apt update error. Release file missing

Question

So I recently ran into a problem while I tried to use the "sudo apt update" command.

Here is the complete console output:

Ign:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty InRelease
Ign:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty-updates InRelease
Ign:3 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty-security InRelease
Err:4 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty Release
404  Not Found [IP: 91.189.88.161 80]
Err:5 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty-updates Release
404  Not Found [IP: 91.189.88.161 80]
Err:6 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty-security Release
404  Not Found [IP: 91.189.91.23 80]
Reading package lists... Done
E: The repository 'http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty Release' 
does not have a Release file.
N: Updating from such a repository can't be done securely, and is 
therefore disabled by default.
N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user 
configuration details.
E: The repository 'http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty-updates 
Release' does not have a Release file.
N: Updating from such a repository can't be done securely, and is 
therefore disabled by default.
N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user 
configuration details.
E: The repository 'http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty-security 
Release' does no longer have a Release file.
N: Updating from such a repository can't be done securely, and is 
therefore disabled by default.
N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user 
configuration details.

I have been using Linux for a little while but I am still a rookie, so what should I do?

Possible duplicate of Can't update from official repositories — user535733, Jan 21 '18 at 16:47
The 'Search' box on this site will save you time and frustration. — user535733, Jan 21 '18 at 16:48

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 21 '18 at 17:15

Mostly this error occurs when the repository in question doesn't have a directory corresponding to your distro's version.

A partial workaround that I employ is to go on the repo website, checking what version is the most recent and replace my distro's one by it manually in /etc/apt/sources.list.d files. Then I update and this works well, no more errors and I can install repo's software.

However that error is suspect about Ubuntu's security updates and I do not recommand using this trick for them...

apt update error. Release file missing

1 Answers1