.6]
python3-venv/noble-updates,noble-security,now 3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1 amd64 [installed]
python3-wadllib/noble,now 1.3.6-5 all [installed,automatic]
python3-wheel/noble,now 0.42.0-2 all [installed,automatic]
python3-xdg/noble,now 0.28-2 all [installed,automatic]
python3-xkit/noble,now 0.5.0ubuntu6 all [installed,automatic]
python3-yaml/noble,now 6.0.1-2build2 amd64 [installed,automatic]
python3.12-dev/now 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.8 amd64 [installed,upgradable to: 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.11]
python3.12-minimal/now 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.8 amd64 [installed,upgradable to: 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.11]
python3.12-venv/now 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.8 amd64 [installed,upgradable to: 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.11]
python3.12/now 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.8 amd64 [installed,upgradable to: 3.12.3-1ubuntu0.11]
python3/now 3.12.3-0ubuntu2 amd64 [installed,upgradable to: 3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1]
Edit 2:
I was referred to this post and tried running sudo apt install --reinstall python3 python python3-minimal --fix-broken. After which I got this error:
Package python is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
However the following packages replace it:
2to3 python-is-python3
So I tried running the same command without python sudo apt install --reinstall python3 python3-minimal --fix-broken and got the following error:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run 'apt --fix-broken install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
python3 : Depends: libpython3-stdlib (= 3.12.3-0ubuntu2.1) but 3.12.3-0ubuntu2 is to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt --fix-broken install' with no packages (or specify a solution).
Still stuck on this.