Error adding a repository to /etc/apt/sources.list

Question

On ubuntu 14.04, I followed http://mirror.its.dal.ca/cran/bin/linux/ubuntu/README which says

Installation and compilation of R or some of its packages may require Ubuntu packages from the "backports" repositories. In particular, this is the case for Tcl/Tk 8.5 on Hardy. Therefore, it is suggested to activate the backports repositories with an entry like

   deb http://<my.favorite.ubuntu.mirror>/ raring-backports main restricted universe

in your /etc/apt/sources.list file. See https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+archivemirrors for the list of Ubuntu mirrors.

So in https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+archivemirrors, I chose "Open Computing Facility at UC Berkeley", and copied the link (http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/) of its "http", and add to my /etc/apt/sources.list:

deb http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/ raring-backports main restricted universe

When I run sudo apt-get update, I run into the following errors:

Err http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/main amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/restricted amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/universe amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/main i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/restricted i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/universe i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/main Translation-en
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/restricted Translation-en
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/universe Translation-en
W: Failed to fetch http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/dists/raring-backports/main/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/dists/raring-backports/restricted/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/dists/raring-backports/universe/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/dists/raring-backports/main/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/dists/raring-backports/restricted/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/dists/raring-backports/universe/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

E: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

The whole output is at the end of this post. I wonder why the problem happens and how to solve it? Thanks!

$ sudo apt-get update
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty InRelease
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security InRelease                       
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates InRelease                      
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security Release.gpg                     
Ign http://dl.google.com stable InRelease                                      
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports InRelease                    
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security Release                         
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty Release.gpg                            
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates Release.gpg                    
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main Sources                    
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports Release.gpg                  
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted Sources              
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty Release                                
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe Sources                
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates Release                        
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports Release                      
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse Sources              
Ign http://archive.canonical.com trusty InRelease                              
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main Sources                           
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main amd64 Packages             
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted Sources                     
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com trusty InRelease                                  
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted amd64 Packages       
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe Sources                       
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe amd64 Packages         
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse Sources                     
Ign http://stat.ethz.ch trusty/ InRelease                                      
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse amd64 Packages       
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main amd64 Packages                    
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main i386 Packages              
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted amd64 Packages              
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted i386 Packages        
Ign http://archive.canonical.com trusty InRelease                              
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe amd64 Packages                
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe i386 Packages          
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com trusty Release.gpg                                
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse amd64 Packages              
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse i386 Packages        
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main i386 Packages                     
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main Translation-en             
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports InRelease                 
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted i386 Packages               
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse Translation-en       
Ign http://dl.google.com stable InRelease                                      
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted Translation-en       
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty Release.gpg                            
Hit http://stat.ethz.ch trusty/ Release.gpg                                    
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com trusty Release                                    
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe i386 Packages                 
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports Release.gpg               
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse i386 Packages               
Hit http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg                                    
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe Translation-en         
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty Release.gpg                            
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main Translation-en                    
Hit http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg                                    
Hit http://stat.ethz.ch trusty/ Release                                        
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse Translation-en              
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com trusty/main Sources                               
Hit http://dl.google.com stable Release                                        
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports Release                   
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted Translation-en              
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty Release                                
Hit http://dl.google.com stable Release                                        
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe Translation-en                
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/main Sources                   
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/restricted Sources             
Hit http://dl.google.com stable/main amd64 Packages                            
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/universe Sources               
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com trusty/main amd64 Packages                        
Hit http://stat.ethz.ch trusty/ Packages                                       
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/multiverse Sources             
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty Release                                
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages            
Hit http://dl.google.com stable/main i386 Packages                             
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/restricted amd64 Packages      
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/universe amd64 Packages        
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/multiverse amd64 Packages      
Hit http://extras.ubuntu.com trusty/main i386 Packages                         
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/main i386 Packages             
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty/partner Sources                        
Hit http://dl.google.com stable/main amd64 Packages                            
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/restricted i386 Packages       
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/universe i386 Packages         
Hit http://dl.google.com stable/main i386 Packages                             
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/multiverse i386 Packages       
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty/partner amd64 Packages                 
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/main Translation-en            
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/multiverse Translation-en      
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/restricted Translation-en      
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/universe Translation-en        
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/main Sources                 
Ign https://private-ppa.launchpad.net precise InRelease                        
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/restricted Sources           
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty/partner i386 Packages                  
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/universe Sources             
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/multiverse Sources           
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/main amd64 Packages          
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/restricted amd64 Packages    
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/universe amd64 Packages      
Hit https://private-ppa.launchpad.net precise Release.gpg                      
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/multiverse amd64 Packages    
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/main i386 Packages           
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/restricted i386 Packages     
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty/partner Sources                        
Hit https://private-ppa.launchpad.net precise Release                          
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/universe i386 Packages       
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/multiverse i386 Packages     
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/main Translation-en          
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/multiverse Translation-en    
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty/partner amd64 Packages                 
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/restricted Translation-en    
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports/universe Translation-en      
Hit https://private-ppa.launchpad.net precise/main amd64 Packages              
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty/partner i386 Packages                  
Hit https://private-ppa.launchpad.net precise/main i386 Packages               
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main Translation-en_US                 
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse Translation-en_US           
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted Translation-en_US           
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe Translation-en_US             
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en_US                         
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com trusty/main Translation-en_US                     
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en                            
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en_US                         
Ign http://dl.google.com stable/main Translation-en                            
Ign http://archive.canonical.com trusty/partner Translation-en                 
Ign http://extras.ubuntu.com trusty/main Translation-en                        
Ign http://stat.ethz.ch trusty/ Translation-en_US                              
Ign http://archive.canonical.com trusty/partner Translation-en                 
Ign http://stat.ethz.ch trusty/ Translation-en                    
Ign https://private-ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Translation-en_US
Ign https://private-ppa.launchpad.net precise/main Translation-en
Err http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/main amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/restricted amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/universe amd64 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/main i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/restricted i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Err http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/universe i386 Packages
  404  Not Found
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/main Translation-en
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/restricted Translation-en
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu raring-backports/universe Translation-en
W: Failed to fetch http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/dists/raring-backports/main/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/dists/raring-backports/restricted/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/dists/raring-backports/universe/binary-amd64/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/dists/raring-backports/main/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/dists/raring-backports/restricted/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

