Duplicate sources.list entry

Question

Using Ubuntu 14.04 LTS.

sudo apt-get update

thats all i ran, and it'd start off real smooth, then it'd get to a part where it gets stuck for like a fair ammount of time after which it'd display this error.

W: Duplicate sources.list entry http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/restricted amd64 Packages (/var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_trusty_restricted_binary-amd64_Packages)
    W: Duplicate sources.list entry http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/restricted i386 Packages (/var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_trusty_restricted_binary-i386_Packages)
    W: Duplicate sources.list entry http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/restricted amd64 Packages (/var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_trusty-updates_restricted_binary-amd64_Packages)
    W: Duplicate sources.list entry http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/restricted i386 Packages (/var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_trusty-updates_restricted_binary-i386_Packages)
    W: Duplicate sources.list entry http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/restricted amd64 Packages (/var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_trusty-backports_restricted_binary-amd64_Packages)
    W: Duplicate sources.list entry http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/multiverse amd64 Packages (/var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_trusty-backports_multiverse_binary-amd64_Packages)
    W: Duplicate sources.list entry http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/restricted i386 Packages (/var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_trusty-backports_restricted_binary-i386_Packages)
    W: Duplicate sources.list entry http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/multiverse i386 Packages (/var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_trusty-backports_multiverse_binary-i386_Packages)
    W: Duplicate sources.list entry http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/restricted amd64 Packages (/var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_trusty-security_restricted_binary-amd64_Packages)
    W: Duplicate sources.list entry http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/restricted i386 Packages (/var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_trusty-security_restricted_binary-i386_Packages)
    W: You may want to run apt-get update to correct these problems

of course the suggestion it suggested isnt going to work, as it's that very command after running which i came across the error. I've tried creating a new sources.list file, and also, in the 'other software' tab in the updater settings, i found two "canonical Partners" and thus i eradicated one of them. Still it wont work. there are a number of lists that the error tells of... I checked one and couldnt make any sense out of it.

Also, I installed the 32bit architecture manually so as to be able to use skype

@Anas Ismail Khan have you installed the 32-bit or the 64-bit version? — Elder Geek, Apr 26 '14 at 20:08
@fossfreedom i've seen that post.. even tried the stuff there. + it's for precise, though i assure you that it probably wont make a difference — Anas Ismail Khan, Apr 26 '14 at 20:14
@Anas Ismail Khan Did you backup your original sources.list file before you made the new one? — Elder Geek, Apr 26 '14 at 20:39
@Anas Ismail Khan My 64-bit version is ubuntu studio but doesn't have either amd64 or i386 listed in the /etc/apt/sources.list file — Elder Geek, Apr 26 '14 at 21:09
@ElderGeek I did backup. but the new one was like identical to the older one. — Anas Ismail Khan, Apr 27 '14 at 14:50
@Anas Ismail Khan Question asked and answered previously. http://askubuntu.com/questions/120621/how-to-fix-duplicate-sources-list-entry — Elder Geek, Apr 27 '14 at 15:08
@Anas Ismail Khan Read http://askubuntu.com/questions/120621/how-to-fix-duplicate-sources-list-entry? — Elder Geek, Apr 27 '14 at 15:11
@ElderGeek Okay, sorry... Actually, none of the promising methods on that thread worked, so I tried searching for the duplicates manually again... This time, i DID manage to find a few duplicates.. to try it out, I merely changed the suspicious lines into comments and tried updating again.. it seems to work now — Anas Ismail Khan, Apr 27 '14 at 15:45
@Anas Ismail Khan Congratulations! I'm glad it all worked out! — Elder Geek, Apr 27 '14 at 21:34

score 3 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:25

You state: "Also, I installed the 32bit architecture manually so as to be able to use skype" If you need full compatibility with 32 bit code you should install the i386 version. Regardless you can solve this problem by carefully editing /etc/apt/sources.list

sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

make sure every repository appears once and only once.

or copy the original sources.list file from a live cd/dvd/usb at the same location. Or even better consult this: How to fix Duplicate sources.list entry? A closer look at your warnings make it clear. Look closely at this example and you'll see you have dusplicate sources for differing architectures:

W: Duplicate sources.list entry http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/restricted amd64 Packages (/var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_trusty-updates_restricted_binary-amd64_Packages)
W: Duplicate sources.list entry http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/restricted i386 Packages (/var/lib/apt/lists/archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_trusty-updates_restricted_binary-i386_Packages)

I checked the file... I couldnt find any duplicate entries... plus, i even created a new one and still faced the error... — Anas Ismail Khan, Apr 27 '14 at 15:27
@Anas Ismail Khan Post the content of your /etc/apt/sources.list I'm sure it will be clear to someone. Thanks — Elder Geek, Apr 27 '14 at 21:21

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 26 '14 at 20:42

1

As Elder Greek observes you have both i386 32 bit and amd_64 bit entries. If you have synaptic or

sudo apt-get install synaptic

when you run it under Settings → Repositories → Other Software you will find the list of all your repositories.

Delete the i386 entries and Reload (update).

If there are any more duplicates it will tell you so you can check and delete.

answered Apr 26 '14 at 20:42

user265064

156
4

How do i figure out which entries are for i386? Also, you dont neeed synaptic to get there :S
- last night, i checked this, and found two entries of Canonical Partners.. i removed one of them.. didnt help
– Anas Ismail Khan Apr 27 '14 at 15:07
Have a look at the question that this duplicates. It has much better answers, and hopefully one of those will help: http://askubuntu.com/questions/120621/how-to-fix-duplicate-sources-list-entry – Michael Scheper Dec 10 '14 at 01:46

Duplicate sources.list entry

2 Answers2