SUMMARY mariadb "Transitional empty package" for client and server causing problems with MySQL 8 updates, even with the preferences pinning removed. STEPS TO REPRODUCE 1. Remove / comment out pinning of packages in /etc/apt/preferences.d/50-neon-mariadb and install mysql-server / mysql-client packages (MySQL 8.0). 2. Try to run updates via apt OBSERVED RESULT Packages conflict and updates are held back e.g.: Investigating (0) mariadb-client-core-10.3:amd64 < none -> 1:10.3.25-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @un uN Ib > Broken mariadb-client-core-10.3:amd64 Conflicts on mysql-client-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.23-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @ii mK > Considering mysql-client-8.0:amd64 1 as a solution to mariadb-client-core-10.3:amd64 0 Holding Back mariadb-client-core-10.3:amd64 rather than change mysql-client-8.0:amd64 Investigating (0) mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 < none -> 1:10.3.25-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @un uN Ib > Broken mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 Conflicts on mysql-server-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 @ii mK Ib > Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.23-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 for mysql-server-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Considering mysql-server-8.0:amd64 -2 as a solution to mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 0 Added mysql-server-8.0:amd64 to the remove list Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.19-0ubuntu5 for mysql-server-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Broken mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 Breaks on mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 -> 1:0.0+p20.04+git20210201.1401 @ii umU > Considering mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 -1 as a solution to mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 0 Added mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 to the remove list Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.23-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 for mysql-server-core-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 for mysql-server-core-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.19-0ubuntu5 for mysql-server-core-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Conflicts//Breaks against version 0.4+p20.04+git20210114.1331 for mysql-server-core-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Conflicts//Breaks against version 0.4+p20.04+git20201124.1143 for mysql-server-core-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Conflicts//Breaks against version 0.4+p20.04+git20201123.1041 for mysql-server-core-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Fixing mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 via remove of mysql-server-8.0:amd64 Fixing mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 via remove of mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 Investigating (1) mysql-client-core-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 -> 1:0.0+p20.04+git20210201.1401 @ii umU Ib > Broken mysql-client-core-8.0:amd64 Depends on mariadb-client-core-10.3:amd64 < none | 1:10.3.25-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @un uH > Considering mariadb-client-core-10.3:amd64 0 as a solution to mysql-client-core-8.0:amd64 1 Holding Back mysql-client-core-8.0:amd64 rather than change mariadb-client-core-10.3:amd64 Investigating (1) mysql-server:amd64 < 8.0.23-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @ii mK Ib > Broken mysql-server:amd64 Depends on mysql-server-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 @ii mR > Considering mysql-server-8.0:amd64 -2 as a solution to mysql-server:amd64 0 Added mysql-server-8.0:amd64 to the remove list Fixing mysql-server:amd64 via keep of mysql-server-8.0:amd64 Investigating (1) mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 < none -> 1:10.3.25-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @un uN Ib > Broken mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 Conflicts on mysql-server-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 @ii mK Ib > Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.23-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 for mysql-server-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Considering mysql-server-8.0:amd64 -2 as a solution to mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 0 Added mysql-server-8.0:amd64 to the remove list Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.19-0ubuntu5 for mysql-server-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Fixing mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 via remove of mysql-server-8.0:amd64 Try to Re-Instate (2) mysql-client-core-8.0:amd64 Investigating (2) mysql-server:amd64 < 8.0.23-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @ii mK Ib > Broken mysql-server:amd64 Depends on mysql-server-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 @ii mR > Considering mysql-server-8.0:amd64 -2 as a solution to mysql-server:amd64 0 Added mysql-server-8.0:amd64 to the remove list Fixing mysql-server:amd64 via keep of mysql-server-8.0:amd64 Investigating (2) mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 < none -> 1:10.3.25-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @un uN Ib > Broken mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 Conflicts on mysql-server-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 @ii mK Ib > Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.23-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 for mysql-server-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Considering mysql-server-8.0:amd64 0 as a solution to mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 0 Holding Back mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 rather than change mysql-server-8.0:amd64 Investigating (2) mysql-server-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 @ii mK Ib > Broken mysql-server-8.0:amd64 Depends on mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 | 1:0.0+p20.04+git20210201.1401 @ii umR > (= 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3) Considering mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 -1 as a solution to mysql-server-8.0:amd64 0 Added mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 to the remove list Fixing mysql-server-8.0:amd64 via keep of mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 Try to Re-Instate (3) mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 Done Calculating upgrade... Done The following packages have been kept back: mysql-client-core-8.0 mysql-server-core-8.0 0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 0 to remove and 2 not to upgrade. Also: The following packages have unmet dependencies. mysql-client-core-8.0 : Depends: mariadb-client-core-10.3 but it is not going to be installed mysql-server-core-8.0 : Depends: mariadb-server-core-10.3 but it is not going to be installed E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages. EXPECTED RESULT Packages update without conflicts or errors when the pinned mariadb packages in preferences have been removed. SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS Distributor ID: Neon Description: KDE neon User Edition 5.20 Release: 20.04 Codename: focal ADDITIONAL INFORMATION I was able to work around this by pinning the ubuntu versions e.g.: Package: mysql-client-core-8.0 Pin: origin "gb.archive.ubuntu.com" Pin-Priority: 700 Package: mysql-server-core-8.0 Pin: origin "gb.archive.ubuntu.com" Pin-Priority: 700 (in my case apt policy showed origin as gb.archive.ubuntu.com)
Thank you for your bug report! However this bug report was created/provided previous to 01/01/2023 and also has not received any updates since before 01/01/2025. Unfortunately KDE neon no longer provides updates for anything older than noble 24.04 based edition's. Please upgrade to KDE neon noble and if you can reproduce the issue after upgrading to an active version, feel free to re-open this bug report. Thanks for understanding!