E: Method gave invalid 103 Redirect message

[Aminda Suomalainen]

Sometimes when running `apt update` or equivalent, the progress stops with error "E: Method gave invalid 103 Redirect message". This seems to happen especially when http:://mirrors.ubuntu.com/mirrors.txt is used.

Current sources.list on this laptop is below. This happens with other my devices running Ubuntu too which sources.list is https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Mikaela/shell-things/a5c9156eb41826e3c2cb05ce09f9981d01ce979d/etc/apt/sources.list/15.04

```
# See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.
deb mirror://mirrors.ubuntu.com/mirrors.txt vivid main restricted universe multiverse

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final vivid of the
## distribution.
deb mirror://mirrors.ubuntu.com/mirrors.txt vivid-updates main restricted universe multiverse

## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main vivid, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb mirror://mirrors.ubuntu.com/mirrors.txt vivid-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb mirror://mirrors.ubuntu.com/mirrors.txt vivid-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu vivid-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src mirror://mirrors.ubuntu.com/mirrors.txt vivid main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src mirror://mirrors.ubuntu.com/mirrors.txt vivid-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src mirror://mirrors.ubuntu.com/mirrors.txt vivid-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src mirror://mirrors.ubuntu.com/mirrors.txt vivid-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu vivid-security main restricted universe multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's
## 'partner' repository.
## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by Canonical and the
## respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu users.
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu vivid partner
deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu vivid partner

# https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingProgramCrash
# sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 428D7C01
deb http://ddebs.ubuntu.com vivid main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://ddebs.ubuntu.com vivid-updates main restricted universe multiverse
# Ignore unless you have enabled proposed below
#deb http://ddebs.ubuntu.com vivid-proposed main restricted universe multiverse

# https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed
#deb mirror://mirrors.ubuntu.com/mirrors.txt vivid-proposed main restricted universe multiverse
#deb-src mirror://mirrors.ubuntu.com/mirrors.txt vivid-proposed main restricted universe multiverse
```

This has been happening for a long time, possibly years and I was surprised that I wasn't able to find bug report by searching bugs for package "apt" with search term "103" redirect.

I have learned that workaround for this issue is `cd /var/lib/apt/lists;rm *;cd partial;rm *;cd`.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 15.04
Package: apt 1.0.9.7ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.19.0-25.26-generic 3.19.8-ckt2
Uname: Linux 3.19.0-25-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
ApportVersion: 2.17.2-0ubuntu1.1
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop:

Date: Tue Jul 28 19:25:58 2015
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-07-14 (14 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-MATE 15.04 "Vivid Vervet" - Release amd64 (20150422.1)
SourcePackage: apt
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Julien Duponchelle (noplay)]

I confirm the issue on Ubuntu 14.04

[Mike Mol (mikemol)]

I just slammed into this while trying to upgrade from 15.04 to 15.10.

[Diego Rodríguez Baquero (diegorbaquero)]

+1 in Ubuntu 14.04

[Aminda Suomalainen (mikaela)]

I think this has been fixed in apt 1.1 in 16.04 or at least I haven't seen this issue in a long time. Could anyone confirm?

[Justin Kremer (justin-kremer)]

Unfortunately, I just ran into this, too. I am running Ubuntu 15.10 with apt Version: 1.0.10.2ubuntu1 which is slightly newer than the version originally reported.
I have no idea about apt 1.1 in 16.04.
I was able to work around by only removing /var/lib/apt/lists/partial/*
Let me know if any additional information would be helpful. I found this while searching for the issue because I couldn't find any errors or logs that gave me very useful information. I was originally using 'apt-get update' in a terminal, and the Software & Updates preference pane gave the same error and told me to check my Internet connection. (haha)

[Bortnyák Roland (antivirtel)]

Yeah, removing /var/lib/apt/lists/partial/* files helped me too (14.04 LTS). Thanks.

[Seb Bonnard (sebma)]

Hi, yes removing the /var/lib/apt/lists/partial/* files solved the pb.

Thank you.

[Julian Andres Klode (juliank)]

Marking as fix released as per mikaela's comment. If anyone sees that again in 16.04 or newer, feel free to reopen the bug.