An X appears on the updates icon

[Calhoon]

Hi all:
I've been long time user of Mint and hold it in high regard. I've used Mint 19 since it came out.
Up to a week ago there was no problem downloading updates. Now a red X appears on the update icon on the taskbar. When clicked on it says "could not refresh the list of updates". I use 2 machines with LM 19 and it's the same with both of them.
Does this mean that I have to use another mirror or what?

Thanks for replies.

[MrEen]

Hi Calhoon.

If you run apt update in the terminal, it will probably tell you why it's unable to refresh. Paste the output back here if you need more help.

If it's just a message about Google changing something, allow the change (type y) and you'll be good to go.

Hope that helps.

[Calhoon]

Mr. Een:
Thanks for the reply. I did as you said in the terminal and this is what I got.

Ign:1 http://packages.linuxmint.com tara InRelease
Hit:2 http://packages.linuxmint.com tara Release
Hit:3 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic InRelease
Hit:4 http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu bionic InRelease
Get:5 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-security InRelease [83.2 kB]
Hit:8 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-backports InRelease
Get:7 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates InRelease [88.7 kB]
Ign:9 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages
Get:10 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/main i386 Packages [389 kB]
Get:10 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/main i386 Packages [389 kB]
Get:10 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/main i386 Packages [389 kB]
Ign:10 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/main i386 Packages
Ign:14 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/universe amd64 Packages
Ign:15 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/universe i386 Packages
Get:9 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages [437 kB]
Err:9 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages
File has unexpected size (436604 != 436568). Mirror sync in progress? [IP: 152.3.102.53 80]
Hashes of expected file:
- Filesize:436568 [weak]
- SHA256:f7eeb3102ae5c97cc8cfddac327899251a4f4c15e1da77315de49e98c749b59f
- SHA1:7c105710d651845c74f747345ec2f7b6e2ad8bbb [weak]
- MD5Sum:5cf421e6f2ac2907f76fd2f92c3519eb [weak]
Release file created at: Wed, 14 Nov 2018 13:18:06 +0000
Get:10 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/main i386 Packages [389 kB]
Err:10 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/main i386 Packages

Get:14 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/universe amd64 Packages [575 kB]
Err:14 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/universe amd64 Packages

Get:15 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/universe i386 Packages [570 kB]
Err:15 http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu bionic-updates/universe i386 Packages

Fetched 742 kB in 2s (321 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
E: Failed to fetch http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu/di ... ackages.xz File has unexpected size (436604 != 436568). Mirror sync in progress? [IP: 152.3.102.53 80]
Hashes of expected file:
- Filesize:436568 [weak]
- SHA256:f7eeb3102ae5c97cc8cfddac327899251a4f4c15e1da77315de49e98c749b59f
- SHA1:7c105710d651845c74f747345ec2f7b6e2ad8bbb [weak]
- MD5Sum:5cf421e6f2ac2907f76fd2f92c3519eb [weak]
Release file created at: Wed, 14 Nov 2018 13:18:06 +0000
E: Failed to fetch http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu/di ... ackages.xz
E: Failed to fetch http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu/di ... ackages.xz
E: Failed to fetch http://archive.linux.duke.edu/ubuntu/di ... ackages.xz
E: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

Well, it's it's telling me basically why it's not working but no way to "fix" it, unless I'm missing something.

[gm10]

The way to fix it is to either wait for that mirror to sort itself out (i.e. try again a little bit later) or if you're in a hurry you can switch to a different mirror (Mint menu > Software Sources).

[MrEen]

Open Software Sources from the menu and change your Base mirror. Your's (duke.edu) might be in the middle of an update or has some other problem. Then the Update Manager will probably refresh properly.

[Calhoon]

Thanks for the replies:
I got into the menu and there are a bunch of mirrors. Do you have any particular one you like, otherwise I'm just guessing.

[MrEen]

It doesn't really matter, just don't pick duke.edu.

[gm10]

Pick a fast one.

[Calhoon]

Thanks again guys.