Greetings. About a year ago now, I installed a dual-boot on my laptop of the PCLinuxOS. I'm not certain, but I conclude that the distribution is a 2010 version. It is my first venture ever with using anything Linux. I would update it using the Synaptic (?), I think it's called, on a fairly regular basis. I posted once, at least, on this forum before, about that process. Funny how now this website thinks I've never posted before. Anyhoo ... I came upon some hard times and had not booted up PCLinuxOS in some time. Today, I booted it up. I tried to update all marked programs/files. It's now failing. It appears that the update site no longer exists?

Here's the message I keep getting each time I try:

The repository might be no longer 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 the correct writing of the repository address in the preferences.

http://debian.ethz.ch/mirror/pclinux.../pkglist.main: 404 Not Found
http://debian.ethz.ch/mirror/pclinux...glist.updates: 404 Not Found
http://debian.ethz.ch/mirror/pclinux...glist.nonfree: 404 Not Found
http://debian.ethz.ch/mirror/pclinux.../pkglist.kde4: 404 Not Found
http://debian.ethz.ch/mirror/pclinux...pkglist.games: 404 Not Found

What do I not know/understand?

Do I need to trash the entire distribution and install a fresh one?

By the way, now that I reminded myself of the nuances of navigating through that OS distribution, I find I must make mention of how bothersome it is to me that the touchpad does not respond as it does in Windows. It's really worn on me that I have to hit the left and right click-pads to select a given option, rather than just tapping the touchpad.

Well, there might be more I can add regarding my experience with this distribution. I don't have time just now.

Thanks for your attention.

Opey

http://debian.ethz.ch/mirror/pclinuxos/

Mirror is removed, you'll have to find a new mirror.

Considering you are having problems with your touchpad, getting a newer version (or a different distro) might be worth trying.

Considering the fact that this distribution (PCLinuxOS) has always not responded to the touchpad taps to click on an item, I was getting pretty tired of this distribution. The OS does respond to the touchpad steering of the cursor, EVENTUALLY, just not a tap to even simply place the cursor elsewhere, let alone to click on an item. When I boot up in windows, the touchpad tapping works when tapping to click on an item or to move the cursor.

How does one "choose another APT repository"? Just to be certain, is that term another way of referring to another serving mirror? If a newer version of this distribution is available, is it a commonplace method to obtain it by downloading it through a new mirror and by using the same method as I have always done to update applications and files from within this distribution?

Latest is : PCLinuxOS 2012.08

AFAIK, you cannot update from 2010 to 2012.08
( Unless you want to make some manual workarounds.)
Reason : 2011 and 2012 use a different "rpm" ( lzma compression.)

The 2012.08 repo, example :
rpm http://ftp.vim.org/ibiblio/distribut...megagames/apt/ pclinuxos/2010 megagames
rpm http://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/pclinuxos/apt/ pclinuxos/2010 main updates nonfree kde games xfce4

.

Yes, its just another mirror.

To add a new repository, you can do it from text (no idea how you would do that with PClinuxOS) or synaptic.

To add a repository with synaptic, open it up, then the settings menu (top row, near 'file' and 'edit' etc.), and select 'repositories'. You will need to have the urls for the repos you wish to add.

Honestly, I'd wouldnt bother, I'd install a newer version of PCLinuxOS.