apt-get upgrade error for Python packages in Ubuntu 16.04

You might want to run 'apt-get -f install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies: libpython3.6 : Depends: libpython3.6-stdlib (= 3.6.5-5~16.04.york1) but 3.6.5-5~16.04.york0 is installed libpython3.6-dev : Depends: libpython3.6-stdlib (= 3.6.5-5~16.04.york1) but 3.6.5-5~16.04.york0 is installed libpython3.6-stdlib : Depends: libpython3.6-minimal (= 3.6.5-5~16.04.york0) but 3.6.5-5~16.04.york1 is installed python3.6 : Depends: libpython3.6-stdlib (= 3.6.5-5~16.04.york1) but 3.6.5-5~16.04.york0 is installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try using -f.

I had installed using PPA JonathanF in Ubuntu 16.04, and it was working fine until I encountered this issue today.

TI tried and got the below error:

$ sudo apt-get upgrade -f
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages will be upgraded: libpython3.6-stdlib
1 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
5 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0 B/1,989 kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,393 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] Y
(Reading database ... 231399 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libpython3.6-stdlib_3.6.5-5~16.04.york1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libpython3.6-stdlib:amd64 (3.6.5-5~16.04.york1) over (3.6.5-5~16.04.york0) ...
dpkg: error processing archive /var/cache/apt/archives/libpython3.6-stdlib_3.6.5-5~16.04.york1_amd64.deb (--unpack): trying to overwrite '/usr/lib/python3.6/lib2to3/refactor.py', which is also in package python3-lib2to3 3.6.5-3~16.04.york0.2
dpkg-deb: error: subprocess paste was killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Errors were encountered while processing: /var/cache/apt/archives/libpython3.6-stdlib_3.6.5-5~16.04.york1_amd64.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

3 Answers

This answer worked for me =)

sudo dpkg --install --force all /var/cache/apt/archives/libpython3.6-stdlib_3.6.5-5~16.04.york1_amd64.deb

From:

NB: Remember to perform the following afterwards:

sudo apt install -f

Replace "apt" with "apt-get"/"aptitude", or whatever apt-derivative you're using.

Looks like your packages are partially out of date. Updating the package list and then upgrading installed packages with available upgrades should fix the broken dependencies:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade -f

If not, could you please edit your question to include the complete, verbatim output of the above commands? Thanks.

You might have python 3.6 being installed from multiple places which is causing the issue ( for example).

If this is the case, you need to comment or remove it from /etc/apt/sources, do an apt update, then try apt-get -f install again.