/usr/lib/apt/methods/http could not be found

[kristen2]

Hi,

I'm unable to install anything from the Ubuntu Software center and am also unable to run apt-get update because I'm receiving this error:
E: The method driver /usr/lib/apt/methods/http could not be found
How do I fix this?

[kristen2]

I already did Google this problem, thank you... I think the solution probably varies between individuals and their individual computers. I didn't find a solution that helped me. I don't want to play around in terminal when I don't even know what I'm doing either.

I tried this,

(precise)kristenxoxox@localhost:~$ sudo apt-get install apt-transport-https
[sudo] password for kristenxoxox: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  python-crypto python-lazr.restfulclient gir1.2-gconf-2.0 libcompizconfig0
  libgail18 python-gnome2 gir1.2-gtk-2.0 brasero-cdrkit gir1.2-unity-5.0
  apport-symptoms libgnomeui-common gir1.2-unique-3.0 mplayer-skins
  update-manager-core libunique-3.0-0 libart-2.0-2 python-wadllib
  libdecoration0 gir1.2-dbusmenu-glib-0.4 libbonoboui2-common libbonoboui2-0
  python-keyring python-pyorbit python-gconf apport ttf-lyx
  compiz-plugins-default python-lazr.uri libglibmm-2.4-1c2a
  gir1.2-dbusmenu-gtk-0.4 python-compizconfig libsigc++-2.0-0c2a libprotobuf7
  libgnomecanvas2-0 libdbusmenu-gtk4 gir1.2-dee-1.0 libgnomeui-0
  gir1.2-notify-0.7 python-problem-report python-launchpadlib
  libgnomecanvas2-common python-apport compiz-core apport-gtk python-keybinder
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following extra packages will be installed:
  libapt-pkg4.12
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  apt-transport-https
The following packages will be upgraded:
  libapt-pkg4.12
1 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 17 not upgraded.
Need to get 960 kB of archives.
After this operation, 171 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
WARNING: The following packages cannot be authenticated!
  libapt-pkg4.12 apt-transport-https
Install these packages without verification [y/N]? y
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main libapt-pkg4.12 i386 0.8.16~exp12ubuntu10.12
  404  Not Found [IP: 91.189.92.177 80]
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main apt-transport-https i386 0.8.16~exp12ubuntu10.12
  404  Not Found [IP: 91.189.92.177 80]
Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/poo...10.12_i386.deb  404  Not Found [IP: 91.189.92.177 80]
Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/poo...10.12_i386.deb  404  Not Found [IP: 91.189.92.177 80]
E: Unable to fetch some archives, maybe run apt-get update or try with --fix-missing?

Please help. Help would be appreciated. Thank you!

[DuckHook]

It would help us to help you were you to provide the history, background and larger context of what you were trying to do. There are a number of items that are quite perplexing:

1. Why are you logged in to @localhost?
2. Did you activate root account by giving it a password?
3. Are you logged in as root right now? ...or to a recovery root shell?

4. Any idea what caused the apt breakage? Did it stop working after an upgrade? A power outage while updating?

Both pkgs you are trying to install should already be part of a default install. So, might be a corrupted apt database. Do:

sudo apt-get clean

sudo apt-get install -f

sudo dpkg --configure -a

sudo apt-get update

If anything chokes along the way, please note chokepoint and post complete output back to this thread (please wrap output in CODE marks for easier reading).

[kristen2]

Hi Duckhook,

Thank your for your answer. I don't know why the packages that should already be installed by default are not installed right now. I've had this computer for a couple of months, and I wasn't having this problem when I first started using it. My laptop is a chromebook, and I have Ubuntu 12.04 (Xfce) installed on it.
I don't know what I did exactly, but I might have deleted something in root that I shouldn't have, at some point. I haven't messed around with my system a lot because I don't know anything about it... but there was a time pretty recently that I was trying to install CUPS, and in trying to do that I deleted some root-protected... file or directory, I don't know. It could be related, but maybe not. I don't remember what it was that I deleted, so that won't really help you to help me. Sorry. Otherwise, I don't know what else could have caused the apt-breakage. I haven't performed or even attempted to perform any upgrades of any kind. So, yeah, I'm not sure.

1. Why are you logged in to @localhost?
I don't know... because localhost is me, I guess? What's weird about that?
2. Did you activate root account by giving it a password?
I don't think I've done that. I can log in as root using the sudo su command, though...
3. Are you logged in as root right now? ...or to a recovery root shell?
I don't know what a recovery root shell is. I can log in as root, but it doesn't make a difference when I try to apt-get update and stuff.
How do I set a password for root? Maybe that would help

Oh, and if I run those commands (the codes you posted), is there anything I should be warned about first? Like, will it do anything to applications and such that I currently have installed on my computer?

