Arch Linux

jedidawn

Member

Registered: 2025-05-31

Posts: 4

[SOLVED] Pacman error: failed to synchronize all databases

I'm trying to update a system that hasn't been booted in around a year

When I try to run pacman -Syu I get:

:: Synchronising package databases...
error: failed to synchronize all databases (unexpected error)

The two main causes I can see from google are database locks and bad mirror lists. I don't have a database lock file in the usual location suggested, and I have replaced the mirror list with the current one from https://archlinux.org/mirrorlist, uncommenting for my region.

My pacman.conf file is pointing to the updated mirrorlist

# REPOSITORIES
#   - can be defined here or included from another file
#   - pacman will search repositories in the order defined here
#   - local/custom mirrors can be added here or in separate files
#   - repositories listed first will take precedence when packages
#     have identical names, regardless of version number
#   - URLs will have $repo replaced by the name of the current repo
#   - URLs will have $arch replaced by the name of the architecture
#
# Repository entries are of the format:
#       [repo-name]
#       Server = ServerName
#       Include = IncludePath
#
# The header [repo-name] is crucial - it must be present and
# uncommented to enable the repo.
#

# The testing repositories are disabled by default. To enable, uncomment the
# repo name header and Include lines. You can add preferred servers immediately
# after the header, and they will be used before the default mirrors.

#[core-testing]
#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[core]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

#[extra-testing]
#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[extra]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

The system is connected to the internet - I can ping google, and opening a website on firefox works fine.

I am a bit at a loss as to what the issue is

Last edited by jedidawn (2025-05-31 14:43:30)

Lone_Wolf

Administrator

From: Netherlands, Europe

Registered: 2005-10-04

Posts: 13,900

Re: [SOLVED] Pacman error: failed to synchronize all databases

Please post the output of

pacman -Syu --debug

using code tags .

---

Disliking systemd intensely, but not satisfied with alternatives so focusing on taming systemd.

