Here's the output of /etc/cron.daily/apt with VERBOSE=3 for an invalid URL: # /etc/cron.daily/apt verbose level 3 + which on_ac_power + on_ac_power + POWER=255 + [ 255 -eq 1 ] + [ 255 -ne 0 ] + debug_echo power status (255) undetermined, continuing + [ 3 -ge 1 ] + echo power status (255) undetermined, continuing power status (255) undetermined, continuing + debug_echo system is on main power. + [ 3 -ge 1 ] + echo system is on main power. system is on main power. + which apt-get + eval apt-get check -f + apt-get check -f Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done + date +%s + now=1291217505 + UpdateInterval=0 + DownloadUpgradeableInterval=0 + apt-config shell UpdateInterval APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists DownloadUpgradeableInterval APT::Periodic::Download-Upgradeable-Packages + eval UpdateInterval='1' DownloadUpgradeableInterval='1' + UpdateInterval=1 DownloadUpgradeableInterval=1 + AutocleanInterval=1 + apt-config shell AutocleanInterval APT::Periodic::AutocleanInterval + eval AutocleanInterval='1' + AutocleanInterval=1 + UnattendedUpgradeInterval=0 + apt-config shell UnattendedUpgradeInterval APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade + eval UnattendedUpgradeInterval='1' + UnattendedUpgradeInterval=1 + AutocleanInterval=0 + apt-config shell AutocleanInterval APT::Periodic::AutocleanInterval + eval AutocleanInterval='1' + AutocleanInterval=1 + BackupArchiveInterval=0 + apt-config shell BackupArchiveInterval APT::Periodic::BackupArchiveInterval + eval + Debdelta=1 + apt-config shell Debdelta APT::Periodic::Download-Upgradeable-Packages-Debdelta + eval + [ 1 -eq 0 ] + do_cache_backup 0 + BackupArchiveInterval=0 + [ 0 -eq 0 ] + return + random_sleep + RandomSleep=1800 + apt-config shell RandomSleep APT::Periodic::RandomSleep + eval + [ 1800 -eq 0 ] + [ -z ] + dd if=/dev/urandom count=1 + cksum + cut -c1-5 + RANDOM=92853 + TIME=1053 + debug_echo sleeping for 1053 seconds + [ 3 -ge 1 ] + echo sleeping for 1053 seconds sleeping for 1053 seconds + sleep 1053 Terminated + UPDATED=0 + UPDATE_STAMP=/var/lib/apt/periodic/update-stamp + check_stamp /var/lib/apt/periodic/update-stamp 1 + stamp=/var/lib/apt/periodic/update-stamp + interval=1 + [ 1 -eq 0 ] + [ ! -f /var/lib/apt/periodic/update-stamp ] + debug_echo check_stamp: missing time stamp file: /var/lib/apt/periodic/update-stamp. + [ 3 -ge 1 ] + echo check_stamp: missing time stamp file: /var/lib/apt/periodic/update-stamp. check_stamp: missing time stamp file: /var/lib/apt/periodic/update-stamp. + return 0 + eval apt-key net-update + apt-key net-update + debug_echo apt-key net-update (success) + [ 3 -ge 1 ] + echo apt-key net-update (success) apt-key net-update (success) + eval apt-get -y update -o APT::Update::Auth-Failure::="cp /usr/share/apt/apt-auth-failure.note /var/lib/update-notifier/user.d/" + apt-get -y update -o APT::Update::Auth-Failure::=cp /usr/share/apt/apt-auth-failure.note /var/lib/update-notifier/user.d/ Hit http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu lucid Release.gpg Ign http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu/ubuntu/ lucid/main Translation-en_US Ign http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu/ubuntu/ lucid/restricted Translation-en_US Ign http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu/ubuntu/ lucid/universe Translation-en_US Ign http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu/ubuntu/ lucid/multiverse Translation-en_US Hit http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu lucid-updates Release.gpg Ign http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main Translation-en_US Ign http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/restricted Translation-en_US Ign http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/universe Translation-en_US Ign http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/multiverse Translation-en_US Hit http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu lucid Release Hit http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu lucid-updates Release Hit http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu lucid/main Packages Hit http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu lucid/restricted Packages Hit http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu lucid/universe Packages Hit http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu lucid/multiverse Packages Hit http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu lucid-updates/main Packages Hit http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu lucid-updates/restricted Packages Hit http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu lucid-updates/universe Packages Hit http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu lucid-updates/multiverse Packages Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security Release.gpg Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main Translation-en_US Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid Release.gpg Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net/martoss/ppa/ubuntu/ lucid/main Translation-en_US Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid Release.gpg Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/restricted Translation-en_US Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/universe