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I followed the askubuntu directions for installing wine on linux 17.10 with a view to installing microsoft office. However, when I tried to download wine by pressing reload (see step 11 below) I got the error message "failed to download repository information". Can anybody include a link which gives foolproof instructions (maybe on youtube). I'm pretty new to linux (3 days in) and so am more or less a beginner. Instructions were:

  1. click on the Applications menu

  2. Type software

  3. Click Software & Updates

  4. Click on the Other Software tab

  5. Click Add

  6. Enter ppa:ubuntu-wine/ppa in the APT line section (Figure 2)

  7. Click Add Source

  8. Enter your sudo password

  9. Click Authenticate

  10. Click Close

  11. When prompted, click Reload

  12. Open the Software Center

  13. Search for Wine

  14. Click the Wine entry and then click Install

Allow the installation to complete.

Link for these instructions is: https://www.linux.com/learn/how-install-and-use-wine-run-windows-applications-linux

C.Diamantis
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  • What "askubuntu directions" have you followed exactly? Please [edit] and post a link. Furthermore, wine is already include in the official repositories. –  Nov 02 '17 at 23:45
  • MichaelBay - I have now edited the post to include the instructions I followed. As I said, I am a Linux beginner so I really can't comment on your assertion regarding wine being included in the official repositories. all I can say is that my system does not recognise it based on the error message I received which, again, was "failed to download repository information". I hope the included instructions in my edited question help to clarify the problem. – C.Diamantis Nov 03 '17 at 09:43
  • If you're a beginner start with easy things. Wine is already available in the official repositories means you can install it using the Ubuntu Software, the "app store" or with a simple command in terminal. It's true what they said about it probably being an older version but better to install that then to use third party repositories (PPA) and in this case you can't because the ppa they mention doesn t work (has no packages) with your Ubuntu version and hasn't been updated either for older versions which, along with other details, suggest that guide was written by idiots. –  Nov 03 '17 at 10:02
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    First thing to do now is to remove the PPA you added, close and reload as you did before. Then, in terminal, fully update your system: sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade. Finally install the recommended version with sudo apt install wine (or use Ubuntu Software). –  Nov 03 '17 at 10:07
  • Thanks. I presume that to remove the PPA, I go into "software and updates" in applications, click the "other software" tab and delete any entry starting with http://PPA.launchpad.net? Apologies if this is a stupid question, but I do not wish to delete crucial files. – C.Diamantis Nov 03 '17 at 13:12
  • PPAs are third-party online repositories (of software), not files. By removing them you aren't deleting anything. The PPA to remove is the one you added by following the guide and that one only. You may or may not have others. If you do them removing the others won't cause any harm but you won't get updates from software provided by those sources. –  Nov 18 '17 at 21:19

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First, as I'm new to linux also, check the date and version used on any write up you find. A write up from 2010 more than likely won't directly apply, as with a write up from ubuntu version 10.... Not everything changes but most things do to some degree. Look for ubuntu 17 instructions not general linux instructions.

There are three gui's for software on my xubuntu 16 install. Software, software updater, and software and updates. Software is where you can find a wine package and other apps/software, software updater helps with updates, it will do the same as "sudo apt update" to some degree, and the software and updates allows you to add ppa's and configure your auto update stuffs.

You don't need to add a ppa to find wine in the software gui. If you try to download it from there, and can't get it to work, look here: https://wiki.winehq.org/Ubuntu

They list a different ppa than you did, "sudo apt-add-repository https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/," along with a bunch of other crap, so I'd try the software manager version first. I did see some reviews there saying it wasn't working, so you might have to check out the winehq website, or wait for a patch.

I'm not entirely sure but I don't think, "Enter ppa:ubuntu-wine/ppa," will add a ppa. The computer doesn't know how to get there. Notice the one I posted from winehq is a web address, the computer knows how to get there. What does it do with the ppa they listed? Nothing as far as I know. Even where you said you added the ppa it lists a format for adding them, "The APT line includes the type, location and components of a repository, for example 'deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial main'."

Try the software gui, from there go to wine hq. What I read there is far more complex than I want to try, without having to, If your running 64bit you have to enable 32bit arc, etc.

dl250
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  • I forgot to say, wine hq has something going on with a company called code weavers. They have an app that works with wine, but it's a paid service that includes some support. It might be the way to go if you need it to work. It wouldn't be free, but if you have to get it working... – dl250 Dec 26 '17 at 23:54
  • CrossOver is a polished version of Wine provided by CodeWeavers. CrossOver makes it easier to use Wine and CodeWeavers provides excellent technical support to its users. All purchases of CrossOver are used to directly fund the developers working on Wine. So CrossOver is both a great way to get support in using Wine and to support the Wine Project. CodeWeavers provides fully functional trial versions of CrossOver. – dl250 Dec 26 '17 at 23:54