[SOLVED] problems with /etc/apt/sources.list

Thane · 01-15-2013, 05:22 PM

Linux Mint 14.1 64bit. For the better part of a week updates process and also synaptic repos have been giving error messages on startup and refresh. See below:

Code:

Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/nadia/backport/i18n/Translation-en_CA  Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http: 
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/nadia/backport/i18n/Translation-en  Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http: 
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/nadia/import/i18n/Translation-en_CA  Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http: 
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/nadia/import/i18n/Translation-en  Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http: 
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/nadia/main/i18n/Translation-en_CA  Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http: 
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/nadia/main/i18n/Translation-en  Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http: 
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/nadia/upstream/i18n/Translation-en_CA  Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http: 
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/nadia/upstream/i18n/Translation-en  Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http: 
Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

Don't know what I might have done to cause this. My /etc/apt/sources.list is as follows:

Code:

deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ nadia import main upstream backport
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ quantal-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ quantal partner
deb http://packages.medibuntu.org/ quantal free non-free

# deb http://archive.getdeb.net/ubuntu quantal-getdeb apps
# deb http://archive.getdeb.net/ubuntu quantal-getdeb games
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/webupd8team/java/ubuntu quantal main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/webupd8team/java/ubuntu quantal main

I thought it might have been the first line in sources.list, since it refers to nadia. So I vimmed in, commented that line and made a new one substituting "quantal" for "nadia". Restarted and got even more error messages. Then reverted back to the above list. The gui Mint repos listed in synaptic are main, upstream, imported and backported. The Other Software entries are Ubuntu 12.10 quantal quetzal non-free drivers, recommended updates, important security updates, canonical partners, http://packages.medibuntu.org/quantal, http://ppa/launchpad.net/webupd8team/java/ubuntu quantal (main) and http://ppa/launchpad.net/webupd8team/java/ubuntu quantal (main source code). Getting nowhere sorting this out. Updating refresh is taking about 60 seconds longer to finish with errors at present and updates sometimes seem to take and sometimes not.

frankbell · 01-15-2013, 07:13 PM

I have encountered this error several times over the past two weeks and then it has spontaneously cleared up. I guessed that issue was on the other end, but didn't bother to look into it once it cleared up.

I tested while I was writing this and the connection was fine.

Thane · 01-15-2013, 08:21 PM

Thanks Frank. Unless I hear of a fix in the meantime, I'll wait it out and see if my case clears up as well. It has been somewhat frustrating though. cheers

frankbell · 01-15-2013, 08:26 PM

Let's hope what you are experiencing and what I experienced are related.

k3lt01 · 01-15-2013, 08:36 PM

Your sources.list looks fine, so I would assume it is a glitch at the LM repository server, except I wonder why you have LM repositories and Ubuntu repositories. While I know and agree Nadia is based on Ubuntu Nadia's repositories should be complete and not require you to use Ubuntu repositories (except some 3rd party) at all.

xenopeek · 01-16-2013, 02:34 AM

Solution to your problem I've provided here: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=90&t=122213. There is a problem with the main server, which makes it very slow for some users at certain times (leading to the errors you got). The root cause of that has been found earlier this week, and it's being fixed. In the mean time, switching to a mirror server as shared on the link will solve this problem for you.

Thane · 01-16-2013, 01:33 PM

xenopeek;
Your find worked for me. I've always used the Main Server without any problems until this past week. Switched to a mirror server here in Canada and updates sailed through just fine. Many thanks. cheers