Can't install most packages

MyNameIsToday

Hello, I try to install some packages on retropie with a Raspberry Pi 4 4GB Ram, and a decent power source. Here is a log from one of the packages I tried:

Log started at: Sat 23 Sep 19:59:44 EDT 2023

RetroPie-Setup version: 4.8.5 (cb646d86)
System: rpi4 (armv7l) - Raspbian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) - Linux retropie 5.10.103-v7l+ #1529 SMP Tue Mar 8 12:24:00 GMT 2022 armv7l GNU/Linux

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Installing dependencies for 'steamlink' : Steam Link for Raspberry Pi 3 or later
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Did not find needed dependencies: cec-utils. Trying to install them now.
Hit:1 http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbian buster InRelease
Hit:2 http://archive.raspberrypi.org/debian buster InRelease
Reading package lists...
E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'sudo dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem. 
Could not install package(s): cec-utils.

Log ended at: Sat 23 Sep 19:59:49 EDT 2023
Total running time: 0 hours, 0 mins, 5 secs

If you need more information just comment here.

mitu

The error you received is also giving you a hint on how to solve it:

E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'sudo dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.

Did you try to run the suggested command ?

MyNameIsToday

@mitu No, I didn't see that, I will test it now.

MyNameIsToday

@mitu I just tried that, and now more packages can be installed but the one I showed that the log came from still won't install.

mitu

@MyNameIsToday Post the exact error, cec-utils is available in the Raspbian remote repository and it should install.

MyNameIsToday

@mitu It used to say something about cec-utils, but after the command I get a new log:

RetroPie-Setup version: 4.8.5 (cb646d86)
System: rpi4 (armv7l) - Raspbian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) - Linux retropie 5.10.103-v7l+ #1529 SMP Tue Mar 8 12:24:00 GMT 2022 armv7l GNU/Linux

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Installing dependencies for 'steamlink' : Steam Link for Raspberry Pi 3 or later
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =


= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Installing (binary) 'steamlink' : Steam Link for Raspberry Pi 3 or later
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Reading package lists...
Building dependency tree...
Reading state information...
steamlink is already the newest version (1.0.12).
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  adwaita-icon-theme aspell aspell-en bubblewrap dconf-gsettings-backend
  dconf-service dh-python dictionaries-common emacsen-common glib-networking
  glib-networking-common glib-networking-services gsettings-desktop-schemas
  gstreamer1.0-plugins-base gtk-update-icon-cache hicolor-icon-theme
  libaspell15 libcdparanoia0 libdconf1 libgstreamer-plugins-base1.0-0
  libgstreamer1.0-0 liborc-0.4-0 libproxy1v5 libvisual-0.4-0
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 199 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/1,733 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
dpkg: error processing package gstreamer1.0-plugins-base:armhf (--configure):
 package is in a very bad inconsistent state; you should
 reinstall it before attempting configuration
Errors were encountered while processing:
 gstreamer1.0-plugins-base:armhf
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
Unable to install binary for steamlink

I ran the sudo apt autoremove and it didn't work.

mitu

How did you get into this state ? Is this a new install or just upgrading an older system ? What image did you use to install it ?
Something seems broken in the system and the corrupt packages may be just a symptom of a sdcard going bad.

Try to re-install the broken package, as the message suggests, then see if you still get errors from apt/dpkg

sudo apt install --reinstall gstreamer1.0-plugins-base

MyNameIsToday

@mitu I will try to re-install it, I used the official pi imager to install it.

MyNameIsToday

@mitu That fixed it, thank you.