Could not download all repository indexes

**bikepunk** · April 1st, 2009

hi

here is my first post to this forum, until now, I got only answers over here and I didn't even need to create an acount. but now, I don't find the solution of my problem.

so, as the title says : "Could not download all repository indexes"
I know this is a quite common proble, I found already a few posts about it on this forum, but not MY solution.

this is the title of the error message I get when I try to change my repository or when I try to use Synaptic...
it's fulled with that :

"The repository might be no longer available or could not be contacted because of network problems. If available an older version of the failed index will be used. Otherwise the repository will be ignored. Check your network connection and the correct writing of the repository address in the preferences."

and then

I guess that my problem is from my /etc/apt/sources.list file (although I didn't edit it)

here it is :
See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade
to
# newer versions of the distribution.

deb http://ubuntu.supp.name/ubuntu/ feisty main restricted

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the
## distribution.
deb http://ubuntu.supp.name/ubuntu/ feisty-updates main restricted

## 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
## universe WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu
security
## team.
deb http://ubuntu.supp.name/ubuntu/ feisty 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
#
See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.

thank you in advance for help

**drs305** · April 1st, 2009

Your sources.list is trashed, in addition to containing references to feisty, which is no longer supported. If you really want feisty repos, let me know and I can provide more information.

Here is a link to a sources.list generator made by hyper_ch:
http://repogen.simplylinux.ch/

Run it, then replace the contents of /etc/apt/sources.list with what you get from running his script.

To replace the contents, back it up, then open sources.list for editing, remove the contents and paste the results of the script. Then save the file and run the final command to update your repositories:

Code:

sudo cp /etc/apt/source.list /etc/apt/sources.list.bak
gksudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list
after saving the result
sudo apt-get update

If you have any problems with it just come back and ask and we can help.

Welcome to the ubuntu forums.

Added: If you have general questions about repositories, here is the ubuntu wiki:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu

**bikepunk** · April 1st, 2009

tanks a lot, It works !!!

I have no idea about what is "feisty"... could you explain me or give a link ?
and I tried to use again the "software sources" tool and I got the same problem again... Is it such a bad idea to use the tools from xubuntu ?

**kpatz** · April 1st, 2009

"Feisty Fawn" is Ubuntu 7.04 (I think, search to be sure). You're running 8.04 "Hardy Heron" (or so you said in your profile). So you should be pointing to the Hardy repositories, not the Feisty ones.

Now, if you're really running Feisty, you need to upgrade as it's no longer supported...

**drs305** · April 1st, 2009

Feisty was an older version of ubuntu. Each normal release is supported for 18 months; long term releases such as hardy are supported for 3 years. At the end of that time, no further updates are made and the repositories are eventually taken down.

Here is the release schedule:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases

Usually someone has a version for a long time and fails to update to a more recent version. They find out when the repositories no longer work. In your case, some of your links referenced feisty.

There are places to find the old repositories for users who really want to stick with a very old version, but these versions aren't updated or officially supported by ubuntu. If you look at the stickies, there is a warning that Gutsy is reaching it's EOL - end of life. This reminds users that they need to consider upgrading.

I just reread your post. If you are still having problems, post the contents of your sources.list and confirm the version you are using.

Code:

cat /etc/apt/sources.list

**bikepunk** · April 1st, 2009

I just installed linux for the first time in my life, using a CDR from a friend (I guess the CDR is old) is written xubuntu 8.04 so I guessed it was hardy (but I didn't check...

let's got for it !!)

**drs305** · April 1st, 2009

Here is the sources.list straight from the xubuntu livecd. The server is for the US. You can change it to another US server, another country's server, or choose the best server at the moment you check by opening synaptic or software sources (System, Administration, Synaptic or Software Sources. Settings, Repositories, then Download From, Other and select something if you don't want the US server.

Note the listings almost all refer to Ubuntu rather than Xubuntu. That's because they are very similar in many ways, and once you have one installed it is very easy to swith over to see how the other one looks. Also note that the CD-ROM entry is not active (that's what the # symbol does at the start of the line). If you try to enable it via the Settings menu, it may or may not work. It has to be the same date/version as your CD to work. It's best to leave it the way it is, otherwise every time you want to do any update it would ask you to insert the CD.

To change your sources.list, backup the file, open it and delete everything, and past this in. Save the file and then run the last line in the box to update your repository list. When you open the file, you will see a warning about editing the file. This is a system file but you won't hurt it as long as you follow these instructions.

Code:

sudo cp /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.bak
gksudo mousepad /etc/apt/sources.list
Replace the entire contents with the entry quoted below. Then save the file and run:
sudo apt-get update   # Refresh the repository listings
sudo apt-get upgrade  # You will have a lot of updates!

#deb cdrom:[Xubuntu 8.04.1 _Hardy Heron_ - Release amd64 (20080702.1)]/ hardy main restricted
# See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.

deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted

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

## 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
## universe WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu security
## team.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy universe
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy universe
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates universe
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates 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://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy multiverse
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy multiverse
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates multiverse
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'backports'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
# deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-backports main restricted universe multiverse
# deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-backports main restricted universe multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's
## 'partner' repository. This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is
## offered by Canonical and the respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu
## users.
# deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu hardy partner
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu hardy partner

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hardy-security main restricted
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hardy-security main restricted
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hardy-security universe
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hardy-security universe
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hardy-security multiverse
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hardy-security multiverse

Good luck.

**kpatz** · April 1st, 2009

Type cat /etc/lsb-release in a terminal to find out what version of Ubuntu you really have.

I bet it's Feisty. Maybe your friend burned the wrong ISO when he made the CD for you...

**bikepunk** · April 1st, 2009

no, actually, I've got hardy

DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=8.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=hardy
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 8.04.2"

\

anyway, now, I got a lot of problem, the system is really not stable and for example, firefox close itself without reason...

actually, I'm working on an old computer (Pentium 3, 500Mhz...)
and I don't need such a user friendly OS, so, I'll try to install an other system, but thank you for help anyway