Upgrade 17.04 to 17.10 not possible

[Otto]

Expected: Upgrade 17.04 to 17.10

Result:
E:The repository 'http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu stable Release' does not have a Release file.

Also, Upgrade server has a circular reference
see http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ubuntu/ubuntu/ubuntu/ubuntu/ubuntu/...

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. While running an Ubuntu kernel (not a mainline or third-party kernel) please enter the following command in a terminal window:

apport-collect 1743995

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Otto (otto11235)]

Trying to run apport-collect I get the error message that I need to install python-apport. But trying to install it I get the error message that it 'is not available' & 'has no installation candidate'. Trying to install apport I'm told that it is already the newest version (2.20.4-0ubuntu4.10) but running apport gets "apport: command not found"!
This is nuts...

[Otto (otto11235)]

Attached is the log of "sudo do-release-upgrade"
Many errors of the type:

Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty Release
  404 Not Found [IP: 2001:67c:1562::19%3 80]
Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty-updates Release
  404 Not Found [IP: 2001:67c:1562::19%3 80]

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

You may need to run the following from a terminal:

sudo apt-get install -f
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get update

Then re-install the package or updates.

If that does not resolve your issue, please mark the bug as "Confirmed"

[Otto (otto11235)]

The apt-get update resulted in a loop (see attached log) which ended in:

Ign:84 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty-security/restricted amd64 Packages
Ign:85 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty-security/restricted Translation-en_GB
Reading package lists... Done
W: The repository 'http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty Release' does not have a Release file.
N: Data from such a repository can't be authenticated and is therefore potentially dangerous to use.
N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details.
W: The repository 'http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty-updates Release' does not have a Release file.
N: Data from such a repository can't be authenticated and is therefore potentially dangerous to use.
N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details.
W: The repository 'http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty-security Release' does not have a Release file.
N: Data from such a repository can't be authenticated and is therefore potentially dangerous to use.
N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details.
E: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/zesty/main/binary-amd64/Packages 404 Not Found [IP: 2001:67c:1562::16%3 80]
E: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/zesty-updates/main/binary-i386/Packages 404 Not Found [IP: 2001:67c:1562::16%3 80]
E: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/zesty-security/main/binary-i386/Packages 404 Not Found [IP: 2001:67c:1562::16%3 80]
E: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

[ZdravkoG (zdravko-g)]

The last reported errors are because 'zesty' support is out of date. This should not be a problem by self (I think).
I can't still understand where initial problem (E:The repository 'http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu stable Release' does not have a Release file.) comes from! There is no such entry in my 'sources.list'. Probably this is some bug in distribution upgrade script, which seems add this. Such entry does not exist in repository and everything breaks, when script try to check it.

[Otto (otto11235)]

I've installed 17.10 via DVD so the pressure is off me. I have no experience of the Ubuntu updating process, but to me it seems to be seriously flawed at the moment.

I have seen Release files in other Ubuntu archives, e.g. http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/artful/Release
so they must have a purpose.

Has the script 'owner' been informed of the problem?

What about the circular reference in http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu? That can't be right. Does the 'owner' of the archive know of the problem?

[ZdravkoG (zdravko-g)]

When all hardware available on (or accessible from) the system is directly supported (either as free software or from supplier support), the clean install is good solution. Unfortunately, my case is not like this. In my configuration exist build-in components with partial support and also some of my peripheral devices are without or buggy support. In many cases additional components and/or additional configurations are needed after install (done by hand). I don't want to repeat everything again (which is error prone). My current settings (and installed components) work well and I will try to keep this untouched, so clean install will be the 'extreme' thing (the last one) I will do. I rely that upgrade script fix ('/usr/bin/do-release-upgrade' - python script and/or related data) will be much simpler thing to do with some help here (probably one or few lines to be fixed).

Release file http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/artful/Release is the one needed for the new release (one from all). The error message show that during upgrade (during prepare in fact) script rely to discover Release file in place like 'http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/stable/'. Such place does not exist either on expected domain or on 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'. I am not sure, but it seems like 'http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu stable Release' is wrongly formatted.
If someone have more experience - Please Help here!

[Otto (otto11235)]

@ZdravkoG Ah, sorry. I thought you were one of the Ubuntu maintainers. Looks like they don't feel urged to rise to the occasion. OK, noted.

[Ilya Brik (ibrik)]

Any chance for a workaround for this issue?

