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I'm working on Ubuntu 18.04 and I need to Downgrade some packages, but I cannot find them on /var/cache/apt/archives anymore, so I'm looking for some external Ubuntu 18.04 compliant repository able to maintain also older version, if one exists, of course! :)

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Try using apt-cache to see what you have available already.

~$ apt-cache madison thunderbird
thunderbird | 1:68.4.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 | http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages
thunderbird | 1:68.4.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 | http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-security/main amd64 Packages
thunderbird | 1:52.7.0+build1-0ubuntu1 | http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 Packages
thunderbird | 1:52.7.0+build1-0ubuntu1 | http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main Sources

Then you can install an older version using = (I used -s so it wouldn't actually make changes to my system, but you would leave that out)

~$ sudo apt install thunderbird=1:52.7.0+build1-0ubuntu1  -s
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following additional packages will be installed:
  libdbusmenu-gtk4
Suggested packages:
  thunderbird-gnome-support ttf-lyx
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  thunderbird-gnome-support thunderbird-locale-en thunderbird-locale-en-us
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libdbusmenu-gtk4
The following packages will be DOWNGRADED:
  thunderbird
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 1 downgraded, 3 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Remv thunderbird-gnome-support [1:68.4.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1]
Remv thunderbird-locale-en-us [1:68.4.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1]
Remv thunderbird-locale-en [1:68.4.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1]
Inst libdbusmenu-gtk4 (16.04.1+18.04.20171206-0ubuntu2 Ubuntu:18.04/bionic-updates [amd64])
Inst thunderbird [1:68.4.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1] (1:52.7.0+build1-0ubuntu1 Ubuntu:18.04/bionic [amd64])
Conf libdbusmenu-gtk4 (16.04.1+18.04.20171206-0ubuntu2 Ubuntu:18.04/bionic-updates [amd64])
Conf thunderbird (1:52.7.0+build1-0ubuntu1 Ubuntu:18.04/bionic [amd64])
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  • Thanks a lot, really useful tool, but isn't enough for my issue. DO you know if exists an Unofficial repository storing all older versions, so that just adding it to my Packages Lists I can simple make a safe downgrade?
    – maxwatt
    Apr 3, 2020 at 21:14
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    If you need something older you can check old-releases.ubuntu.com. That is where all the old versions of Ubuntu go to rest. I would think you could add it as a repository and install a specific version like mentioned above, though I haven't tried it, and would be very cautious doing so. What might be better is finding the .deb package you need in there and install it manually.
    – Robert
    Apr 6, 2020 at 18:04
  • thank you very very much, it's a really great information, but I cannot find the Bionic version, can you help on this too? :)
    – maxwatt
    Apr 6, 2020 at 21:13
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    If you needing to install something older that is part of the main repo I would probably recommend against it. Depending on what it is it could break lots of other things. If it's a dependency for another program, what you could try is installing it somewhere else, like in your user folder and then just having the program you need look there for the dependency. Without knowing what you are trying to accomplish I can't be of much help there. What package are you needing to downgrade and to what version?
    – Robert
    Apr 6, 2020 at 22:45
  • I'm working on a System Script able to Undo any APT commands (apt-rollback), so I need to can downgrade any possible Packages. Anyway don't worry because I proceed always following the /var/log/apt/history log file, so I'm SURE to following all dependencies and Undoing always an entire APT transaction.
    – maxwatt
    Apr 7, 2020 at 7:19

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