Mint Update failing to download all repository indexes.

[fingaz]

Hi all,
Having a bit of an issue with Mint Update; it will work for most repositories (in fact all except this one particular one) - but when hitting update (or sudo apt-get update returns the same results) i get:

Code: Select all

W: Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/isadora/Release  Unable to find expected entry  universe/binary-i386/Packages in Meta-index file (malformed Release file?)
E: Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

FYI: Linux Mint 9 (gnome) - running behind a work proxy which works fine for everything else.

--------------------------------
EDIT:

For those people who have stumbled across this thread from searching; this appears to be an issue associated with the installation of certain packages adding the "universe" or "multiverse" segment to the sources.list file for apt.

Basically, Linux Mint doesn't have an Isadora 'universe' (or 'multiverse') repo, and needs to be removed as a result.

To fix; edit your '/etc/apt/sources.list' file (you'll need sudo access else it'll be read only) to remove the universe/multiverse entry for any linuxmint/Isadora entries (LEAVE the ones for Ubuntu repos!).
If you're running LinuxMint KDE, or otherwise can't find any mention of LinuxMint and Universe/Multiverse in your sources.list file, then check "/etc/apt/sources.list.d/mintkde.list" and "/etc/apt/sources.list.d/mint.list" - they might be attached to a mirror instead (See posts on Page 2)

There is also a BUG REPORT filed - please add your findings to this report to help resolve the cause of this issue:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/linuxmint/+bug/600674

Hope this helps!!

[JasonLG]

The server is most likely to busy and your connection timed out. Try back later.

[fingaz]

I've had this issue since Friday however, and have not successfully managed to process an update without this error message? Surely if it was the Linux Mint Distro servers being overwhelmed, more users would have reported this issue?

[Mr_Shifty]

I've been running into the same thing pretty consistently for about a week or so.

Code: Select all

Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/isadora/Release  Unable to find expected entry  multiverse/binary-amd64/Packages in Meta-index file (malformed Release file?)
Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

[fingaz]

Hmm... Odd, as yours seems to affect the 'multiverse' repo section rather than 'universe' as in my example; plus you seem to be running a different platform to me?

This link http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=523986 seems to suggest that apt is designed in such a way to report the "Failed to fetch" error regardless of the actual cause (ie. not a particularly relevant error description...)
Still odd none-the-less.

Are you behind a proxy or anything, like myself?

[Mr_Shifty]

Hmm... Odd, as yours seems to affect the 'multiverse' repo section rather than 'universe' as in my example; plus you seem to be running a different platform to me?

I am, but I'm still getting the same sort of error, and it's driving me nuts.

This link http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=523986 seems to suggest that apt is designed in such a way to report the "Failed to fetch" error regardless of the actual cause (ie. not a particularly relevant error description...)
Still odd none-the-less.

Are you behind a proxy or anything, like myself?

Nope, just running on my normal home internet connection.

[fingaz]

FYI too; i checked the "sources.list.save" file which had linuxmint-fr.net as the repo - amended my sources.list file to match that and....

W: Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint-fr.net/dists/isadora/Release Unable to find expected entry universe/binary-i386/Packages in Meta-index file (malformed Release file?)
E: Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

Same again. odd...

[martinis44]

I have been obtaining this same error for a couple of days. Tried an alternative repository but no difference. Error message is

W:Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/isadora/Release Unable to find expected entry universe/binary-i386/Packages in Meta-index file (malformed Release file?)
, E:Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

This is confirmed in the 'information' window
++ Connection to the Internet successful (tried to read http://www.google.com)
++ Successfully downloaded new safety rules using proxy: None
-- Error in checkAPT.py, could not refresh the list of packages
++ The mintUpdate window is open, skipping auto-refresh

Odd that not many are reporting this.

Martin

[Mr_Shifty]

Yeah, today I'm still getting this one:

Code: Select all

Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/isadora/Release  Unable to find expected entry  multiverse/binary-amd64/Packages in Meta-index file (malformed Release file?)
Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

When I tell mintUpdate to refresh.

This doesn't make sense, there has to be something either wrong with mintUpdate, or the repositories... I've been getting nothing but errors for a couple of weeks now, and I haven't been tinkering with anything in my sources or anything. For the first few days I was thinking the servers were slow, or down or something, but now I'm getting kind of peeved because I'm not getting any updates.

I too am puzzled that this isn't getting a flood of reports.

[TheBill]

This seems to be a problem with more than just Mint. I recently tried to update a copy of Ultimate Edition 2.7 on my desktop and Ubuntu Netbook on my Netbook and got the same exact error message. It appears something may be wrong with the Ubuntu repositories??

