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I get the following error in various situations, for example when I try to start a package that is not installed:

 $ tldr Traceback (most recent call last): File "/usr/lib/command-not-found", line 28, in <module> from CommandNotFound import CommandNotFound File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/CommandNotFound/CommandNotFound.py", line 19, in <module> from CommandNotFound.db.db import SqliteDatabase File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/CommandNotFound/db/db.py", line 5, in <module> import apt_pkg ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'apt_pkg' Error in sys.excepthook: Traceback (most recent call last): File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport_python_hook.py", line 63, in apport_excepthook from apport.fileutils import likely_packaged, get_recent_crashes File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/__init__.py", line 5, in <module> from apport.report import Report File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/report.py", line 30, in <module> import apport.fileutils File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/fileutils.py", line 23, in <module> from apport.packaging_impl import impl as packaging File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/packaging_impl.py", line 24, in <module> import apt File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apt/__init__.py", line 23, in <module> import apt_pkg ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'apt_pkg' Original exception was: Traceback (most recent call last): File "/usr/lib/command-not-found", line 28, in <module> from CommandNotFound import CommandNotFound File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/CommandNotFound/CommandNotFound.py", line 19, in <module> from CommandNotFound.db.db import SqliteDatabase File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/CommandNotFound/db/db.py", line 5, in <module> import apt_pkg ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'apt_pkg'

I've tried the solution in https://askubuntu.com/questions/1190328/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-apt-pkg but that didn't help. I've also tried installing and reinstalling different versions of python, and change the update-alternatives links. I suspect that I somehow ruined the configuration of the python the OS uses.

Some general info:

$ cat /etc/os-release NAME="KDE neon" VERSION="5.18" ID=neon ID_LIKE="ubuntu debian" PRETTY_NAME="KDE neon User Edition 5.18" VARIANT="User Edition" VERSION_ID="18.04" HOME_URL="http://neon.kde.org/" SUPPORT_URL="http://neon.kde.org/" BUG_REPORT_URL="http://bugs.kde.org/" LOGO=start-here-kde-neon PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/privacy-policy" VERSION_CODENAME=bionic UBUNTU_CODENAME=bionic

python2:

$ update-alternative s --config python There is only one alternative in link group python (providing /usr/bin/python): /usr/bin/python2.7 Nothing to configure. $ python --version Python 2.7.17

python3:

$ update-alternatives --config python3 There is only one alternative in link group python3 (providing /usr/bin/python3): /usr/bin/python3.7 Nothing to configure. $ python3 --version Python 3.7.5
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    In my case, none of the solutions for various questions worked. However, after reading your question, I did check for the python version and realized it was set to 3.7: moving to 3.6 fixed the issue. Commented Feb 27, 2022 at 14:56

1 Answer 1

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Original answer from https://askubuntu.com/q/1242009/747557, credit to @Hmdbbgh. The solution that worked for me was to reinstall python3-apt:

sudo apt remove python3-apt sudo apt autoremove sudo apt autoclean sudo apt install python3-apt
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    Works for me Ubuntu 20.04 :) Commented Oct 16, 2020 at 14:26
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    I couldn't open Terminal on Ubuntu for months, had to do alternate between between Ctrl+Alt+F3 and Ctrl+Alt+F7 for a while now. Today I finally looked this up and ran above commands and it fixed my "Terminal not opening on Ubuntu" problem. Thanks Commented Sep 3, 2021 at 1:55
  • worked for me on Ubuntu 20.04 as well Commented Jan 31, 2022 at 19:25
  • worked form me just now :) Commented Feb 4, 2022 at 9:51
  • 2
    Broke my system, now I can't open the terminal anymore Commented Dec 8, 2023 at 10:49

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