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I have a fresh install of Ubuntu 11.10 from the iso 'ubuntu-11.10-desktop-amd64.iso'. I installed this in VMWare Fusion 4.1.1 running on OSX 10.7.3. When setting up the VM, I allowed easy install to take care of creating my user and installing VMWare tools. No problems during installation, everything seems to be working great.

The problem is that apt-get will NOT update, so I can't do software updates or install any software with apt-get install. I have been searching high and low, and have found several threads covering similar issues. How to fix a ruined package catalog? is one, Update manager generates 404 error while attempting update. Will not update is another, Ubuntu 11.10 Update issue (failed to fetch...) is a third

  • I have tried changing my software source download location to "Main Server" rather than "Server for United States", to no avail. Same errors.
  • Tried sudo apt-get clean, sudo apt-get autoclean,
  • Have done a sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/*, still having the exact same problem. As I said, this is a brand new installation as of yesterday evening.

Since I know it will be needed, here is my output from a sudo apt-get update:

evan@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get update
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric InRelease
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates InRelease
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports InRelease
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security InRelease
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric Release.gpg   
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric Release       
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates Release
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports Release
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security Release
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/main TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/multiverse TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/restricted TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/universe TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/main TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/multiverse TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/restricted TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/universe TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/main TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/multiverse TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/restricted TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/universe TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/main TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/multiverse TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/restricted TranslationIndex
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/universe TranslationIndex
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/main Sources  
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/restricted Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/universe Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/multiverse Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/main amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/restricted amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/universe amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/multiverse amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/main i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/restricted i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/universe i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/multiverse i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/main Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/restricted Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/universe Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/multiverse Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/main amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/restricted amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/universe amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/multiverse amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/main i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/restricted i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/universe i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/multiverse i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric InRelease
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/main Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/restricted Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/universe Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/multiverse Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/main amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/restricted amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/universe amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/multiverse amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/main i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/restricted i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/universe i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/multiverse i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/main Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/restricted Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/universe Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/multiverse Sources
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/main amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/restricted amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/universe amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/multiverse amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/main i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/restricted i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/universe i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/multiverse i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/main Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/multiverse Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/restricted Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric/universe Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/main Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/multiverse Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/restricted Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-updates/universe Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/main Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/multiverse Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/restricted Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-backports/universe Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/main Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/multiverse Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/restricted Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com oneiric-security/universe Translation-en
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric Release.gpg
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric Release
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric/main Sources
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric/main i386 Packages
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric/main TranslationIndex
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com oneiric/main Translation-en
W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric/main/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric/restricted/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric/universe/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric/multiverse/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric/main/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric/restricted/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric/universe/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric/multiverse/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric/main/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric/restricted/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric/universe/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric/multiverse/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-updates/main/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-updates/restricted/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-updates/universe/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-updates/multiverse/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-updates/main/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-updates/restricted/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-updates/universe/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-updates/multiverse/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-updates/main/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-updates/restricted/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-updates/universe/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-updates/multiverse/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-backports/main/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-backports/restricted/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-backports/universe/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-backports/multiverse/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-backports/main/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-backports/restricted/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-backports/universe/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-backports/multiverse/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-backports/main/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-backports/restricted/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-backports/universe/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-backports/multiverse/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-security/main/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-security/restricted/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-security/universe/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-security/multiverse/source/Sources  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-security/main/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-security/restricted/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-security/universe/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-security/multiverse/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-security/main/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-security/restricted/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-security/universe/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/oneiric-security/multiverse/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

E: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

Here is my /etc/apt/source.list:

evan@ubuntu:~$ cat /etc/apt/sources.list

# deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 11.10 _Oneiric Ocelot_ - Release amd64 (20111012)]/ dists/oneiric/main/binary-i386/

# deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 11.10 _Oneiric Ocelot_ - Release amd64 (20111012)]/ oneiric main restricted

# See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric main restricted
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric main restricted

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

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team. Also, please note that software in universe WILL NOT receive any
## review or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric universe
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric universe
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric-updates universe
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric-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://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric-updates multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric-updates multiverse

## 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://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric-backports main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric-security main restricted
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric-security main restricted
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric-security universe
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric-security universe
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric-security multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric-security 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 oneiric partner
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu oneiric partner

## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by third-party
## developers who want to ship their latest software.
deb http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric main
deb-src http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu oneiric main

And here is my output from lsb_release -a:

evan@ubuntu:~$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:    Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 11.10
Release:    11.10
Codename:    oneiric

If anyone could help me out here, that would be wonderful!

share|improve this question
Bump...I could really use some help here, I'm stumped what to try next. – Evan Mar 14 '12 at 22:54
1  
I had a problem like this once. It turned out to be that my internet connection was being funny. The problem is that APT cannot connect and reach those files. I had this problem, but I was able to use my browser, no problem. I would recommend trying through recovery mode. That helped me to get it to work. – Ryan McClure Mar 18 '12 at 8:41
2  
Have you tried opening any of those URLs inside Firefox in the VM, and outside of it? The problem looks to me like a possible network configuration issue with the VM. Or are you using a transparent proxy or something, which is responding with a 404 for those URLs? – dobey Apr 3 '12 at 15:21
force update and force upgrade, think -f is the switch you need. This might help.... – deckoff Apr 25 '12 at 10:37
1  
are you still experiencing this? – Ashu May 17 '12 at 17:02
show 1 more comment

closed as too localized by fossfreedom Jun 8 '12 at 8:36

This question is unlikely to help any future visitors; it is only relevant to a small geographic area, a specific moment in time, or an extraordinarily narrow situation that is not generally applicable to the worldwide audience of the internet. For help making this question more broadly applicable, see the FAQ.