How to fix dpkg: warning: files list file for package 'package-name' missing in APT

The simplest solution is to reinstall the affected package, which will recreate the missing .list file:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall package-name

Replace package-name with the actual package name from the warning message. This downloads the package again and reinstalls it, recreating all metadata including the .list file.

If you have multiple packages with this issue, you can reinstall them all at once:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall package1 package2 package3

After reinstallation, the warning should disappear completely.

If reinstalling doesn't work or if you have multiple packages affected, try running dpkg repair commands:

# Configure packages that may be partially installed
sudo dpkg --configure -a

# Fix broken dependencies
sudo apt-get install -f

# Clean up and update package cache
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get update

Run these commands in order. They will:
1. Complete any partially configured packages
2. Install missing dependencies or fix broken installations
3. Clear cached package files
4. Refresh the package index

If any of these commands report errors, they'll also suggest which packages to fix next.

If the affected package is not critical and you need a quick fix, you can create an empty .list file:

sudo touch /var/lib/dpkg/info/package-name.list

Important notes:
- This is a temporary workaround, not a proper fix
- The package will be registered as having no files installed
- You may encounter issues when uninstalling the package later
- Use this only if the package is optional or you plan to remove it soon

A proper fix is to reinstall the package afterward:

# Temporary fix
sudo touch /var/lib/dpkg/info/package-name.list

# Then properly fix it by reinstalling
sudo apt-get install --reinstall package-name

If the package is no longer needed or continues causing problems, remove it completely:

# Remove the package and all configuration files
sudo apt-get purge package-name

# Optionally, remove unnecessary dependencies
sudo apt-get autoremove

The purge command removes the package and its configuration. The autoremove command removes packages that were installed as dependencies but are no longer needed.

Warning: This deletes the package and its settings. Only use this if you don't need the package anymore.

If dpkg corruption is extensive, you can restore from a backup:

# Check if backup exists
ls -la /var/backups/dpkg*

# Restore from the most recent backup (if available)
sudo cp /var/backups/dpkg.status.0 /var/lib/dpkg/status
sudo cp /var/backups/dpkg.diversions.0 /var/lib/dpkg/diversions
sudo cp /var/backups/dpkg.statoverride.0 /var/lib/dpkg/statoverride

# Reconfigure all packages
sudo dpkg --configure -a

# Update and fix dependencies
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -f

dpkg automatically maintains backups of its database in /var/backups/. If you've experienced corruption, restoration can help recover a consistent state.

Caution: This restore operation can change your system state significantly. Only use this if other methods have failed and you understand the implications.

If you have many packages with this issue, use a script to fix them all:

#!/bin/bash

# Find all packages with missing .list files and reinstall them
for package in $(apt list --installed 2>/dev/null | cut -d'/' -f1); do
    if [ ! -f /var/lib/dpkg/info/${package}.list ]; then
        echo "Fixing: $package"
        sudo apt-get install --reinstall $package -y
    fi
done

# Run final cleanup
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt-get install -f
sudo apt-get clean

Save this as fix-dpkg.sh, make it executable (chmod +x fix-dpkg.sh), and run it:

./fix-dpkg.sh

This script:
1. Lists all installed packages
2. Checks each one for a missing .list file
3. Reinstalls any that are missing their metadata
4. Runs repair commands to clean up

This approach works well on systems where you don't know which specific packages are affected.

After running repairs, verify that the issue is resolved:

# Check if the warning is gone
sudo apt-get update

# Verify the .list file now exists
ls -la /var/lib/dpkg/info/package-name.list

# Try package operations
sudo apt-get install -s package-name  # simulate install
sudo apt-get remove -s package-name   # simulate remove

- The first command should complete without warnings about missing .list files
- The ls command should show the .list file exists
- The simulate commands (-s flag) should complete without errors

If the warning persists after these steps, check the package name spelling in the warning message and repeat the reinstall for that specific package.