• that apt-get / dpkg or (Hildon) Application Manager stop working altogether.
• that for whatever reason your N900 does not start anymore

in either case it is probably a good moment to make a BACKUP of your data

• tap on the top left corner of the N900 main screen until you get to the Application menu (screen with many icons)
• tap on Backup
• tap on New backup
• type in a name & tap on Proceed
• unselect Application list as obviously your application configuration is corrupt.
• tap on Select

do you have a computer with Windows or Linux / GNU at your disposal?

Yes i have computer with windows vista can we comeonline @skype please help me to get this resolved

can you pls start a cmd shell and type

and paste the whole line with

System Type:

32-bit operating system. Please come online on SKYPE. please help me would really appreciate your help. it would be more easier for me & u. pleasss help me.

Tried in cmd on my computer foll. C:\ > sysinfo but shows unrecognisable. Please help would really appreciate your help if you could come for online help. pleaseeeeeeee

EDIT:

no, Skype wouldn't be more easier.
it is preferable that you work on your N900 and / or PC while following the instructions i post here
furthermore, i don't always know right away what to do or how to do it as i'm myself not running Windows, i had to find out what the command was to get the architecture.
furthermore, this thread will remain online and thus be available for other N900 owners who run into a similar problem.
if we know go on Skype, they'd be left without solution.


BACKUP your data

• tap on the top left corner of the N900 main screen until you get to the Application menu (screen with many icons)
• tap on Backup
• tap on New backup
• type in a name & tap on Proceed
• unselect Application list as obviously your application configuration is corrupt.
• tap on Select

• Download and install the latest version of the Flasher.
  • click on I accept
  • download file maemo_flasher-3.5_2.5.2.2.exe
• Download the latest firmware (.bin) file for your region and save it to %ProgramFiles%\maemo\flasher-3.5\ (the default path), or wherever you installed the Flasher.
  to get the IMEI number from your N900
  • open Settings
  • scroll down and tap on About Product
  • your IMEI is on the last line
  • enter it in the proper field
  • click on I accept
  • download the
    Code:

    PR 1.3 version 20.2010.36-2

    file applicable for you into Flasher-3.5 directory
• Ensure the battery is full.
• if you haven't done so yet, connect your N900 to your PC for Windows to install the proper drivers
• Unplug USB cable if present, and switch off the device.
• Open the Command Prompt (Start then Run or Windows Logo key + R) and type cmd then press Enter. Change the directory to where you installed the Flasher (TIP: Use the TAB key to auto-complete commands and file-names)
  
  Code:

  cd "%ProgramFiles%\maemo\flasher-3.5"

• Run ONE of the following command, depending on which file you downloaded
  
  Code:

  flasher-3.5.exe -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2.002_PR_COMBINED_002_ARM.bin -f -R

  Code:

  flasher-3.5.exe -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2.003_PR_COMBINED_003_ARM.bin -f -R

  Code:

  flasher-3.5.exe -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2.004_PR_COMBINED_004_ARM.bin -f -R

  Code:

  flasher-3.5.exe -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2.203.1_PR_COMBINED_203_ARM.bin -f -R

  Code:

  flasher-3.5.exe -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin -f -R

• Hold the u key on the device keyboard and connect the USB cable at the same time.

Reference: Updating the firmware

misterc you are impressively patient

XLs, please note that this is not an official help forum or anything, people here will help you on their free time as other users. Be patient, and make absolute effort to follow the recommended commands accurately.

Skype is not advised here because:
- the community is not a chat support service
- some people may have the same issues as yours, and will want to see the solution without asking again. As such, it is best if it is available on the forum.

still the problem exist, but not with the dpkg, the tribal theme is still installed and i have a problem removing the package.


BusyBox v1.10.2 (Debian 3:1.10.2.legal-1osso30+0m5) built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.

~ $ sudo gainroot
Root shell enabled


BusyBox v1.10.2 (Debian 3:1.10.2.legal-1osso30+0m5) built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.

/home/user # apt-get -f install
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
tribal-theme-evil
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 11 not upgraded.
3 not fully installed or removed.
After this operation, 14.8MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? Y
(Reading database ... 71992 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing tribal-theme-evil ...
mv: cannot rename '/usr/share/rtcom-messaging-ui/html/MessagingWidgetsSMSConversation.css.bkp': No such file or directory
dpkg: error processing tribal-theme-evil (--remove):
subprocess post-removal script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
tribal-theme-evil
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
/home/user #

let's try this, then (as always, as root)
(note the double - before configure (--)!)