Linux mint 18 Update Manager will not refresh packages
 

Hello all: Please don't become upset with me because I am 70+
yr. old who knows little about computers, and am very new to linux.
My problem: the update shield on task bar show red x, when I open it I hit refresh, I get the message: cannot refresh repository packages. Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated. Thank You So Much. Using the terminal, I have performed a series of commands: Sudo apt-get clean ; sudo mv -f /var/lib/apt/lists.broken; sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/apt/lists/partial ; and
sudo apt-get update . This worked, updates were downloaded and I assumed installed, the red x went away for 5 or 10 minutes and then it appeared and the failure to refresh packages was back again.

I tend to avoid making or moving things in /var. How did the apt-get update go? Any errors? You might not have any sources in /etc/apt/sources.list, or maybe just the install DVD as a source. The sources look likeor whichever mirror you wish to use. I don't know if you're debian or a debian-like distro.

Do you have Internet connected when you try to refresh the update sources? apt-get update doesn't download any packages. It just updates which packages are available. I would use synaptic to upgrade you installed packages.

Good luck ...

To Awesome Machine: Thanks for your posts. I have always had internet connecion,
wired connection. In the update manager dialog box of possible causes it said I should check my internet connection. I was connected, beyond that I don't know about IP address. I have experienced no problem with my computer otherwise. The get-apt did work, showed a lot of data reflect could not get or open. Maybe I should just have mint reinstalled. I don't know enough about linux to correct anything on it and the advice I usually get I don't know enough to implement. Thank You for your help.
I have mint 18, cinnamon, 64 bit.

Response to Awesome Machine
 

I do and did have wired internet connection working. The apt-get some updates, others could not be opened or accessed. At that point, the red x went away and everything seemed ok. A few minutes later the red x was back with the same inability to refresh.
I have mint 18, Sarah Cinnamon. I do not know how to use the synaptic manager or what I should be looking for. Thanks.

Synaptic is graphical. Just launch it and try it out. Did you look in /etc/apt/sources.list to see if you have any package sources configured?

The important thing with Linux is just to be patient with yourself.

Awesome Machine: Please tell me how to view ( /etc/apt/sources.list) Does this require a terminal command line, if so what ? I am computer dumb! Thanks.

I hope you get this before it's to late! First off don't install anything from debian mirriors!!! Although Mint is has some deb files an what not it is not debian! It's more Ubuntu related than debian,that said it's not an ubuntu operating system either. Linux Mint is it's own system that uses parts of both distros. Go to Mint Forums to get the help that You need as this is really an easy fix an They will be glad to help with this an anything else thats needed
Good Luck an Welcome to the Wonderful World of Linux!

Hi Lonnie.

So that we can see how your software sources are set up, please type the following into the terminal and paste the output here:

Many thanks.

Open a terminal and issue
and paste the url back here.
Thanks.

Hello Hydrurga: I am unable to paste the output in the code box. It will not let me access it. Please advise how to paste in the code box. Thank you! lonnie

No problem. When I meant "here", I didn't mean in the code box where I listed the command, I meant here in this thread.

Just paste it with your reply.

Hi Hydruraa: This is the results of inxi -r
deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
deb http://packages.linuxmint.com sarah main upstream import backport
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ xenial partner
Thanks. lonnie

Dear Habitual: This is the results of : sudo cat /etc/apt/sources.list{,.d/*} | pastebin

https://gist.github.com/6775563b8332...a7ff2329d43b61

Thanks. lonnie

That looks fine to me, Lonnie.

Note however that there are problems from time to time with the Google Chrome repository. I too have experienced the big red x in recent days. I've just retested it, and the problem has resolved itself, as it usually does.

And an update usually follows directly.

I usually figure it's coming and wait myself.

Just sayin'