apt update loses package lists when no network is present

[Danson Joseph]

Hi,

Firstly: Whenever I start Synaptic, I get the errors:
W: Couldn't stat source package list http://za.archive.ubuntu.com
breezy/universe Packages
(/var/lib/apt/lists/za.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_breezy_universe_binary-amd64_Packages)
- stat (2 No such file or directory)
W: Couldn't stat source package list http://za.archive.ubuntu.com breezy/main
Packages
(/var/lib/apt/lists/za.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_breezy_main_binary-amd64_Packages)
- stat (2 No such file or directory)
W: Couldn't stat source package list http://za.archive.ubuntu.com
breezy/restricted Packages
(/var/lib/apt/lists/za.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_breezy_restricted_binary-amd64_Packages)
- stat (2 No such file or directory)
W: Couldn't stat source package list http://za.archive.ubuntu.com
breezy/multiverse Packages
(/var/lib/apt/lists/za.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_breezy_multiverse_binary-amd64_Packages)
- stat (2 No such file or directory)

This requires me to reload (a ten-minute ordeal) every time I want to install
something from the net.

Secondly: If I cancel an installation midway through the download, the next
time I try to install those same files, the error returns "bad ip header".
However, If I delete the partial file in /var/cache/apt/archives/partial, and
retry the installation, the "bad ip header" error does not occur.

Please let me know - I suspect it is actually an apt problem.
Cheers.
Danson

[Michael Vogt (mvo)]

Thanks for your bugreport.

I need some information about your system. Are you behind a modem? Or do you
have a permanent connection to the internet?
Are you behind a proxy (that you know about)?

Thanks,
 Michael

[Michael Vogt (mvo)]

I just reproduced the "loses package lists" problem. It looks like this happens
when no network connection is availabe and apt-get update is run.

[Michael Vogt (mvo)]

As a workaround, please run synaptic and go to Settings/Repositories, click on
the "settings" button and unset "Automatically check for software updates".

[James Stansell (jamesstansell)]

Perhaps launchpad bug # 23965 reports the root cause of this bug?

"Why do the files disappear? I know I can bring them back with an 'apt-get update', but this isn't good."

[Michael Vogt (mvo)]

Thanks for your bugreport.

This problem should be fixed with the latest apt upload in dapper. You may have to run apt-get update once more, but then the files shouldn't be vanishing anymore.

Please reopen if you still experience problems.

Cheers,
 Michael