What should I do when apt tries to fetch a package that doesn't exist?

Question

I am trying to install the checkinstall package with:

sudo apt-get install checkinstall

apt-get is returning

Failed to fetch http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/l/linux/linux-libc-dev_4.4.0-67.88_amd64.deb  404  Not Found [IP: 198.199.99.226 80]

E: Unable to fetch some archives, maybe run apt-get update or try with --fix-missing?

I've checked at the ubuntu package servers and that specific package: linux-libc-dev_4.4.0-67.88_amd64.deb in not present on the server although there are many packages with similar version numbers, this one looks closest: linux-libc-dev_4.4.0-72.93_i386.deb

What should I do from here to fix this problem and finish installing checkinstall?

I checked the ubuntu package server that you linked to and the file you referenced is definitely there. To fix the error you're seeing, try running sudo apt-get install -f. That should attempt to fix whatever is missing. If you still can't pull a file down, your issue might be with your repo. You might need to change repositories. I've had similar issues with the neusoft repo in China. The file in question shouldn't be related to repo though. — b_laoshi, Apr 07 '17 at 05:03
@b_laoshi the package you linked to was the wrong one, if you re-read the question you should understand. — the_velour_fog, Apr 07 '17 at 05:53
@muru apt-get update can't help apt, when the package doesnt exist on the server, right? — the_velour_fog, Apr 07 '17 at 06:17
@the_velour_fog, sorry for reading that wrong. Like muru says, run sudo apt-get update if you haven't done that already. Then try running sudo apt-get install linux-libc-dev. If that fails, try a manual install. Download the more recent version run sudo dpkg -i linux-libc-dev_4.4.0-72.93_i386.deb That should install the most recent version which is the one you noted that looks closest. If this install goes through, run sudo apt-get install -f. Assuming linux-libc-dev was your only dependency problem, that last command should reattempt the installation of checkinstall and finish it off. — b_laoshi, Apr 07 '17 at 06:19
@b_laoshi, thanks, yes I have done as you have said, basically - the packages installed, so I have added the result as an answer, although I'm worried Ive now broken my OS. can you please explain what apt-get -f would do? (I'm assuming you meant apt-get install -f checkinstall right?) — the_velour_fog, Apr 07 '17 at 06:28
It's just shorthand for apt-get install --fix-missing. When you try to install something and install fails because dependencies aren't met, running apt-get install -f should attempt to pick up where it left off with the installs that failed. You can add checkinstall to the end if you like, but it's not necessary. That's my experience, anyway. Regarding muru's recommendation to run apt-get update that's good practice to make sure it's not trying to pull an obsolete package. I should have told you to run that first as well. — b_laoshi, Apr 07 '17 at 06:38
@b_laoshi I dont understand pick up where it left off? how can --fix-missing fix the problem - if the dependencies still are unavailable? I ran apt-get update - it made no difference — the_velour_fog, Apr 07 '17 at 06:42
@the_velour_fog, basically, apt-get knows it was unable to complete the installation. If you can fix the missing/broken dependencies manually, it will retry the installation when you run install with --fix-missing. Essentially, you fixed what was missing. Now when apt-get tries again, it thinks the problem is resolved and finishes off installing anything that didn't get installed on the first attempt. If your system is trying to pull an older version of a current package, I would suspect that you might need to clear out cache somewhere and run apt-get update anew. — b_laoshi, Apr 07 '17 at 06:49
@b_laoshi ah so --fix-missing is what you use after I fixed the dependency - I thought it was a command telling apt to fix it. but its like saying ok, apt, now that Ive manually "fixed the missing dependencies", now you can re-try installing the package that failed .. thats it right? — the_velour_fog, Apr 07 '17 at 06:49
@the_velour_fog, precisely. In hindsight, maybe we should have taken this discussion to chat. — b_laoshi, Apr 07 '17 at 06:52

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 07 '17 at 06:14

For those who may be interested, I came up with a solution, although I dont think it was a good solution.
Essentially, I hoped the package which was requiring linux-libc-dev would hopefully accept a range of linux-libc-dev versions.
So I curled the closest version into /var/cache/apt/archives

% cd /var/cache/apt/archives
%
..cache/apt/archives % sudo curl -O 'http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/l/linux/linux-libc-dev_4.4.0-72.93_amd64.deb'
%
cache/apt/archives % sudo dpkg --install linux-libc-dev_4.4.0-72.93_amd64.deb
%