[Otto (otto11235)]

Great! Just mark it a zombie and forget about it!

IT DOES STILL AFFECT LINUX!

IT DOES STILL AFFECT UPDATE-MANAGER!

Fix the Problem, not the reporter!

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

You do not have to use this tone. I doesn't affect 'linux' because it is not a problem with the kernel and it does not affect 'update-manager' because it is not a problem with this tool.

It happens because:
1. you are trying to upgrade from an unsupported release (17.04 reached end of life on Jan. 13th)
2. you are using invalid entries in apt sources list (http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu stable Release) not set by Ubuntu (any third party installer added it, or from the command line maybe?)

The upgrade from end of life release is documented on this wiki page:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/EOLUpgrades

There is also a very good answer on askubuntu.com: https://askubuntu.com/questions/91815/how-to-install-software-or-upgrade-from-an-old-unsupported-release/91821#91821

Remove the invalid entry from your sources list files and follow the instruction on the askubuntu post and you should be able to upgrade.

I'm closing this report because it is not a bug with Ubuntu.

[ZdravkoG (zdravko-g)]

@Jean-Baptiste Lallement. Point 2 in Your answer is actually false! At least in my sources.list there is NOT entry like 'http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu stable Release' and NO any third party installer or packages are adding this.
If Your supposition is true, then during regular check for updates, equivalent error message will bring up (together with messages related to end of life release). Such message does not appear!
Do not be angry when someone goes wrong because of missed knowledge the interconnections between the packets, even when it has inadvertently raised the tone. I apologize on behalf of @Otto.
Please be more careful with the final conclusion!

[ZdravkoG (zdravko-g)]

Here is my sources list (as is now). Please, If You can find anything wrong just note it. Could be useful for many people.

[Otto (otto11235)]

@Jean-Baptiste Lallement Thank you for the infos (though earlier would have been more useful). I apologise if my comments annoyed you, I was letting it get to me, sorry.

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

@ZdravkoG, my answer was for the original poster of this bug report. In you case it is unexpected to have entries for both xenial and zesty in the same sources.list
Could you please file a separate bug report. You can do it from the command line with the command:

ubuntu-bug ubuntu-release-upgrader

It's easier to separate issues and it can still be marked as duplicate if after investigation it appears to be the same.

[ZdravkoG (zdravko-g)]

I want to add something else which could be base point (at least in my private case and probably not only). As could be seen from the sources list my install is from 2014. Over the years I make upgrade after 'end of life' release few times without any problems. Now is the first time I have such issue. Should be some reason.
@Jean-Baptiste Lallement Please Help me find this reason! What goes wrong?

[ZdravkoG (zdravko-g)]

Sorry @Jean-Baptiste Lallement I see Your last post after my previous post. New bug report is available here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-release-upgrader/+bug/1744722

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

@Otto, could you please attach the content of the directory /var/log/dist-upgrade ?
I cannot reproduce this bug by just adding google chrome repository and upgrading and need more information.

[Otto (otto11235)]

@Jean-Baptiste Lallement I'd be glad to help, but as I installed 17.10 from DVD /var/log/dist-upgrade is now empty.

What about the circular reference in the archive server?
http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ubuntu/ubuntu/ubuntu/ubuntu/ubuntu/...

[Otto (otto11235)]

@Jean-Baptiste Lallement If you look at the file I uploaded in #3 you will see the first error was

Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu zesty Release
  404 Not Found [IP: 2001:67c:1562::19%3 80]

which (in my opinion) is a consequence of the circular reference. Have you looked at that server?

[Otto (otto11235)]

@Jean-Baptiste Lallement re #19: I'd be glad to help but my DVD install of 17.10 seems to have cleared that directory-

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Matti Viljanen (direc85)]

@Jean-Baptiste Lallement Thank you for the link in comment #12. I am now successfully upgrading (fingers crossed) from Zesty to Artful.

In my opinion, the bug here is that once the distribution one is running goes end-of-life, there is no user-friendly way to upgrade to the next distro. Also in my opinion, the "update-manager -c" command should offer the sources.list file modifications, or at least provide a link to the page, instead of leaving users in the dark.

Opinion on this?

[ZdravkoG (zdravko-g)]

Hi @Matti Viljanen. Just follow the linked bug report #1744722 (if You are still interested). There You can see actual workflow. Fix is ready in fact and I'm sure that very soon user-friendly way will be available (with just push 'upgrade' in update manager as usual).