Using apt-get from Canada

Question

I am using Ubuntu Server 12.04 LTS, and until yesterday, everything was quite peachy. I have installed several packages (MySQL, apache2) and to my knowledge have those configured correctly. Upon configuration of phpMyAdmin, I found that I was missing the directory path /etc/phpmyadmin, which got me thinking about the install. I am new to Ubuntu, so I guess I missed the message telling me that I did not download phpMyAdmin successfully.

Anyway, trying to use apt-get yesterday/today results in "Failed to fetch..." messages, even if just to run sudo apt-get update.

Some notable details: ···no GUI, command line only (sudo apt-get gksu fails, go figure) ···can ping 4.2.2.2, so I know the internet is out there (somewhere) ···this is a dedicated computer, using Samba to share files with Windows, which does work ···attempted to edit my /sources.list file, for various American/Canadian mirror, to no effect ···ensured I have correct DNS settings in /etc/networks/interfaces

I'm not sure where along the way it happened, but I seem to have lost connections to repositories... :) Any advice (including GO BACK TO WINDOWS) is appreciated.

Edit: fixed by adding an actual nameserver to /etc/resolv.conf

Answer 1

GO BACK TO WINDOWS

cat /etc/apt/sources.list

and paste output here

or try this:

apt-get update

Answer 2

Please try following the instructions here to manage repositories using the Ubuntu Software Center - it's safer than editing those files by hand:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu#Adding_Repositories_in_Ubuntu

Specifically, try the section about choosing a regional download server starting here:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu#Download_Server

From that page: Selecting "Other" provides the opportunity to select a participating server anywhere in the world. Expand any of the country listings in the left pane and highlight a server. Then select "Choose Server" and pick one from Canada.

[edited to link to the software center page rather than using the technical word "GUI"]