W: Failed to fetch http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/dists/raring-backports/universe/binary-i386/Packages  404  Not Found

E: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 17 '15 at 16:34

3

Support for Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" ended 2014-01-27 so most mirrors don't provide raring-backports any more.

As you are using Ubuntu 14.04 und already have trusty-backports activated there isn't any reason to use the package source anyway. Just remove it.

answered Apr 17 '15 at 16:34

Florian Diesch

89,821

Thanks. The other reply is different from yours. Which one shall I follow? – Tim Apr 17 '15 at 16:44

rcs · Answer 2 · 2015-04-17T18:40:46.360

2

The README seems to be outdated (you don't want raring backports). Just add a line for a CRAN mirror, e.g. the CRAN master in Vienna:

deb http://cran.at.r-project.org/bin/linux/ubuntu trusty/

Alternatively you could use the Ubuntu R PPA, which can be added using the following syntax:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:marutter/rrutter

edited Apr 17 '15 at 18:40

answered Apr 17 '15 at 18:25

rcs

464
1
9
20

A.B. · Answer 3 · 2015-04-17T16:47:03.780

1

Remove this line:

deb http://mirrors.ocf.berkeley.edu/ubuntu/ raring-backports main restricted universe

and use this list to select a mirror.

As Florian Diesch has already answered:

Support for Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" ended 2014-01-27 so most mirrors don't provide raring-backports any more.

edited Apr 17 '15 at 16:47

answered Apr 17 '15 at 16:33

A.B.

92,275

Thanks. (1) Suppose I pick http://stat.ethz.ch/CRAN/, what line do you suggest to my /etc/apt/sources.list then? (2) Is my question about R cran mirror or about ubuntu mirror? I though it was the latter? But your reply imples the former? – Tim Apr 17 '15 at 16:41
he also said "As you are using Ubuntu 14.04 und already have trusty-backports activated there isn't any reason to use the package source anyway. Just remove it." If you think that I should add something, suppose I pick http://stat.ethz.ch/CRAN/, what line do you suggest to my /etc/apt/sources.list then? Note that I have already added deb http://stat.ethz.ch/CRAN/bin/linux/ubuntu trusty/. – Tim Apr 17 '15 at 16:59

Error adding a repository to /etc/apt/sources.list

3 Answers3