mintinstall will not start (E: Malformed line 9 in source list)

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hmbpn
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mintinstall will not start (E: Malformed line 9 in source list)

Post by hmbpn »

Me too, here's what happened when I tried the command

Code: Select all

hmbpn@hmbpn-GE75-Raider-10SFS:~$ sudo apt-get install mintinstall
[sudo] password for hmbpn:         
E: Malformed line 9 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (type)
E: The list of sources could not be read.
E: Malformed line 9 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (type)
E: The list of sources could not be read.
hmbpn@hmbpn-GE75-Raider-10SFS:~$ sudo apt-get install mintinstall
E: Malformed line 9 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (type)
E: The list of sources could not be read.
E: Malformed line 9 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (type)
E: The list of sources could not be read.
hmbpn@hmbpn-GE75-Raider-10SFS:~$ 
Also looking for an answer
Last edited by LockBot on Sun Jan 01, 2023 11:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
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Re: mintinstall will not start (E: Malformed line 9 in source list)

Post by Pjotr »

What does this command say:

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxpmrz
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Re: mintinstall will not start (E: Malformed line 9 in source list)

Post by hmbpn »

OK thank you I understood none of that but gave it a shot, many lines scrolled past me.

Restarted and Update Manager now says Please switch to another Linux Mint mirror your APT configuration is corrupt.

!

Could not refresh list of updates

APT error:

Code: Select all

E: Malformed line 9 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (type)
E:  The list of sources could not be read.
Where do I switch to another Linux Mint mirror?
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Re: mintinstall will not start (E: Malformed line 9 in source list)

Post by SMG »

hmbpn wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:56 pm OK thank you I understood none of that but gave it a shot, many lines scrolled past me.
You were supposed to post that output here. That command is not to fix the problem. We want to see information about your hardware and install as per Section 5 of READ: How To Get Help!.

Let's try getting the information another way. Please open the System Reports app and click the System Information tab on the left. Your computer's information should come up in the right pane. Then click Copy and paste the results into a reply window here so we can see how Linux Mint views your hardware.
hmbpn wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:56 pmWhere do I switch to another Linux Mint mirror?
In the Software Sources app.
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Re: mintinstall will not start (E: Malformed line 9 in source list)

Post by Cosmo. »

Another method for getting the needed information:
Open the system report and click the copy button on the system information page. Then paste it in your next post.
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Re: mintinstall will not start (E: Malformed line 9 in source list)

Post by karlchen »

Hello, hmbpn.
hmbpn wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:56 pm

Code: Select all

E: Malformed line 9 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (type)
E:  The list of sources could not be read.
Where do I switch to another Linux Mint mirror?
From the very beginning the error message above had been the repeating error message.
There is some syntactical error in the sources list file /etc/apt/sources.list.
The mentioned "(type)" error cannot be resolved by switching the Linux Mint mirror.

Please, share the content of the file /etc/apt/sources.list with us.
In order to do so, execute the terminal command

Code: Select all

cat /etc/apt/sources.list
Mark the complete text output, which the command will display, with your mouse.
Press <shift><ctrl>c in order to copy the marked text with your mouse.
Paste it into your next reply.

The output will reveal the precise flaw in the file.

Please, also execute the terminal command

Code: Select all

inxi -S
(Note: the option is hyphen capital S).
Mark the complete text output, which the command will display, with your mouse.
Press <shift><ctrl>c in order to copy the marked text with your mouse.
Paste it into your next reply.

Thanks,
Karl
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Re: mintinstall will not start (E: Malformed line 9 in source list)

Post by hmbpn »

SMG wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 8:38 pm
hmbpn wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:56 pm OK thank you I understood none of that but gave it a shot, many lines scrolled past me.
You were supposed to post that output here. That command is not to fix the problem. We want to see information about your hardware and install as per Section 5 of READ: How To Get Help!.

Let's try getting the information another way. Please open the System Reports app and click the System Information tab on the left. Your computer's information should come up in the right pane. Then click Copy and paste the results into a reply window here so we can see how Linux Mint views your hardware.
hmbpn wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:56 pmWhere do I switch to another Linux Mint mirror?
In the Software Sources app.

