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Super noob here using 14.10. When I try to do anything via command line, the response is always something like:

E: Syntax error /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70debconf:4: Extra junk after value

All I want to do is download VLC and Popcorn Time.

To install VLC I attempted:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install vlc

after i tried:

$ sudo apt-get update
E: Syntax error /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70debconf:4: Extra junk after value

/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70debconf file content:

$ cat /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70debconf 
// Pre-configure all packages with debconf before they are installed. 
// If you don't like it, comment it out. 
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs {"/usr/sbin/dpkg-preconfigure --apt || true";};
apt::cache-limit "100000000" APT::Cache-Limit "100000000"; 
$ sudo apt-get update 
E: Syntax error /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70debconf:4: Extra junk after value
muru
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hoosierhickey
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  • you're more likely to get a useful answer if you provide more details about what generates the error. what command(s) were you trying to run? – amc Aug 12 '15 at 04:07
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    Please edit your question and add the output of cat /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70debconf – Ron Aug 12 '15 at 04:08
  • Did you try to edit 70debconf ? – dedunu Aug 12 '15 at 04:12
  • Just tried this:

    morgan@morgan-Satellite-A660:~$ cat /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70debconf // Pre-configure all packages with debconf before they are installed. // If you don't like it, comment it out. DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs {"/usr/sbin/dpkg-preconfigure --apt || true";};apt::cache-limit "100000000" APT::Cache-Limit "100000000";

    morgan@morgan-Satellite-A660:~$ sudo apt-get update E: Syntax error /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70debconf:4: Extra junk after value

     – hoosierhickey Aug 12 '15 at 04:21

1 Answers1

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Where you trying to increase the cache size?

Open your /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70debconf file in your favorite text editor:

sudo nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70debconf

and add a semi-colon (;) at the end of the line:

APT::Cache-Limit "100000000"

to make it look like:

APT::Cache-Limit "100000000";

All in one

// Pre-configure all packages with debconf before they are installed. 
// If you don't like it, comment it out. 
DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs {"/usr/sbin/dpkg-preconfigure --apt || true";};
APT::Cache-Limit "100000000";

You can delete the apt::cache-limit "100000000" line because APT::Cache-Limit "100000000"; is the correct format.

From man apt-conf:

APT::Get::Assume-Yes "true";The trailing semicolon is required and the quotes are optional.

A.B.
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Ron
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  • I think it is better to delete the last line. – dedunu Aug 12 '15 at 04:40
  • @dedunumax you mean delete apt::cache-limit "100000000", right? – Ron Aug 12 '15 at 04:41
  • Yeah last line. I am using ubuntu 14.04. I have only first three lines in my 70debconf file. – dedunu Aug 12 '15 at 04:42
  • @dedunumax Yes, the main problem is the lack of ;. I guess OP was playing around with the file and forgot to delete the unformatted line. – Ron Aug 12 '15 at 04:45
  • so i found the file, ron, should it now look like this DPkg::Pre-Install-Pkgs {"/usr/sbin/dpkg-preconfigure --apt || true";};apt::cache-limit "100000000"; and i guess my next question is now what? i'm sorry i suck so much. gotta learn somehow! – hoosierhickey Aug 12 '15 at 04:52
  • @hoosierhickey do you want to set cache-limit? – dedunu Aug 12 '15 at 07:54
  • @dedunmax i really am not sure. i just want to be able to download stuff through the terminal but it won't let me. – hoosierhickey Aug 12 '15 at 21:08
  • @hoosierhickey did you edit your file as above? – Ron Aug 13 '15 at 03:52