Update error: repository 'http://packages.linuxmint.com ulyssa Release' does not have a Release file

[Christianus]

Hi people!

I hope this will be a very easy to fix problem for you.

When I update my system, I get this error: repository 'http://packages.linuxmint.com ulyssa Release' does not have a Release file

Before, I had also an error message with Skype. But I deletet the file.

What can I do to fix this problem? I also cant install any new programs now.

Thanks a lot!

Christianus

[karlchen]

Hello, Christianus.

Please, share the output of the following 2 terminal commands with us:

• Code: Select all

  inxi -Sr

• Code: Select all

  sudo apt update

Please, copy the text which each command will display from the terminal window and paste it into your next reply.
This will tell us:
+ which software repos your system has been configured to use
+ what happens if your system tries to query the configured repos

There must be more than just one missing Release file. Because the message from your title alone would not be sufficient to make Update Manager, Software Manager, Synaptic or apt fail.
There are 2 types of Release files. If one does not exist, but the other one does, then this will yield a warning, but will do no harm.

Anyway. Looking forward to your next reply.
Karl

[Christianus]

Hi Karlchen,

thanks a lot. My system is in german, of course.

Here is the output:

Code: Select all

christian@Christians:~$ inxi -Sr
System:
  Host: Christians Kernel: 5.4.0-70-generic x86_64 bits: 64 
  Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.6 Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa 
Repos:
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
  1: deb http://packages.linuxmint.com ulyssa main upstream import backport
  2: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
  3: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
  4: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
  5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
  6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
christian@Christians:~$ ^C
christian@Christians:~$ 

Code: Select all

christian@Christians:~$ sudo apt update
[sudo] Passwort für christian:       
OK:1 http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu focal InRelease
OK:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal InRelease                          
Holen:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates InRelease [114 kB]      
Ign:4 http://packages.linuxmint.com ulyssa InRelease                           
Holen:5 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security InRelease [109 kB]    
Holen:6 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports InRelease [101 kB]
Fehl:7 http://packages.linuxmint.com ulyssa Release                            
  403  OK [IP: 208.77.20.11 80]
Holen:8 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/main amd64 Packages [896 kB]
Holen:9 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security/main amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [24,3 kB]
Holen:10 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/main i386 Packages [449 kB]
Holen:11 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security/universe amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [58,2 kB]
Holen:12 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/main amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [264 kB]
Holen:13 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/universe amd64 Packages [758 kB]
Holen:14 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/universe i386 Packages [561 kB]
Holen:15 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/universe amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [303 kB]
Holen:16 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates/multiverse amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [2.468 B]
Holen:17 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports/universe amd64 DEP-11 Metadata [1.764 B]
Paketlisten werden gelesen... Fertig                                           
E: Das Depot »http://packages.linuxmint.com ulyssa Release« enthält keine Release-Datei.
N: Eine Aktualisierung von solch einem Depot kann nicht auf eine sichere Art durchgeführt werden, daher ist es standardmäßig deaktiviert.
N: Weitere Details zur Erzeugung von Paketdepots sowie zu deren Benutzerkonfiguration finden Sie in der Handbuchseite apt-secure(8).
christian@Christians:~$ ^C
christian@Christians:~$ 

[karlchen]

Hello, Christianus.

The repo list looks good to me.
Yet, indeed something goes wrong, when querying the repos, the packages.linuxmint.repo specifically.
Let me quote the 2 crucial lines from the output displayed by "sudo apt update":
Ign:4 http://packages.linuxmint.com ulyssa InRelease
Fehl:7 http://packages.linuxmint.com ulyssa Release 403 OK [IP: 208.77.20.11 80]
If the first file existed, InRelease, it would have been fetched and the second file, Release, would not be needed.
But Packages.linuxmint.com does not have InRelease, so Release has to be fetched successfully. Else the problem is reported, which you keep on reading.

Below just so you can compare, the same 2 lines from my LM 19.3 system, where Release can be fetched:
Ign:9 http://packages.linuxmint.com tricia InRelease
OK:11 http://packages.linuxmint.com tricia Release

As not all users, who use the Mint main repo server packages.linuxmint.com, report the same issue as you, Christianus, I suspect the problem in your case may be related to some network related issue.
The name packages.linuxmint.com resolves to 2 IP addresses:

Code: Select all

$ nslookup packages.linuxmint.com
Server:		127.0.0.53
Address:	127.0.0.53#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:	packages.linuxmint.com
Address: 208.77.20.11
Name:	packages.linuxmint.com
Address: 68.235.39.11

Your error message mentions the first of the 2 IP addresses, 208.77.20.11. So maybe the 2 main servers are not in sync. 1 has got all the Release files, 1 incorrectly does not have them all.

Just checked again by running "sudo apt update", which IP would be connected for packages.linuxmint.com here: the IP from your error message: 208.77.20.11 80. Still no error here.

Long story, short piece of advice how to work around the problem hopefully:

Use Software Sources and select a different mirror server only for the main (ulyssa) server, i.e. for the Mint repo.
Leave the basis (focal) server address as it is.
(Also Anwendungspaketquellen => Haupt (Ulyssa): hier einen anderen Spiegelserver wählen)
Once done, try "sudo apt update" again, please.

Karl

[Christianus]

Dear Karlchen,

the problem seems to be solved.

I tried a lot of other mirror servers. Maybe ten different combinations.

After a lot of errors I have got a mirror server, that does not end in an error.

I dont know why...

I am using Ubuntu Linux (Ubuntu, Lubuntu or Mint) for more then 10 years, but I am still an advanced beginner and not an expert. (Because I only want to use this system and dont become a Linux nerd.)

Thank you a lot for your explanation. And for your advice. It seems I have a solution for this problem.

Wish you a nice week, Karlchen, and thanks again!

Christianus