[DuckHook]

...because localhost is me, I guess? What's weird about that?

When you installed your system, it asked you to give your computer a name. Let's call that: computer_name. Your terminal identification should therefore tell you that you are kristenxoxox@computer_name. I am not knowledgeable enough to tell you off the top of my head what @localhost portends, but it is definitely not usual, and when diagnosing problems, it is these "not usuals" that raise flags and sometimes point us to where the problem is.

I don't know what a recovery root shell is.

If you don't know what a recovery root shell is, then you are not logged in on one.

How do I set a password for root? Maybe that would help

You do not need to do this and it would not help. You can do everything you need through sudo.

...if I run those commands (the codes you posted), is there anything I should be warned about first? Like, will it do anything to applications and such that I currently have installed on my computer?

These commands are designed to reset a corrupted apt-get database. They should not harm anything on your computer. HOWEVER, your instincts are sound and you should listen to them. Whenever you are unsure about anything, including advice that you receive on this forum, you should backup all of your important data so that, at worst, you will end up having to reinstall the OS and some apps, but no big catastrophe except a little wasted time.

Go ahead and backup everything before running the commands. Then run them and let us know how it goes.

It's getting late here and I'll be turning in for the night. Will look in on this thread again tomorrow.

[varunendra]

Perhaps it may help to take a look at the outputs of -

sudo apt-get update
cat /etc/apt/sources.list
grep -Rv '#' /etc/apt/sources.list.d

[kristen2]

Hey,
I quit this problem, sorry, because I wasn't being able to fix it and I just felt done; I had to let it go. I still need it resolved, though, because there are some things I *need* to install but can't because of this error. Anything I try to install just fails.

I used Varun's commands and this is the output:

(precise)kristenxoxox@localhost:~$ sudo apt-get update
[sudo] password for kristenxoxox: 
E: The method driver /usr/lib/apt/methods/https could not be found.
(precise)kristenxoxox@localhost:~$ cat /etc/apt/sources.list
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-security main restricted universe multiverse
(precise)kristenxoxox@localhost:~$ grep -Rv '#' /etc/apt/sources.list.d
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/xfce-4.10.list:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/xubuntu-dev/xfce-4.10/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/xfce-4.10.list:deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/xubuntu-dev/xfce-4.10/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/xfce-4.10.list.save:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/xubuntu-dev/xfce-4.10/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/xfce-4.10.list.save:deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/xubuntu-dev/xfce-4.10/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/webupd8team-java-precise.list:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/webupd8team/java/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/webupd8team-java-precise.list:deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/webupd8team/java/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list.save:deb http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list:deb http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/upubuntu-com-office-precise.list:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/upubuntu-com/office/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/upubuntu-com-office-precise.list:deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/upubuntu-com/office/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/upubuntu-com-office-precise.list.save:deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/upubuntu-com/office/ubuntu precise main
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/upubuntu-com-office-precise.list.save:deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/upubuntu-com/office/ubuntu precise main

[Bashing-om]

kristen2; Hi !

You are wise to be cautious - When in doubt, see the manual:

man grep

You will find that the command string of concern is but a means to search within "sources.list.d" directory and output what sources are listed therein.
To the situation at hand: the error:

E: The method driver /usr/lib/apt/methods/https could not be found.

is cause for concern. That file should exist ! .. reference my output:

sysop@1304mini:~$ ls -la /usr/lib/apt/methods/https
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 35640 Oct 3 10:28 /usr/lib/apt/methods/https
sysop@1304mini:~$

Show us your result:

ls -la /usr/lib/apt/methods/https

Presently I do not know, but I sure want to know ! To restore that file may prove interesting indeed.

where there is a will there is a way

[ikt]

^ going on from above, assuming "/usr/lib/apt/methods/https" doesn't exist:

Boot into an ubuntu live cd (of the same version you have), open file manager, copy:

/usr/lib/apt/methods/https

into this folder on your computer:

/usr/lib/apt/methods/

pray to zeus.

[kristen2]

Correct. "/usr/lib/apt/methods/https" doesn't exist; however, there is a "/user/lib/apt/methods/http". Should that be the same file or are both http and https distinctly different files? In other words, could I just rename "http" to "https"?

Booting into an ubuntu live cd and copying the https file sounds like a good idea but I don't know how to do that, and I don't think I have an Ubuntu live CD....?
Is there another way to restore the file?