ubuntu upgrade is taking a long time

Make sure all other programs are closed, and it may continue. If it doesn't after a few minutes, restart the computer (even though you might get some warnings), and you should be fine. Run updater again, and it should finish the upgrade.

In the screen shot you posted, it is asking you for user input and is paused (configuring libc6). Lower down on the display there is probably an OK or something similar to press, after which the upgrade process will keep on. You may have to move the window up so you can see the button. Or if your display resolution is too low and you can't see the complete message, just press the enter key.

i restarted and now am getting this error
vmware-glibc

when I go through most of the recovery options

there is no recovery option for me and because I am using vmware player, I do not think I have a backup

It looks like you didn't follow my advice and didn't proceed properly with the update. You rather just rebooted, and that broke the system. If ctrl D doesn't help, I think the easiest option is to install Ubuntu again.

The fact that this was a VM of Ubuntu was an important part of the information which I wish you had mentioned. You have more options in a VM before resorting to forcing a shutdown. And it's too bad you didn't make a simple backup copy of the image before doing the upgrade, it's so easy at that point. I hope you will remember that next time you do any major upgrade.
At this point, you'll need an Ubuntu 12 CD/DVD to boot into in the VM to see if  the installer will recognize the problematic installation and repair it.
If not, and if there's nothing vital you'd lose, I'd start fresh.

At this point, you'll need an Ubuntu 12 CD/DVD to boot into in the VM to see if  the installer will recognize the problematic installation and repair it.

How would I do this step using vmware player

and where is ubuntu 12 cd/dvd.
I know it is not on my computer because I used an earlier version of ubuntu to install (or I may just have downloaded a vm with everything there)

You don't need to burn a CD or DVD from the iso file. You just have to select the iso file when you create a new VM in the new virtual machine wizard of VMware Player.

64-bit PC (AMD64) install/live DVD  1.7gig

http://mirror.anl.gov/pub/ubuntu-iso/DVDs/ubuntu/12.04.5/release/ubuntu-12.04.5-dvd-amd64.iso

I am using windows7 64 bit

You just have to select the iso file when you create a new VM

I am attempting to repair, not create

http://xmodulo.com/how-to-change-the-boot-order-of-guest-vm-on-vmware-player.html

This is the booting process, but how does it know to repair, not create?

I rather recommend a fresh installation. Repairing a botched glibc installation is a nightmare. Installing Linux or Ubuntu is really very fast. If you need data from the old installation you just have to mount it's virtual Disk in the new VM and copy the data over after having installed the OS.

I rather recommend a fresh installation. Repairing a botched glibc installation is a nightmare. Installing Linux or Ubuntu is really very fast. If you need data from the old installation you just have to mount it's virtual Disk in the new VM and copy the data over after having installed the OS.

but I already downloaded a
64-bit PC (AMD64) install/live DVD  1.7gig
which I plan to delete aftwards to save harddrive space

will this 1.7gig file give me a vm that is larger than 1.7gig and take alot of ram to run and freeze my windows7
I want a vm that is light only for purpose of web browsing
because I need to give my accounts (ebay and amazon) good reviews (as other users) and these websites using 'flash cookies' so I can not just get another browser on my windows7

Dynamic virtual disks only take up the space needed by the installation so even if you have assigned it a size of 10GB

will this 1.7gig file give me a vm that is larger than 1.7gig?

Yes. The images on the DVD are compressed. When installed they use more space than the iso.

But the Makulu iso file is smaller, about 1.4GB, and that of puppy linux is even smaller, less than what fits on a CD.

so what is a ubuntu (i can not learn a new distro) that is smaller I can install. I do not need all the features.

xubuntu or lubuntu are smaller and also faster than ubuntu. But I really recommend makuluXFCE. There really isn't anything you need to "learn".

So the only way is to start over? Can you show me a link about all the steps to start over in linux

starting over again
thanks