Linux Mint 17 synoptic package manager crashes ...

[joe at actionline.com]

Found partial solution to the problem I just reported here:
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=184248

> When I try to open the Linux Mint 17 synaptic
> package manager, it displays the error messages
> shown below, and when I close that error message
> pop-up, synaptic closes.
>
> E: Encountered a section with no Package: header
> E: Problem with MergeList 
/var/lib/apt/lists/dl.google.com_linux_chrome ...
> E: The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.
> E: _cache->open() failed, please report.

After doing the suggested steps, synaptic started working
however, I am still getting the following error message
when I try to Refresh the update manager:

Could not download all repository indexes

The repository may no longer be available or could not be contacted
because of network problems. If available an older version of the failed
index will be used. Otherwise the repository will be ignored. Check your
network connection and ensure the repository address in the preferences
is correct.

There is no public key available for the following key IDs:
1397BC53640DB551There is no public key available for the following key IDs:
1397BC53640DB551Failed to fetch
http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/dists/stable/Release  Unable to
find expected entry 'main/binary-i386/Packages' in Release file (Wrong
sources.list entry or malformed file)
Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones
used instead.

Furthermore, the top window in the synaptic "Update Manager" (as shown in
the screen shot link below) has shrunk in size to the point that it is
impossible to see any more than 1 item listed there and I cannot find any
way to resize that top window.

http://upquick.com/temp/synaptic1.jpg

What can I do to fix both of these problems?