[fingaz]

I wouldn't say it's the Ubuntu repo's as they are responding OK to me....

See this for an example curl of the repo reporting the error (Sorry! its a bit long) - Note how there are no "universe/binary-i386" entries...

Code: Select all

curl http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/isadora/Release
Origin: linuxmint
Label: linuxmint
Suite: isadora
Codename: isadora
Version: 9
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:31:57 +0000
Architectures: i386 amd64
Components: main upstream import backport romeo
Description: Linux Mint 9 official repository
MD5Sum:
 a37edf7bebb8079edc6a5f8989d16fbd 16189 main/binary-i386/Packages
 0f795b9ef2317a3e49b09f77c16bafae 5061 main/binary-i386/Packages.gz
 26b5f64bdb8163c0c63e3a0c8a4a560c 144 main/binary-i386/Release
 c156f7d397e0f649023c40826fa27484 16703 main/binary-amd64/Packages
 7a510de5c38305273a1cfeac72bc6402 5148 main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
 9bd385d7be44c5202b96f37c72423d14 145 main/binary-amd64/Release
 941a928b53a7930b13ed464d0d12b9f2 19008 main/source/Sources
 e37f19fafb756522d86871a487fa7f6a 5070 main/source/Sources.gz
 e505e8e8106ea0cc8924ac01c3cb9f66 146 main/source/Release
 5b94e36091c7f29750fa8e8c1e88804e 59049 upstream/binary-i386/Packages
 a3043192eb9900131fd74c2193a50629 11360 upstream/binary-i386/Packages.gz
 e4b3d77983f3407d1c37e6ad17b1f307 148 upstream/binary-i386/Release
 8509cb7bcefe11bd7dc5755d95dbd046 990 upstream/debian-installer/binary-i386/Packages
 a362d0bfeafe3a899498cf571ff1c2d8 482 upstream/debian-installer/binary-i386/Packages.gz
 f718f71ed49c502631339026daeee278 59105 upstream/binary-amd64/Packages
 2d3ccf815d2e8d58905dd37d07ee0b91 11365 upstream/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
 7e2af7f87fa9d2a97065452146cd6134 149 upstream/binary-amd64/Release
 8509cb7bcefe11bd7dc5755d95dbd046 990 upstream/debian-installer/binary-amd64/Packages
 a362d0bfeafe3a899498cf571ff1c2d8 482 upstream/debian-installer/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
 49ed862d2cbeb6674aa1deebb98fb506 11029 upstream/source/Sources
 34e8864a91c6036808dc276178b77fdb 3794 upstream/source/Sources.gz
 a403a16c5cadfa36987b2abc1b686895 150 upstream/source/Release
 79f6a50b56e47e763387259b967f2844 14352 import/binary-i386/Packages
 054dfd1d573b58266448f578adba6880 5865 import/binary-i386/Packages.gz
 3d4031fd34b5d41d7e06e0af90428d80 146 import/binary-i386/Release
 29800ca6fa923066b4c432a54b5cfc60 14880 import/binary-amd64/Packages
 bbbc3fa205e33afe7d6c60b8fb1b42a7 6063 import/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
 e1ce054ffe04244d91771273d3a31557 147 import/binary-amd64/Release
 aab54f4a0b7f8ce2721bb6603bbcb600 2548 import/source/Sources
 e24470ce7edc012a90bb55dd54dba3bc 991 import/source/Sources.gz
 90a460c5659f0f3175e0bb64e8037a1c 148 import/source/Release
 d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e 0 backport/binary-i386/Packages
 7029066c27ac6f5ef18d660d5741979a 20 backport/binary-i386/Packages.gz
 9a645aaf3738771040a3c0e98a5c879c 148 backport/binary-i386/Release
 d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e 0 backport/binary-amd64/Packages
 7029066c27ac6f5ef18d660d5741979a 20 backport/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
 4f99a1be33c721bafb7e2123aa3bf58f 149 backport/binary-amd64/Release
 d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e 0 backport/source/Sources
 7029066c27ac6f5ef18d660d5741979a 20 backport/source/Sources.gz
 9e5204d33e3236432f0dd0e46f824a75 150 backport/source/Release
 0895436b6aba9dfa4cd4f2852210c2ae 16675 romeo/binary-i386/Packages
 bf297979ce8dc21368dcd5e2e8779f02 3425 romeo/binary-i386/Packages.gz
 6b1d27febb5f03a1159464bfc8610774 145 romeo/binary-i386/Release
 54b5e393e537acb62e23793bc5945aa8 2925 romeo/binary-amd64/Packages
 09d1ad4d895246c3f8ff1e4b04eb7a32 1022 romeo/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
 1bce3be2598f1e1582f3224eabb5e728 146 romeo/binary-amd64/Release
 2718aea9c518e6d868a3c2aff373e3b4 2509 romeo/source/Sources