The linux-libc-dev and checkinstall packages have now installed, but it looks like it may have displaced many other packages

cache/apt/archives % sudo dpkg --install linux-libc-dev_4.4.0-72.93_amd64.deb 
Selecting previously unselected package linux-libc-dev:amd64.
(Reading database ... 60543 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack linux-libc-dev_4.4.0-72.93_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking linux-libc-dev:amd64 (4.4.0-72.93) ...
Setting up linux-libc-dev:amd64 (4.4.0-72.93) ...
%
cache/apt/archives % sudo apt-get install checkinstall  
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following additional packages will be installed:
  build-essential cpp cpp-5 dpkg-dev fakeroot g++ g++-5 gcc gcc-5 libalgorithm-diff-perl libalgorithm-diff-xs-perl libalgorithm-merge-perl libasan2 libatomic1
  libc-dev-bin libc6-dev libcc1-0 libcilkrts5 libdpkg-perl libfakeroot libfile-fcntllock-perl libgcc-5-dev libgomp1 libisl15 libitm1 liblsan0 libmpc3 libmpx0
  libquadmath0 libstdc++-5-dev libtsan0 libubsan0 make manpages-dev
Suggested packages:
  gettext cpp-doc gcc-5-locales debian-keyring g++-multilib g++-5-multilib gcc-5-doc libstdc++6-5-dbg gcc-multilib autoconf automake libtool flex bison gdb gcc-doc
  gcc-5-multilib libgcc1-dbg libgomp1-dbg libitm1-dbg libatomic1-dbg libasan2-dbg liblsan0-dbg libtsan0-dbg libubsan0-dbg libcilkrts5-dbg libmpx0-dbg libquadmath0-dbg
  glibc-doc libstdc++-5-doc make-doc
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  build-essential checkinstall cpp cpp-5 dpkg-dev fakeroot g++ g++-5 gcc gcc-5 libalgorithm-diff-perl libalgorithm-diff-xs-perl libalgorithm-merge-perl libasan2
  libatomic1 libc-dev-bin libc6-dev libcc1-0 libcilkrts5 libdpkg-perl libfakeroot libfile-fcntllock-perl libgcc-5-dev libgomp1 libisl15 libitm1 liblsan0 libmpc3
  libmpx0 libquadmath0 libstdc++-5-dev libtsan0 libubsan0 make manpages-dev
0 upgraded, 35 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/35.3 MB of archives.
After this operation, 126 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Extracting templates from packages: 100%
Selecting previously unselected package libmpc3:amd64.
(Reading database ... 61354 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libmpc3_1.0.3-1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libmpc3:amd64 (1.0.3-1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libc-dev-bin.
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Unpacking libubsan0:amd64 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libcilkrts5:amd64.
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Unpacking build-essential (12.1ubuntu2) ...
Selecting previously unselected package checkinstall.
Preparing to unpack .../checkinstall_1.6.2-4ubuntu1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking checkinstall (1.6.2-4ubuntu1) ...
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Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.23-0ubuntu7) ...
Setting up libmpc3:amd64 (1.0.3-1) ...
Setting up libc-dev-bin (2.23-0ubuntu7) ...
Setting up libc6-dev:amd64 (2.23-0ubuntu7) ...
Setting up libisl15:amd64 (0.16.1-1) ...
Setting up cpp-5 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up cpp (4:5.3.1-1ubuntu1) ...
Setting up libcc1-0:amd64 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up libgomp1:amd64 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up libitm1:amd64 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up libatomic1:amd64 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up libasan2:amd64 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up liblsan0:amd64 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up libtsan0:amd64 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up libubsan0:amd64 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up libcilkrts5:amd64 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up libmpx0:amd64 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up libquadmath0:amd64 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up libgcc-5-dev:amd64 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up gcc-5 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up gcc (4:5.3.1-1ubuntu1) ...
Setting up libstdc++-5-dev:amd64 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up g++-5 (5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.4) ...
Setting up g++ (4:5.3.1-1ubuntu1) ...
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/g++ to provide /usr/bin/c++ (c++) in auto mode
Setting up make (4.1-6) ...
Setting up libdpkg-perl (1.18.4ubuntu1.1) ...
Setting up dpkg-dev (1.18.4ubuntu1.1) ...
Setting up build-essential (12.1ubuntu2) ...
Setting up checkinstall (1.6.2-4ubuntu1) ...
Setting up libfakeroot:amd64 (1.20.2-1ubuntu1) ...
Setting up fakeroot (1.20.2-1ubuntu1) ...
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/fakeroot-sysv to provide /usr/bin/fakeroot (fakeroot) in auto mode
Setting up libalgorithm-diff-perl (1.19.03-1) ...
Setting up libalgorithm-diff-xs-perl (0.04-4build1) ...
Setting up libalgorithm-merge-perl (0.08-3) ...
Setting up libfile-fcntllock-perl (0.22-3) ...
Setting up manpages-dev (4.04-2) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.23-0ubuntu7) ...

It doesn't look like anything was displaced. They are probably other checkinstall dependencies. After you manually installed linux-libc-dev it enabled you to finish installing checkinstall and all of its associated dependencies. — b_laoshi, Apr 07 '17 at 06:43
@b_laoshi ah ok good point about the dependencies belonging to checkinstall — the_velour_fog, Apr 07 '17 at 06:46

What should I do when apt tries to fetch a package that doesn't exist?

1 Answers1