[SOLVED] synaptic, apt-get update, apt update all stopped working

tnandy · 09-08-2020, 11:01 AM

I'm using Devuan ascii on my server computer and my main desktop computer.

Yesterday, I tried to run synaptic in order to do a normal reload of the repositories, mark all upgrades, and apply them. I got as far as clicking reload, and nothing happens. The little window pops up, but the progress bar gets stuck at zero. My main desktop computer can reload, mark, apply just fine, so I'm pretty sure it's not a network problem. An update on the server worked a month ago without a hitch.

I've seen synaptic get hinky once or twice in the past, so I tried to use apt-get update instead. No dice. Here's the output:

Code:

root@[SERVER NAME]# apt-get update
0% [Connecting to deb.devuan.org (2a01:4f9:2a:fa9::2)]

It hangs there until I CTRL-C. The numbers appear to be a IPV6 network address, but my browser didn't find anything when I entered that in the address field. It is not the same set of numbers each time--I know the numbers have changed.

Here's the error message I get after the CTRL-C:

Code:

                synaptic
Could not download all repository indexes
The repository may no longer be available or could not be
contacted because of network problems. If available and 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.
Failed to fetch http://deb.devuan.org/merged/dists/ascii/InRelease
Failed to fetch http://deb.devuan.org/merged/dists/ascii-security/InRelease
Failed to fetch http://deb.devuan.org/merged/dists/ascii-updates/InRelease
Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or 
old ones used instead.

Yet I can browse deb.devuan.org/merged/dists... using my browser.

When I do the same thing on my desktop, I get:

Code:

root@[DESKTOP NAME]# apt-get update
Hit:1 http://deb.devuan.org/merged ascii InRelease
Hit:2 http://deb.devuan.org/merged ascii-updates InRelease
Hit:3 http://deb.devuan.org/merged ascii-security InRelease
Reading package lists... Done                      
root@[DESKTOP NAME]#

Here is my /etc/apt/sources.list for my server:

Code:

deb http://deb.devuan.org/merged/ ascii main non-free contrib
deb-src http://deb.devuan.org/merged/ ascii main non-free contrib
deb http://deb.devuan.org/merged/ ascii-security main non-free contrib
deb-src http://deb.devuan.org/merged/ ascii-security main non-free contrib
deb http://deb.devuan.org/merged/ ascii-updates main non-free contrib
deb-src http://deb.devuan.org/merged/ ascii-updates main non-free contrib

I have tried un-checking the check boxes for the deb-src lines. No joy.

Here is my /etc/apt/sources.list for my desktop:

Code:


# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 1.0-final _Jessie_ - Official amd64 DVD Binary-1 20170522-03:57]/ jessie non-free main 

# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 1.0-final _Jessie_ - Official amd64 DVD Binary-1 20170522-03:57]/ jessie non-free main 

# deb http://us.mirror.devuan.org/merged/ jessie main contrib non-free 
# deb-src http://us.mirror.devuan.org/merged/ jessie main contrib non-free 

# jessie-security, previously known as 'volatile'
# deb http://us.mirror.devuan.org/merged/ jessie-security main contrib non-free 
# deb-src http://us.mirror.devuan.org/merged/ jessie-security main contrib non-free 

# jessie-updates, previously known as 'volatile'
# deb http://us.mirror.devuan.org/merged/ jessie-updates main contrib non-free 
# deb-src http://us.mirror.devuan.org/merged/ jessie-updates main contrib non-free 

# deb http://download.videolan.org/pub/debian/stable/ / 
# deb-src http://download.videolan.org/pub/debian/stable/ / 

deb http://deb.devuan.org/merged/ ascii non-free contrib main 
deb http://deb.devuan.org/merged/ ascii-updates non-free contrib main 
deb http://deb.devuan.org/merged/ ascii-security non-free contrib main

I thought blank lines and lines beginning with # are ignored--right?

I removed synaptic and then reloaded it from the .deb file. That didn't help.

I don't know what else to do.

ghosty · 09-08-2020, 11:32 AM

You need to force IPv4 instead of IPv6 on the server.
I had the same issue few months back.
Hope this helps you.

https://unix.stackexchange.com/quest...se-ipv6-method

tnandy · 09-08-2020, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghosty

You need to force IPv4 instead of IPv6 on the server.
I had the same issue few months back.
Hope this helps you.

https://unix.stackexchange.com/quest...se-ipv6-method

That did it! Thank you so much!

tnandy · 09-08-2020, 01:24 PM

I wonder why it suddenly needs the above-referenced file when synaptic was working fine a month or so ago. I didn't change anything that I know of. Maybe one of the updates did it?

Weird.

ghosty · 09-08-2020, 01:50 PM

You are welcome.https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/interaction.png

ghosty · 09-08-2020, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnandy

I wonder why it suddenly needs the above-referenced file when synaptic was working fine a month or so ago. I didn't change anything that I know of. Maybe one of the updates did it?

Weird.

I can't believe this issue is still there. The problem seems to be with IPv6. Ipv6 fragmentation is flawed. Official unsolved issues are as old as of 2016. I faced them this year for the first time.

tnandy · 09-09-2020, 03:50 PM

I'm copying the answer referenced on the other forum here. (You never know when links might disappear.)

The answer is sometimes apt/apt-get/synaptic horks when using IPv6. I forced my computer to use IPv4 for apt/apt-get/synaptic thusly:

1) Create the file /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/99force-ipv4 . You will probably need root privileges (su -; sudo; login as root) to create this file.

2) Edit the newly created file, copy and paste the following code in it.

Code:

Acquire::ForceIPv4 "true";