Translation-en_US Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/multiverse Translation-en_US Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security Release Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net/tortoisehg-ppa/releases/ubuntu/ lucid/main Translation-en_US Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid Release.gpg Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net/mercurial-ppa/releases/ubuntu/ lucid/main Translation-en_US Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid Release.gpg Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net/mercurial/releases/ubuntu/ lucid/main Translation-en_US Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid Release.gpg Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net/nikratio/s3ql/ubuntu/ lucid/main Translation-en_US Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid Release.gpg Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-rogerbinns/apsw/ubuntu/ lucid/main Translation-en_US Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid Release Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid Release Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid Release Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid Release Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid Release Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/main Packages Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/restricted Packages Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/universe Packages Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/multiverse Packages Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid Release Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid/main Packages Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid/main Packages Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid/main Packages Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid/main Packages Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid/main Packages Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid/main Packages Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid/main Packages Err http://ppa.launchpad.net lucid/main Packages 404 Not Found W: Failed to fetch http://ppa.launchpad.net/mercurial/releases/ubuntu/dists/lucid/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz 404 Not Found E: Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead. + debug_echo download updated metadata (error) + [ 3 -ge 1 ] + echo download updated metadata (error) download updated metadata (error) + DOWNLOAD_UPGRADEABLE_STAMP=/var/lib/apt/periodic/download-upgradeable-stamp + [ 0 -eq 1 ] + debug_echo download upgradable (not run) + [ 3 -ge 1 ] + echo download upgradable (not run) download upgradable (not run) + UPGRADE_STAMP=/var/lib/apt/periodic/upgrade-stamp + [ 0 -eq 1 ] + debug_echo unattended-upgrade (not run) + [ 3 -ge 1 ] + echo unattended-upgrade (not run) unattended-upgrade (not run) + AUTOCLEAN_STAMP=/var/lib/apt/periodic/autoclean-stamp + check_stamp /var/lib/apt/periodic/autoclean-stamp 1 + stamp=/var/lib/apt/periodic/autoclean-stamp + interval=1 + [ 1 -eq 0 ] + [ ! -f /var/lib/apt/periodic/autoclean-stamp ] + debug_echo check_stamp: missing time stamp file: /var/lib/apt/periodic/autoclean-stamp. + [ 3 -ge 1 ] + echo check_stamp: missing time stamp file: /var/lib/apt/periodic/autoclean-stamp. check_stamp: missing time stamp file: /var/lib/apt/periodic/autoclean-stamp. + return 0 + eval apt-get -y autoclean + apt-get -y autoclean Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done + debug_echo autoclean (success). + [ 3 -ge 1 ] + echo autoclean (success). autoclean (success). + update_stamp /var/lib/apt/periodic/autoclean-stamp + stamp=/var/lib/apt/periodic/autoclean-stamp + touch /var/lib/apt/periodic/autoclean-stamp + check_size_constraints + MaxAge=0 + apt-config shell MaxAge APT::Archives::MaxAge + eval MaxAge='30' + MaxAge=30 + apt-config shell MaxAge APT::Periodic::MaxAge + eval + MinAge=2 + apt-config shell MinAge APT::Archives::MinAge + eval MinAge='2' + MinAge=2 + apt-config shell MinAge APT::Periodic::MinAge + eval + MaxSize=0 + apt-config shell MaxSize APT::Archives::MaxSize + eval MaxSize='500' + MaxSize=500 + apt-config shell MaxSize APT::Periodic::MaxSize + eval + CacheDir=var/cache/apt/ + apt-config shell CacheDir Dir::Cache + eval CacheDir='var/cache/apt/' + CacheDir=var/cache/apt/ + CacheDir=var/cache/apt + CacheArchive=archives/ + apt-config shell CacheArchive Dir::Cache::archives + eval CacheArchive='archives/' + CacheArchive=archives/ + CacheArchive=archives + [ -z var/cache/apt -o -z archives ] + Cache=/var/cache/apt/archives/ + [ ! 30 -eq 0 ] + [ ! 2 -eq 0 ] + debug_echo aged: ctime <30 and mtime <30 and ctime>2 and mtime>2 + [ 3 -ge 1 ] + echo aged: ctime <30 and mtime <30 and ctime>2 and mtime>2 aged: ctime <30 and mtime <30 and ctime>2 and mtime>2 + find /var/cache/apt/archives/ -name *.deb ( -mtime +30 -and -ctime +30 ) -and -not ( -mtime -2 -or -ctime -2 ) -print0 + xargs -r -0 rm -f + [ ! 