[SOLVED] Packages not found

[fsc]

I have been using Mint for a couple of months (first Linux experience), and one of the few issues I met is that I cannot install some programs.
If, for example, I type in the terminal

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sudo apt install mpv

I get

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E: Impossibile trovare il pacchetto mpv

which is the Italian for "package mpv not found". It happens with lots of programs, like Chromium web browser and others; when I look for them in Software Center, I get no results. I am connected to the internet. Tell me if you need more information.
Thanks for your answers!

[gm10]

Assuming you are still on a supported release (LM 18/19) and not an older one where the repositories have been shut down, run

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apt update

and try again. If it's still not found, go to the Software Sources tool and switch the base mirror or click the button to restore the default settings, click OK to refresh the cache and then try once more.

If there are any other error messages doing any of that, post the full output.

[fsc]

I am using Linux Mint 19.2 Cinnamon; if you need any other information, tell me and I'll tell you more. If I try to update, I get

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Lettura elenco dei pacchetti... Fatto
Generazione albero delle dipendenze       
Lettura informazioni sullo stato... Fatto
Tutti i pacchetti sono aggiornati.

Last phrase means "all packages are up-to-date".
Unluckily, when I try to open Software Sources, it asks for my password in a window; when I write it and press enter, the window closes and nothing else happens.

[kc1di]

please go to a teminal and copy and paste this command and post output.

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sudo grep -Erh ^deb /etc/apt/sources.list*

[fsc]

When I executed grep I got:

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deb http://repository.spotify.com stable non-free
deb http://packages.linuxmint.com tina main upstream import backport #id:linuxmint_main
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ bionic-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ bionic partner

Furthermore, I don't know whether this may be useful, but when I try to run Software Sources by typing

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mintsources

in a terminal, it asks for password and, once I write it, it gives:

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FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] File o directory non esistente: '/etc/apt/sources.list.d'
Error in sys.excepthook:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport_python_hook.py", line 145, in apport_excepthook
    os.O_WRONLY | os.O_CREAT | os.O_EXCL, 0o640), 'wb') as f:
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] File o directory non esistente: '/var/crash/_usr_lib_linuxmint_mintSources_mintSources.py.0.crash'

Original exception was:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/linuxmint/mintSources/mintSources.py", line 1891, in <module>
    Application().run()
  File "/usr/lib/linuxmint/mintSources/mintSources.py", line 870, in __init__
    self.read_source_lists()
  File "/usr/lib/linuxmint/mintSources/mintSources.py", line 996, in read_source_lists
    for file in os.listdir("/etc/apt/sources.list.d"):
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] File o directory non esistente: '/etc/apt/sources.list.d'

The only Italian phrase "File o directory non esistente" means "non existing file or directory".

[gm10]

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*FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] File o directory non esistente: '/etc/apt/sources.list.d'

Do you have a Timeshift snapshot from when things were working? Something went seriously wrong here, I think it would be best to revert the entire system if possible, because you may have broken more things.

If not, then run this:

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sudo mkdir /etc/apt/sources.list.d

followed by

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sudo mintsources

and optionally choose your mirrors. Update the apt cache and then at least the immediate problem will be fixed.

[fsc]

Creating the directory has not been a problem, but when I ran your second command, the output was this:

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Sources missing, generating default sources list!
<__main__.Mirror object at 0x7fd92cc67a58>
<__main__.Mirror object at 0x7fd92cc67b70>
<__main__.Mirror object at 0x7fd92cc67ba8>
Error '(7, '')' on url http://mirror.unlockforus.com/linuxmint/packages

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.719: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.719: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.719: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.719: gtk_list_store_set_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.719: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.719: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.719: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.720: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.720: gtk_list_store_set_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.720: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.720: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.720: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.720: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.720: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.720: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.720: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.720: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.720: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.720: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.720: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:47:56.721: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed
<__main__.Mirror object at 0x7fd92cc67a58>
<__main__.Mirror object at 0x7fd92cc67b70>
<__main__.Mirror object at 0x7fd92cc67ba8>
Error '(7, '')' on url http://mirror.unlockforus.com/linuxmint/packages

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

(mintSources.py:7061): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 14:49:36.189: gtk_list_store_get_value: assertion 'iter_is_valid (iter, list_store)' failed

followed by about 200 other repetitions, with increasing times.
Anyway, after running your commands, Software Sources opens properly, and programs can be installed: thanks!

Unluckily I made my first Timeshift snapshot after the first problems occurred, just because I was concerned by them; anyway I haven't been using my computer for a long time, and I haven't installed many programs, so saving my files in a backup external hard drive and "reverting the system" seems an acceptable option for me, even if I don't understand what it means exactly: if you've got time and will, could you be more precise?

[gm10]

Those error messages can be ignored.

And with reverting I meant restoring a previous working Timeshift snapshot. But since you've got no good one available, I'd just leave things alone and hope that nothing else bad had happened other than you accidentally deleting that directory.

[fsc]

Thanks for everything! I hope one day I'll be able to return your favour.