Error while opening Ubuntu software center

Question

I'm a newbie to Ubuntu and I've got this problem where I can't open the software center. At the upper right part on my screen there is a red dot with a horizontal white line. While clicking on it says below;

Error opening the cache
E:Malformed line 56 in source list/etc/apt/sources.list(dist parse),
E: the list of sources could not be read

What should I do to overcome this issue?

Update: I tried the update and what I got was:

E: Malformed line 56 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (dist parse)
E: The list of sources could not be read.

Update 2: When I typed in cat /etc/apt/sources.list, All I got back was:

enter image description here

UPDATE 3: I did what you said and this is what happened

~$ sudo rm -vfr /var/lib/apt/lists && sudo apt-get update
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_universe_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_restricted_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_universe_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_multiverse_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_main_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_Release’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_restricted_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_main_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_multiverse_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_Release.gpg’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_universe_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_restricted_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_main_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/extras.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_main_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_restricted_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_main_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_restricted_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_universe_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_Release’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_Release.gpg’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_multiverse_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_Release’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/extras.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_Release’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/extras.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_Release.gpg’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_restricted_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_universe_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_restricted_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_restricted_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_main_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_multiverse_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_restricted_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_main_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_multiverse_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_universe_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_restricted_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_universe_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_main_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_main_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_restricted_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/lock’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_main_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_universe_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_main_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_multiverse_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_universe_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_multiverse_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_multiverse_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_restricted_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_universe_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_restricted_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_universe_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_multiverse_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_multiverse_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_Release.gpg’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_main_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_Release’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_universe_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_main_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_universe_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_Release.gpg’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_multiverse_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_main_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_restricted_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_main_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/extras.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_main_binary-i386_Packages’
removed directory: ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/partial’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_multiverse_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_restricted_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_restricted_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_universe_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_universe_binary-i386_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-updates_multiverse_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_main_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_multiverse_i18n_Translation-en’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/extras.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring_main_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_main_binary-amd64_Packages’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_multiverse_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/security.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-security_universe_source_Sources’
removed ‘/var/lib/apt/lists/us.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_raring-backports_multiverse_binary-i386_Packages’
removed directory: ‘/var/lib/apt/lists’
E: Malformed line 56 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (dist parse)
E: The list of sources could not be read.

Hi. Can you add the content of your /etc/apt/sources.list between lines 54 to 57, just to be on the safer side. to view the content use cat /etc/apt/sources.list. — AzkerM, Sep 19 '13 at 07:51
as guys said and after that write this command "sudo rm -vfr /var/lib/apt/lists && sudo apt-get update" — Nihilist Freedom, Sep 19 '13 at 08:38

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 19 '13 at 07:44

I don't know too much about Ubuntu either, but what seems to be happening is that your software sources list is corrupted (the list is the file that holds all of the sources for your software, so if you update software it knows where to look). I would try opening terminal and typing in:

sudo apt-get update

This will just update that list, and hopefully do something about the line that is causing the error. As far as I know, this shouldn't mess anything up, but I am not 100 percent sure, so try this at your own risk.

I hope this works (and that I didn't give you bad advice) DeveloperNewb

Error while opening Ubuntu software center

1 Answers1