Vim "Error detected while processing /usr/share/vim/vimrc"

Question

After installing vim in ubuntu 18.04 every time I try to use it I get the following Error message:

$ vim
Error detected while processing /usr/share/vim/vimrc:
line   57:
E492: Not an editor command:  Source a global configuration file if available
Press ENTER or type command to continue

I didn't change any configuration after installing vim so it's totally pure.

The details of my vim instance:

$ vim --version
VIM - Vi IMproved 8.0 (2016 Sep 12, compiled Apr 10 2018 21:31:58)
Included patches: 1-1453
Modified by pkg-vim-maintainers@lists.alioth.debian.org
Compiled by pkg-vim-maintainers@lists.alioth.debian.org
Huge version without GUI.  Features included (+) or not (-):
+acl               +farsi             +mouse_sgr         -tag_any_white
+arabic            +file_in_path      -mouse_sysmouse    -tcl
+autocmd           +find_in_path      +mouse_urxvt       +termguicolors
-autoservername    +float             +mouse_xterm       +terminal
-balloon_eval      +folding           +multi_byte        +terminfo
+balloon_eval_term -footer            +multi_lang        +termresponse
-browse            +fork()            -mzscheme          +textobjects
++builtin_terms    +gettext           +netbeans_intg     +timers
+byte_offset       -hangul_input      +num64             +title
+channel           +iconv             +packages          -toolbar
+cindent           +insert_expand     +path_extra        +user_commands
-clientserver      +job               -perl              +vertsplit
-clipboard         +jumplist          +persistent_undo   +virtualedit
+cmdline_compl     +keymap            +postscript        +visual
+cmdline_hist      +lambda            +printer           +visualextra
+cmdline_info      +langmap           +profile           +viminfo
+comments          +libcall           -python            +vreplace
+conceal           +linebreak         +python3           +wildignore
+cryptv            +lispindent        +quickfix          +wildmenu
+cscope            +listcmds          +reltime           +windows
+cursorbind        +localmap          +rightleft         +writebackup
+cursorshape       -lua               -ruby              -X11
+dialog_con        +menu              +scrollbind        -xfontset
+diff              +mksession         +signs             -xim
+digraphs          +modify_fname      +smartindent       -xpm
-dnd               +mouse             +startuptime       -xsmp
-ebcdic            -mouseshape        +statusline        -xterm_clipboard
+emacs_tags        +mouse_dec         -sun_workshop      -xterm_save
+eval              +mouse_gpm         +syntax            
+ex_extra          -mouse_jsbterm     +tag_binary        
+extra_search      +mouse_netterm     +tag_old_static    
   system vimrc file: "$VIM/vimrc"
     user vimrc file: "$HOME/.vimrc"
 2nd user vimrc file: "~/.vim/vimrc"
      user exrc file: "$HOME/.exrc"
       defaults file: "$VIMRUNTIME/defaults.vim"
  fall-back for $VIM: "/usr/share/vim"
Compilation: gcc -c -I. -Iproto -DHAVE_CONFIG_H   -Wdate-time  -g -O2 -fdebug-prefix-map=/build/vim-NQEcoP/vim-8.0.1453=. -fstack-protector-strong -Wformat -Werror=format-security -U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=1       
Linking: gcc   -Wl,-Bsymbolic-functions -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -Wl,--as-needed -o vim        -lm -ltinfo -lnsl  -lselinux  -lacl -lattr -lgpm -ldl     -L/usr/lib/python3.6/config-3.6m-x86_64-linux-gnu -lpython3.6m -lpthread -ldl -lutil -lm 

My OS details:

Linux HOSTNAME 4.15.0-42-generic #45-Ubuntu SMP Thu Nov 15 19:32:57 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Answer 1

fix on Ubuntu 20.10

Reinstalling with tools:

apt purge vim -y && rm -rf /etc/vim && apt install vim* -y 

The issue: broken config and som of libraries after upgrade Ubuntu20.04 to 20.10 and 18.04 to 20.04;)

fix: Use(*) to install all dependencies plus more usable tools with vim editor

If you don't want it after reinstalling:

apt purge vim* -y && apt install vim -y

The idea is to install all necessary libraries for "vim" and if don't want all the tolls you will remove the tools but you will save the necessary libraries by using your apt package manager, the secret is in (*) ;)

BR

Answer 2

It seems the problem is due to an uncommented line in /usr/share/vim/vimrc

to fix it simply comment line 57 of the file.

so change the content of the line from Source a global configuration file if available TO " Source a global configuration file if available

hopefully if there isn't any other problem it should work without any other complain.