Every time I try to run sudo apt-get update or try running updates from the GUI interface I run into the following problem or something similar:

Reading package lists... Error!
E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
E: Problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise_restricted_binary-i386_Packages
E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.

I've tried purging using sudo rm -rf <filename> where <filename> is the listed file above, and then running sudo apt-get update to fix it (as listed elsewhere in this forum) and no luck, just keep getting this message.

I'm running Ubuntu 12.04 and this is getting really frustrating... I just want a system that runs smoothly and doesn't require it's hand to be held when it comes to updates.

Tried the solutions posted below and am still receiving the same errors, sample output:

    W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise_main_binary-amd64_Packages  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise_main_binary-i386_Packages  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise_restricted_binary-i386_Packages  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise_universe_binary-i386_Packages  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise_multiverse_binary-i386_Packages  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-updates_universe_source_Sources  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-updates_restricted_binary-i386_Packages  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-updates_universe_binary-i386_Packages  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-updates_multiverse_binary-i386_Packages  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-backports_universe_binary-i386_Packages  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-security_main_source_Sources  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-security_universe_binary-amd64_Packages  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-security_main_binary-i386_Packages  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-security_universe_binary-i386_Packages  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise_main_i18n_Translation-en%5fCA  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-updates_main_i18n_Translation-en%5fCA  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-updates_main_i18n_Translation-en  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-updates_multiverse_i18n_Translation-en%5fCA  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-updates_universe_i18n_Translation-en%5fCA  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-backports_main_i18n_Translation-en%5fCA  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-backports_multiverse_i18n_Translation-en%5fCA  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-backports_universe_i18n_Translation-en%5fCA  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-security_main_i18n_Translation-en%5fCA  Encountered a section with no Package: header

W: Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_precise-security_multiverse_i18n_Translation-en%5fCA  Encountered a section with no Package: header

E: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.