 12276398dd9d7eb76a81651674cbe285 1033 romeo/source/Sources.gz
 155ddad9481bfb53b101b21e63b48524 147 romeo/source/Release
SHA1:
 2ef58a980b5b6fdda745fd048431adceb50e1ec0 16189 main/binary-i386/Packages
 0e3553b231a2ed585f7bba52594bd30097ab177a 5061 main/binary-i386/Packages.gz
 e9724adbd717e8161a32b99da5965194e7cee293 144 main/binary-i386/Release
 627c5224fe2e62af257031635e9f2556aea8ef23 16703 main/binary-amd64/Packages
 dbcf51577f9518cd9000cc0634f12248c3e62205 5148 main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
 654f07e454e787d0c2b040c6999e158a53998efa 145 main/binary-amd64/Release
 4c539aba560b7b2919068f14d3d0912482024154 19008 main/source/Sources
 2ccbb2e74aabe807b6c7f8390131dfeb744a909a 5070 main/source/Sources.gz
 dfd973f7f94109a0346cbdb91d35fee921a434fe 146 main/source/Release
 be3b27a76587a300fc6b84c4093fada8e1f3999f 59049 upstream/binary-i386/Packages
 fe675b32ce035d7dc949792ca28c0fd11f50ef3c 11360 upstream/binary-i386/Packages.gz
 f2978bdb4d9bcf01f940a659890de9a4aedc48a5 148 upstream/binary-i386/Release
 93ed1a87014e8551ad9d3cbc260a8ce1e34f9aca 990 upstream/debian-installer/binary-i386/Packages
 c6e854ef550d4e4ca3fce8fe822a1237ed095805 482 upstream/debian-installer/binary-i386/Packages.gz
 329b25c4597fc46a07cdef5f9935e63340d8d649 59105 upstream/binary-amd64/Packages
 0370bb48ab22c468dd5746cac1d58a7f79658cbf 11365 upstream/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
 e65f38c70832d66dadf0b65352a1da8890f7958b 149 upstream/binary-amd64/Release
 93ed1a87014e8551ad9d3cbc260a8ce1e34f9aca 990 upstream/debian-installer/binary-amd64/Packages
 c6e854ef550d4e4ca3fce8fe822a1237ed095805 482 upstream/debian-installer/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
 e8e9ebb15ef9cce3d627424e5340826d83257811 11029 upstream/source/Sources
 2bbdfc71930be376f4c033986a5400b7613e8dfd 3794 upstream/source/Sources.gz
 7b71e3cd427653040b7dcbee4652eff74a28d9e9 150 upstream/source/Release
 3fd00fba2b9c91f9c5804014d15ed65ee8051765 14352 import/binary-i386/Packages
 888e867537c818574f982ed2c7a660a7177e56a5 5865 import/binary-i386/Packages.gz
 53f1d826c63f3f38764381382a915b9824f9169d 146 import/binary-i386/Release
 886be193e165a28efb08e74a8fba3f73c71aed84 14880 import/binary-amd64/Packages
 8d9361f7c92017e4bd3dba12fde76e0d70197fff 6063 import/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
 686ff6473eff9eb0c041cfee8d50f43f0c9822ba 147 import/binary-amd64/Release
 fad25d57fb9660da76f6906e7b8612f17b492de4 2548 import/source/Sources
 1867b57f4109998dcc1706bd950535ae9791eecb 991 import/source/Sources.gz
 80124c11026ab943ec288ed80e0a1e9aa1e591e6 148 import/source/Release
 da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709 0 backport/binary-i386/Packages
 46c6643f07aa7f6bfe7118de926b86defc5087c4 20 backport/binary-i386/Packages.gz
 609fb6eee4a369923b8327b1c96408293ceb69e4 148 backport/binary-i386/Release
 da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709 0 backport/binary-amd64/Packages
 46c6643f07aa7f6bfe7118de926b86defc5087c4 20 backport/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
 1e5d1d8cae6d54e19d3d690b9f1744d596fe1ab7 149 backport/binary-amd64/Release
 da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709 0 backport/source/Sources
 46c6643f07aa7f6bfe7118de926b86defc5087c4 20 backport/source/Sources.gz
 385f389ab6e02acb566cc40d2854d066210bae9e 150 backport/source/Release
 b9713d807a539020edcada7f4a9628b83c5babc6 16675 romeo/binary-i386/Packages
 0260b62470ebbd39beb31125221d33bc8f46ce1c 3425 romeo/binary-i386/Packages.gz
 c740ebfd079523ae0658d60100c83598aa329eed 145 romeo/binary-i386/Release
 7eaf074f239625d82bb55d53cf5bd9815aca00a6 2925 romeo/binary-amd64/Packages
 575be07d6f01b36998eaebdd7e4f7b0148c7bd0c 1022 romeo/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
 d6ecf895ff028eb5cc7155db59f53dfd5a540752 146 romeo/binary-amd64/Release
 fb8c3c7f589dc366f5897dd491e73d349ca0e681 2509 romeo/source/Sources
 40024a0c2b6cf771a6350643523417c1d3e54372 1033 romeo/source/Sources.gz
 670c27e329266ee3dfa6e47165e9e0890155599a 147 romeo/source/Release