500 -eq 0 ] + MaxSize=512000 + date --iso-8601 + date --date=2010-12-01 +%s + now=1291179600 + MinAge=172800 + ls -rt /var/cache/apt/archives//cups-client_1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//cups-common_1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//cups_1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//debootstrap_1.0.20ubuntu1.1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//dpkg-dev_1.15.5.6ubuntu4.4_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//dpkg_1.15.5.6ubuntu4.4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//grub-common_1.98-1ubuntu8_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//grub-pc_1.98-1ubuntu8_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//icedtea-6-jre-cacao_6b18-1.8.2-4ubuntu2_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//icedtea-6-jre-cacao_6b20-1.9.2-0ubuntu1~10.04.1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libapr1_1.3.8-1build1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libaprutil1_1.3.9+dfsg-3build1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libaprutil1_1.3.9+dfsg-3ubuntu0.10.04.1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libcups2_1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libcupscgi1_1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libcupsdriver1_1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libcupsimage2_1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libcupsmime1_1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libcupsppdc1_1.4.3-1ubuntu1.3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libfreetype6-dev_2.3.11-1ubuntu2.4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libfreetype6_2.3.11-1ubuntu2.4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libgudev-1.0-0_1%3a151-12.2_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libneon27-gnutls_0.29.0-1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libpango1.0-0_1.28.0-0ubuntu2.1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libpango1.0-common_1.28.0-0ubuntu2.1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libplymouth2_0.8.2-2ubuntu2.1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libssl0.9.8_0.9.8k-7ubuntu8.4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libsvn1_1.6.6dfsg-2ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libudev0_151-12.2_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libvirt-bin_0.7.5-5ubuntu27.7_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libvirt0_0.7.5-5ubuntu27.7_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//libxml2_2.7.6.dfsg-1ubuntu1.1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//linux-headers-2.6.32-26-server_2.6.32-26.48_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//linux-headers-2.6.32-26_2.6.32-26.48_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//linux-headers-server_2.6.32.26.28_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//linux-image-2.6.32-26-server_2.6.32-26.48_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//linux-image-server_2.6.32.26.28_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//linux-libc-dev_2.6.32-26.48_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//linux-server_2.6.32.26.28_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//mercurial-common_1.7.1-0ppa1~lucid1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//mercurial_1.7.1-0ppa1~lucid1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//openjdk-6-jdk_6b18-1.8.2-4ubuntu2_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//openjdk-6-jdk_6b20-1.9.2-0ubuntu1~10.04.1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//openjdk-6-jre-headless_6b18-1.8.2-4ubuntu2_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//openjdk-6-jre-headless_6b20-1.9.2-0ubuntu1~10.04.1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//openjdk-6-jre-lib_6b18-1.8.2-4ubuntu2_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//openjdk-6-jre-lib_6b20-1.9.2-0ubuntu1~10.04.1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//openjdk-6-jre_6b18-1.8.2-4ubuntu2_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//openjdk-6-jre_6b20-1.9.2-0ubuntu1~10.04.1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//openssl_0.9.8k-7ubuntu8.4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text_0.8.2-2ubuntu2.1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//plymouth_0.8.2-2ubuntu2.1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//python-apsw_3.7.3-r1-1ppa1~lucid1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//python-h5py_1.3.0-2ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//python-libvirt_0.7.5-5ubuntu27.7_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//python-libxml2_2.7.6.dfsg-1ubuntu1.1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//python-numpy_1%3a1.4.1-2ubuntu4_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//python-scipy_0.8.0-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//s3ql_0.26.1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//subversion_1.6.6dfsg-2ubuntu1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//tortoisehg_1.1.5-0ppa1~lucid1_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//tzdata-java_2010o-0ubuntu0.10.04_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//tzdata_2010o-0ubuntu0.10.04_all.deb /var/cache/apt/archives//udev_151-12.2_amd64.deb + du -s /var/cache/apt/archives/ + du=157816 /var/cache/apt/archives/ + size=157816 + [ 157816 -lt 512000 ] + debug_echo end remove by archive size: size=157816 < 512000 + [ 3 -ge 1 ] + echo end remove by archive size: size=157816 < 512000 end remove by archive size: size=157816 < 512000 + break