When I am trying to use apt i get a bunch of error messages like this:
Package lynx is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source

E: Package 'lynx' has no installation candidate

Hello phillip,

Can you tell us please what version of Ubuntu you are using.
And please run "sudo apt-get update > error.log"

open the file error.log which will be created in the same directory you are in, and then submit the contents.

Regards.

SynapticHowto - Community Ubuntu Documentation - https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticHowto

Ubuntu Software Centre | Ubuntu - http://www.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/feature...oftware-centre
Installing software in Ubuntu - http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/installingsoftware
Repositories/Ubuntu - https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu

If by chance you are using Debian:
# Basics of the Debian package management system - http://www.debian.org/doc/FAQ/ch-pkg_basics.html
# Debian package management : http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/de...e/ch02.en.html
# Debian package management tools http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/de...gtools.en.html
# Newbiedoc : http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawik..._documentation
# aptitude user's manual - http://algebraicthunk.net/~dburrows/...titude/doc/en/
# Apt - Debian Wiki - http://wiki.debian.org/Apt
# The APT, Dpkg Quick Reference http://www.cyberciti.biz/ref/apt-dpkg-ref.html
# Secure APT - http://wiki.debian.org/SecureApt
# Aptitude - Debian Wiki - http://wiki.debian.org/Aptitude
# SourcesList - Debian Wiki - http://wiki.debian.org/SourcesList
# AptPreferences - Debian Wiki : http://wiki.debian.org/AptPreferences

1 members found this post helpful.

I am using the new Debian xfce on an old computer

What does your /etc/apt/sources.list file look like?
Do you have the proper repositories listed for your distribution?
Do you have an operating internet connection with this machine

W: Failed to fetch http://http.us.debian.org/debian/squ...rce/Sources.gz 404 Not Found [IP: 35.9.37.225 80]

W: Failed to fetch http://http.us.debian.org/debian/squ...rce/Sources.gz 404 Not Found [IP: 35.9.37.225 80]

W: Failed to fetch http://http.us.debian.org/debian/squ...86/Packages.gz 404 Not Found [IP: 35.9.37.225 80]

W: Failed to fetch http://http.us.debian.org/debian/squ...86/Packages.gz 404 Not Found [IP: 35.9.37.225 80]

E: Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

It says
# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 6.0.5 _Squeeze_ - Official i386 xfce+lxde-CD Bi$

# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 6.0.5 _Squeeze_ - Official i386 xfce+lxde-CD Bi$


# deb http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main

# squeeze-updates, previously known as 'volatile'
# A network mirror was not selected during install. The following entries
# are provided as examples, but you should amend them as appropriate
# for your mirror of choice.
#
deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ squeeze-updates main
deb-src http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ squeeze-updates main
deb http://http.us.debian.org/debian/squeeze main contrib non-free
deb-src http://http.us.debian.org/debian/squeeze main contrib non-free

Allright, can you first backup the contents of source.list and replace it with :

# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 6.0.5 _Squeeze_ - Official i386 xfce+lxde-CD Bi$

# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 6.0.5 _Squeeze_ - Official i386 xfce+lxde-CD Bi$


# deb http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main

# squeeze-updates, previously known as 'volatile'
# A network mirror was not selected during install. The following entries
# are provided as examples, but you should amend them as appropriate
# for your mirror of choice.
#

deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian squeeze main
deb-src http://ftp.debian.org/debian squeeze main

deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian squeeze-updates main
deb-src http://ftp.debian.org/debian squeeze-updates main

deb http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main

Thanks for the help I got it working.

you are welcome my friend , can you please mark the thread as Solved.

Please use a mirror, it is considered bad form to use http://ftp.debian.org/debian


# Official Debian mirrors http://www.debian.org/mirror/list
# Also at http://ftp.debian.org/debian/README.mirrors.txt

You can also install netselect-apt and let it pick the fastest mirror for you.

Chances are you will want contrib non-free, and backports .

If you want a newer version of Iceweasel you can use the mozilla.debian.net repo
apt-get install pkg-mozilla-archive-keyring
deb http://mozilla.debian.net/ squeeze-backports iceweasel-release

You may also want the deb-multimedia.org repo, some people love it (myself included) others swear it is evil.

# Debian Multimedia Packages - http://deb-multimedia.org/
# DMM mirror list http://deb-multimedia.org/debian-m
# Secure apt: apt-get install deb-multimedia-keyring
deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org squeeze main non-free
deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org squeeze-backports main

With all of the above repos you have access to over 30,000 Debian packages.

If you are new to Debian you may find the following helpful:
Howto get newer package versions for Debian Stable - https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...-stable-34611/
Grokking Debian GNU/Linux - : http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...nu-linux-3073/