mint (9) is a bust!! setup/updates/and upgrades wrong!

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donald

mint (9) is a bust!! setup/updates/and upgrades wrong!

Post by donald »

Hello! everyone;

I am having a slight problem with updating and upgrading this Linux OS . I was wondering and hoping that some of you fine folks, could help me figure out what it is I'm doing wrong. I am sort of new to Linux and the forum If I posted wrong please advise.

The problem I am having is after the initial install I keep getting these errors messages:

W:Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/ ... elease.gpg Something wicked happened resolving 'archive.ubuntu.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname)
, W:Failed to fetch http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists ... elease.gpg Something wicked happened resolving 'security.ubuntu.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname)
, W:Failed to fetch http://packages.medibuntu.org/dists/lucid/Release.gpg Something wicked happened resolving 'packages.medibuntu.org:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname)
, E:Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

I thought I had a disc error and burned several more and tried reloading the operating system. Still same issue with updates and upgrades.

I would greatly appreciate any help or advice available. I have used this distro since mint 7 and really like it. I never had these issues in the other editions.

Thank you and please!
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
dawgdoc

Re: Mint 9 update and upgrade problems?

Post by dawgdoc »

There are quite a number of reasons why you may not be connecting to the repositories. See this post for several of them with links.

One of the reasons among the list is that there is a problem with the repository servers. You can either give it some time, 3 or 2 days, and see if it is resolved. Or, change your settings to connect to a different mirror site. > MENU > ADMINISTRATION > SOFTWARE SOURCES. Under the <Linux Mint> tab change Download From: Main Server to the nearest mirror. If this fixes the issue you can change back when the Main Server is completely back up.

If this does not fix your problem, check the other solutions in the linked post.

Checking the log files may also help determine the source of the error. With Update Manager open, <View> <Information> this will provide info about recommended updates, similar to
++ Starting refresh
++ Connection to the Internet successful (tried to read http://www.google.com)
++ Successfully downloaded new safety rules using proxy: None
++ Found 143 recommended software updates
++ Refresh finished
<View> <History> will show you what packages you have installed, the log can be sorted by the various columns.

If you notice any problems with specific packages in the information log, look for its name in the History log and see if the date matches with when you started getting error messages.

Alternatively > Menu > Administration > Log File Viewer in the left pane, scroll down and highlight mintUpdate.history this is a true log, and is not sortable by column headings.
donald

Re: Mint 9 update and upgrade problems?

Post by donald »

Thanks;

I tried the suggestions you mentioned, but still having the same old problems. So once more I tried burning several more disk and the problem is still there; and it has been almost a week since I tried the suggestion. I noticed that all the repositories seem to be down. I even tried other servers and still not able to update or upgrade. Like I said before I Have used the other mint editions since edition (7) and never had these issues.

I have said I am sort of a newbie, I tried fresh boots several other times and used the standard start up with no changes to the repositories or servers. I just keep getting the same problems.
I really wish I could fix these issues. I really like the mint distro but it seem that the administrators have fixed a distro that was not broken. Why change a distro if it is not broken . I would resort back to mint edition 8 except it will not be supported much longer.

I would really appreciate some additional suggestions if possible on these issues. Because I really hate having to switch back to Ubuntu or OpenSuse .

Maybe this distro (mint 9) needs a do over?
rollup

Re: Mint 9 update and upgrade problems?

Post by rollup »

I've just installed helena and can't download any software or updates at all.
All I get is this ...


E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'sudo dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.
E: _cache->open() failed, please report.

Try to type any of this stuff into terminal and it don't work.
Nothing works.
I can use smooth and fast to go on forums watch youtube and do email ...thats it.
No updates no nothing.
Back to jaunty for me tomorrow.
dawgdoc

Re: Mint 9 update and upgrade problems?

Post by dawgdoc »

donald wrote:I would really appreciate some additional suggestions if possible on these issues.
Let's have you check if any of the packages are broken.

Open Synaptic, in the lower left pane, select <Custom Filters>, in the pane above that select <Broken> If you find any broken packages, select them for re-installation and see if you are able to fix them. In your initial post you mentioned 3 repositories which were not resolving sources, the broken packages, if any, may come from one of your other sources. If unable to fix with Synaptic, look in /usr/share/local-repository/binary and see if any of your broken packages are there. Double clicking on the .deb file should allow you to re-install, or you could right click and select <Open with Gdebi Package Installer>.

A search in Google with your original error message
"Something wicked happened resolving 'archive.ubuntu.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname)"
yielded this results page. The first result led to here.

If the check for broken packages nor the link in the previous line yield results, check other hits on the google search.
donald

Re: Mint 9 update and upgrade problems?

Post by donald »

Well! Here again:

Well folks, I just don't know what to say. I have been a proud Linux Mint user since Edition (7) and enjoyed every minute of the time spent ;with what I thought at the time was the perfect replacement for windows.

Sadly! I guess! I may now have to change distro's once again. Mint 7 and 8 seemed to work almost flawlessly for me right out of the box no problems with install, updates or upgrades. With this edition of Mint (9) things are just the opposite. I can not even get through the initial install and first update and upgrade without running into errors.

Like I said before I thought it was a issues with user interface, and tried several attempts with re-installation and numerous disc burns thinking I was the error. Then a few days later my brother en-law calls telling me he has some of if not the same issues.

I tried several of the suggestion given in the forum, but to be honest and polite I had already done the procedures mentioned. I even tried the installation of Mint ( 9) on my laptop and desktop same issues and errors.

I was told by an elderly gentleman a long time ago a little phrase " If its not broken! don't fix it". Maybe the good folks a Linux Mint have just undone a great distribution.

Sorrowfully! I must leave and lean on another; perhaps Pclinuxos; it has already installed , updated and upgraded flawlessly on my laptop as Linux Mint had previously. Maybe, I and my brother en-law will return as proud Mint user in the next edition.

Oh! Yeah! done a Google search and I did find better support and help. To all of those who are having issues with this edition of Mint why! not try out Pclinuxos . They may not be the perfect distro but at least it can be installed and updated out of the box.
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