[Bug 1711898] [NEW] Can't install required updates

[Arello]

Public bug reported:

I've been trying to update my Ubuntu Mate 16.04 after a two month trip.
I cannot proceed with any update. Even though the manager recommends
partial update to do something, that also gets an error message:

Can't install 'ubuntu-desktop'

It was impossible to install a required package. Please report this as a
bug using 'ubuntu-bug ubuntu-release-upgrader-core' in a terminal.

So, I followed the orders and here I am. I am not sure if I should have
ticked this as a security vulnerability, as it prevents doing security
updates altogether. (I have never reported bugs.)

'apt-cache policy pkgname' cannot find any package named pkgname, but
Software Center says it's 15.12.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: ubuntu-release-upgrader-core 1:16.04.21
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-79.100-generic 4.4.67
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-79-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_uvm nvidia_drm nvidia_modeset nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.5
Architecture: amd64
CrashDB: ubuntu
CurrentDesktop: MATE
Date: Sun Aug 20 12:04:26 2017
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-10-04 (319 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-MATE 16.04.1 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20160719)
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: ubuntu-release-upgrader
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
VarLogDistupgradeTermlog:

** Affects: ubuntu-release-upgrader (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug dist-upgrade xenial

** Description changed:

- I've been trying to update my Ubuntu Mate 16.04.2 after a two month
- trip. I cannot proceed with any update. Even though the manager
- recommends partial update to do something, that also gets an error
- message:
+ I've been trying to update my Ubuntu Mate 16.04 after a two month trip.
+ I cannot proceed with any update. Even though the manager recommends
+ partial update to do something, that also gets an error message:
  
  Can't install 'ubuntu-desktop'
  
  It was impossible to install a required package. Please report this as a
  bug using 'ubuntu-bug ubuntu-release-upgrader-core' in a terminal.
  
- 
- So, I followed the orders and here I am. I am not sure if I should have ticked this as a security vulnerability, as it prevents doing security updates altogether. (I have never reported bugs.)
+ So, I followed the orders and here I am. I am not sure if I should have
+ ticked this as a security vulnerability, as it prevents doing security
+ updates altogether. (I have never reported bugs.)
  
  'apt-cache policy pkgname' cannot find any package named pkgname, but
  Software Center says it's 15.12.
  
  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
  Package: ubuntu-release-upgrader-core 1:16.04.21
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-79.100-generic 4.4.67
  Uname: Linux 4.4.0-79-generic x86_64
  NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_uvm nvidia_drm nvidia_modeset nvidia
  ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.5
  Architecture: amd64
  CrashDB: ubuntu
  CurrentDesktop: MATE
  Date: Sun Aug 20 12:04:26 2017
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-10-04 (319 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-MATE 16.04.1 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20160719)
  PackageArchitecture: all
  SourcePackage: ubuntu-release-upgrader
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
  VarLogDistupgradeTermlog:

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to ubuntu-release-upgrader in
Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1711898

Title:
  Can't install required updates

Status in ubuntu-release-upgrader package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  I've been trying to update my Ubuntu Mate 16.04 after a two month
  trip. I cannot proceed with any update. Even though the manager
  recommends partial update to do something, that also gets an error
  message:

  Can't install 'ubuntu-desktop'

  It was impossible to install a required package. Please report this as
  a bug using 'ubuntu-bug ubuntu-release-upgrader-core' in a terminal.

  So, I followed the orders and here I am. I am not sure if I should
  have ticked this as a security vulnerability, as it prevents doing
  security updates altogether. (I have never reported bugs.)

  'apt-cache policy pkgname' cannot find any package named pkgname, but
  Software Center says it's 15.12.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
  Package: ubuntu-release-upgrader-core 1:16.04.21
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-79.100-generic 4.4.67
  Uname: Linux 4.4.0-79-generic x86_64
  NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_uvm nvidia_drm nvidia_modeset nvidia
  ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.5
  Architecture: amd64
  CrashDB: ubuntu
  CurrentDesktop: MATE
  Date: Sun Aug 20 12:04:26 2017
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-10-04 (319 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-MATE 16.04.1 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20160719)
  PackageArchitecture: all
  SourcePackage: ubuntu-release-upgrader
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
  VarLogDistupgradeTermlog:

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-release-upgrader/+bug/1711898/+subscriptions