[fingaz]

FYI all;
Have posted a bug report at:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/linuxmint/+bug/600674

If you are having this, or a similar issue, please visit the link and click "This bug affects you" at the top of the page.

Thanks!

[jajodo]

Same problem. Probably not being posted by many because it is easy to ignore.

[pereyra]

I have a same error:

Code: Select all

W: Imposible obtener http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/isadora/Release Unable to find expected entry universe/binary-i386/Packages in Meta-index file (malformed Release file?)

E: Algunos archivos de índice no se han podido descargar, se han ignorado,
o se ha utilizado unos antiguos en su lugar.

My /etc/apt/sources.list

Code: Select all

deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ isadora main upstream import universe
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ lucid partner
deb http://packages.medibuntu.org/ lucid free non-free

# deb http://archive.removed/ubuntu lucid-removed apps
# deb http://archive.removed/ubuntu lucid-removed games

[martinis44]

Having investigated a bit more, I think this may be due to a dodgy line which has been written to /etc/apt/sources.list
On checking it out, there appears to be no 'universe' or 'multiverse' at http://packages.linuxmint.com/ for isadora (or see http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/isadora/), so I amended the line (actually hashed it out and added a new line without these two collections), using

Code: Select all

gksu gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

from a terminal. The new /etc/apt/sources.list now looks like:

Code: Select all

#deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ isadora main upstream import universe multiverse
deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ isadora main upstream import 
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ lucid partner
deb http://packages.medibuntu.org/ lucid free non-free

# deb http://archive.removed/ubuntu lucid-removed apps
# deb http://archive.removed/ubuntu lucid-removed games

and all seems to be working well. I assume it is a bug somewhere, but cannot think what action caused the file to be amended.

[jajodo]

martinis44 solution works for me.
Also went to my other computers running Mint an the sources.list matches martinis'

[LinuxWiz83]

I been getting the following error below when i go to refresh my repository and i have installed Mint 3 times for other reasons than this but still happens with the update manager, package manager and software manager. I have never had this problem on Ubuntu or any other distro so if there is a fix for it i would appreciate it but it don't look so bright from reading above. I also tried updating it from the terminal. I forgot to meantion i am on Mint 9 Isadora.

Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/isadora/Release.gpg Something wicked happened resolving 'packages.linuxmint.com:http' (-5 - No address associated with hostname)
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)
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)
Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

[Mr Mojito]

yeah me too

[fingaz]

Could you post your contents of /etc/apt/sources.list please? Then we might be able to shine some light on this for you.

Other than this, what's your network setup? From home/work? Behind a proxy? What ISP are you using and are you using their DNS servers (default) or some different ones?

[Axel-P]

Hi,

Since of yesterday I'm getting the following error while trying to update:

Code: Select all

W: Failed to fetch http://mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/linuxmint-packages/dists/isadora/Release  Unable to find expected entry  universe/binary-amd64/Packages in Meta-index file (malformed Release file?)

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

I already have no "Universe" anywhere in my sources.list. Maybe because I have Isadora KDE?

Here's my sources.list:

Code: Select all

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid main restricted
# deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid main restricted

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-security main restricted
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-security main restricted

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the
## distribution.
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-updates main restricted
# deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-updates main restricted

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'universe'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team. Also, please note that software in universe WILL NOT receive any
## review or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid universe
# deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid universe
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-updates universe
# deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-updates universe
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-security universe
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-security universe

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
## multiverse WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu
## security team.
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid multiverse
# deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-updates multiverse
# deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-updates multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-security multiverse
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-security multiverse

Actually I have nothing from packages.linuxmint.com in my sources.list
But I do have: http://packages.linuxmint.com isadora-kde main upstream import
For some reason that doesn't appears in sources.list but it does in the "Software Sources" GUI

Does someone knows of any fix, so that I can update properly??

Thanks!
Axel