Code: Select all

System:    Kernel: 5.4.0-121-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.4.0 
           Desktop: Cinnamon 5.2.7 wm: muffin dm: LightDM Distro: Linux Mint 20.3 Una 
           base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: Micro-Star product: GE75 Raider 10SFS v: REV:1.0 serial: <filter> 
           Chassis: type: 10 serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: Micro-Star model: MS-17E9 v: REV:1.0 serial: <filter> UEFI: American Megatrends 
           v: E17E9IMS.10D date: 11/17/2020 
Battery:   ID-1: BAT1 charge: 5.6 Wh condition: 42.8/51.6 Wh (83%) volts: 10.7/10.9 
           model: MSI BIF0_9 serial: N/A status: Charging 
CPU:       Topology: 6-Core model: Intel Core i7-10750H bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: N/A 
           L2 cache: 12.0 MiB 
           flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 62399 
           Speed: 4785 MHz min/max: 800/5000 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 4673 2: 4543 3: 4280 
           4: 4480 5: 4400 6: 4432 7: 4455 8: 4431 9: 4423 10: 4489 11: 4467 12: 4410 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel UHD Graphics vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: i915 v: kernel 
           bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:9bc4 
           Device-2: NVIDIA vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: nvidia v: 510.73.05 bus ID: 01:00.0 
           chip ID: 10de:1e91 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.13 driver: modesetting,nvidia 
           unloaded: fbdev,nouveau,vesa resolution: 1920x1080~240Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics (CML GT2) v: 4.6 Mesa 21.2.6 
           direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel Comet Lake PCH cAVS vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: snd_hda_intel 
           v: kernel bus ID: 00:1f.3 chip ID: 8086:06c8 
           Device-2: NVIDIA TU104 HD Audio vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel 
           bus ID: 01:00.1 chip ID: 10de:10f8 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-121-generic 
Network:   Device-1: Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel port: 5000 bus ID: 00:14.3 
           chip ID: 8086:06f0  
Thanks for the further directions!
Last edited by SMG on Thu Jun 30, 2022 7:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Added code tags to inxi output to retain its formatting.
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Re: mintinstall will not start (E: Malformed line 9 in source list)

Post by hmbpn »

Hi Karl

Code: Select all

mike@mike-GE75-Raider-10SFS:~$ cat /etc/apt/sources.list
#deb cdrom:[Linux Mint 20.3 _Una_ - Release amd64 20220104]/ focal contrib main

# This system was installed using small removable media
# (e.g. netinst, live or single CD). The matching "deb cdrom"
# entries were disabled at the end of the installation process.
# For information about how to configure apt package sources,
# see the sources.list(5) manual.
deb [arch=amd64] https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian bionic contrib
exit

Code: Select all

mike@mike-GE75-Raider-10SFS:~$ inxi -S
System:
  Host: mike-GE75-Raider-10SFS Kernel: 5.4.0-121-generic x86_64 bits: 64 
  Desktop: Cinnamon 5.2.7 Distro: Linux Mint 20.3 Una 
Thanks!
Last edited by karlchen on Fri Jul 01, 2022 4:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Enclosed both terminal commands and their output in [code] [/code] tags, which preserves proper screen formatting
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Re: mintinstall will not start (E: Malformed line 9 in source list)

Post by SMG »

hmbpn wrote: Thu Jun 30, 2022 7:39 pmmike@mike-GE75-Raider-10SFS:~$ cat /etc/apt/sources.list
1- #deb cdrom:[Linux Mint 20.3 _Una_ - Release amd64 20220104]/ focal contrib main
2-
3- # This system was installed using small removable media
4- # (e.g. netinst, live or single CD). The matching "deb cdrom"
5- # entries were disabled at the end of the installation process.
6- # For information about how to configure apt package sources,
7- # see the sources.list(5) manual.
8- deb [arch=amd64] https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian bionic contrib
9- exit
I put numbers at the start of each line so you can see which is line 9.

I have also highlighted the word bionic in the repo listed because you are not using bionic. Your system uses focal (see below).

System:
Kernel: 5.4.0-121-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.4.0
Desktop: Cinnamon 5.2.7 wm: muffin dm: LightDM Distro: Linux Mint 20.3 Una
base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal

I am not sure what you did to try and install virtualbox on your computer, but that seems to be where the problem originated.
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Re: mintinstall will not start (E: Malformed line 9 in source list)

Post by hmbpn »

I am not sure what you did to try and install virtualbox on your computer, but that seems to be where the problem originated.
I did try to install virtualbox as I have two applications that I need for work. Didn't get it to happen with WINE so I figured I would try virtualbox.

Do I just change that word in line 9?

Thanks again for your help!
Last edited by SMG on Fri Jul 01, 2022 7:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Added missing quote tag.
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Re: mintinstall will not start (E: Malformed line 9 in source list)

Post by SMG »

hmbpn wrote: Fri Jul 01, 2022 7:18 pmDo I just change that word in line 9?
Did you add lines 8 and 9 to that file?

I do not normally help with this type of issue, but I do not think line 9 should be there at all. Additionally, you have the wrong repo listed in line 8.
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Re: mintinstall will not start (E: Malformed line 9 in source list)

Post by hmbpn »

I remember. I think I installed the arch version of virtualbox and that's why that's there.

I'll try to figure it out.

Thanks again!
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Re: mintinstall will not start (E: Malformed line 9 in source list)

Post by karlchen »

Hello, hpbmn.

Line 8 has to read:

Code: Select all

deb [arch=amd64] https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian focal contrib
as SMG had already pointed out.

Line 9 has to be removed completely. "exit" is not a valid entry in a sources list file.

Regards,
Karl
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