clean chroot building not flexible enough ?
Try clean chroot manager by graysky

jedidawn

Member

Registered: 2025-05-31

Posts: 4

Re: [SOLVED] Pacman error: failed to synchronize all databases

debug: pacman v7.0.0 - libalpm v15.0.0
debug: config: new section 'options'
debug: config: HoldPkg: pacman
debug: config: HoldPkg: glibc
debug: config: Architecture: auto
debug: config: arch: x86_64
debug: config: sandboxuser: alpm
debug: config: SigLevel: Required
debug: config: SigLevel: DatabaseOptional
debug: config: LocalFileSigLevel: Optional
debug: config: new section 'core'
debug: config file /etc/pacman.conf, line 78: including /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
debug: config: new section 'extra'
debug: config file /etc/pacman.conf, line 84: including /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
debug: config: finished parsing /etc/pacman.conf
debug: setup_libalpm called
debug: option 'logfile' = /var/log/pacman.log
debug: option 'gpgdir' = /etc/pacman.d/gnupg/
debug: option 'hookdir' = /etc/pacman.d/hooks/
debug: option 'cachedir' = /var/cache/pacman/pkg/
debug: registering sync database 'core'
debug: database path for tree core set to /var/lib/pacman/sync/core.db
debug: "/var/lib/pacman/sync/core.db.sig" is not readable: No such file or directory
debug: sig path /var/lib/pacman/sync/core.db.sig could not be opened
debug: got error 43 at _alpm_gpgme_checksig (../lib/libalpm/signing.c: 599) : missing PGP signature
debug: missing optional signature
debug: setting usage of 15 for core repository
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': http://archlinux.uk.mirror.allworldit.com/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': https://archlinux.uk.mirror.allworldit.com/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': https://repo.c48.uk/arch/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': http://gb.mirrors.cicku.me/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': https://gb.mirrors.cicku.me/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': https://london.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': http://mirrors.melbourne.co.uk/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': https://mirrors.melbourne.co.uk/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/ftp.archlinux.org/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': https://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/ftp.archlinux.org/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': http://mirror.netweaver.uk/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': https://mirror.netweaver.uk/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': http://lon.mirror.rackspace.com/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': https://lon.mirror.rackspace.com/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': http://mirror.server.net/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': https://mirror.server.net/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': https://repo.slithery.uk/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': https://mirror.st2projects.com/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': http://mirrors.ukfast.co.uk/sites/archlinux.org/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': https://mirrors.ukfast.co.uk/sites/archlinux.org/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': http://mirror.cov.ukservers.com/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'core': https://mirror.cov.ukservers.com/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
debug: registering sync database 'extra'
debug: database path for tree extra set to /var/lib/pacman/sync/extra.db
debug: "/var/lib/pacman/sync/extra.db.sig" is not readable: No such file or directory
debug: sig path /var/lib/pacman/sync/extra.db.sig could not be opened
debug: got error 43 at _alpm_gpgme_checksig (../lib/libalpm/signing.c: 599) : missing PGP signature
debug: missing optional signature
debug: setting usage of 15 for extra repository
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': http://archlinux.uk.mirror.allworldit.com/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': https://archlinux.uk.mirror.allworldit.com/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': https://repo.c48.uk/arch/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': http://gb.mirrors.cicku.me/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': https://gb.mirrors.cicku.me/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': https://london.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': http://mirrors.melbourne.co.uk/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': https://mirrors.melbourne.co.uk/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/ftp.archlinux.org/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': https://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/ftp.archlinux.org/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': http://mirror.netweaver.uk/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': https://mirror.netweaver.uk/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': http://lon.mirror.rackspace.com/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': https://lon.mirror.rackspace.com/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': http://mirror.server.net/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': https://mirror.server.net/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': https://repo.slithery.uk/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': https://mirror.st2projects.com/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': http://mirrors.ukfast.co.uk/sites/archlinux.org/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': https://mirrors.ukfast.co.uk/sites/archlinux.org/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': http://mirror.cov.ukservers.com/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: adding new server URL to database 'extra': https://mirror.cov.ukservers.com/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
debug: option 'sandboxuser' = alpm
:: Synchronising package databases...
error: failed to synchronize all databases (unexpected error)
debug: unregistering database 'local'
debug: unregistering database 'core'
debug: unregistering database 'extra'

Is the missing signature files an issue?

Lone_Wolf

Administrator

From: Netherlands, Europe

Registered: 2005-10-04

Posts: 13,900

Re: [SOLVED] Pacman error: failed to synchronize all databases

No, those are present because archlinux only signs packages, not databases .

debug: unregistering database 'local'

It looks like you may have a 3rd repository in pacman.conf that is not declared correctly.
Please post the full output of pacman-conf  .

---

Disliking systemd intensely, but not satisfied with alternatives so focusing on taming systemd.

clean chroot building not flexible enough ?
Try clean chroot manager by graysky

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 12,841

Re: [SOLVED] Pacman error: failed to synchronize all databases

That's just the local non-sync database of installed packages.

What does `id alpm` show? We've seen this with issues with the downloaduser.

jedidawn

Member

Registered: 2025-05-31

Posts: 4

Re: [SOLVED] Pacman error: failed to synchronize all databases

pacman-conf

[options]
RootDir = /
DBPath = /var/lib/pacman/
CacheDir = /var/cache/pacman/pkg/
HookDir = /etc/pacman.d/hooks/
GPGDir = /etc/pacman.d/gnupg/
LogFile = /var/log/pacman.log
DownloadUser = alpm
HoldPkg = pacman
HoldPkg = glibc
Architecture = x86_64
CheckSpace
ParallelDownloads = 1
CleanMethod = KeepInstalled
SigLevel = PackageRequired
SigLevel = PackageTrustedOnly
SigLevel = DatabaseOptional
SigLevel = DatabaseTrustedOnly
LocalFileSigLevel = PackageOptional
LocalFileSigLevel = PackageTrustedOnly
[core]
Usage = All
Server = http://archlinux.uk.mirror.allworldit.com/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
Server = https://archlinux.uk.mirror.allworldit.com/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
Server = https://repo.c48.uk/arch/core/os/x86_64
Server = http://gb.mirrors.cicku.me/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
Server = https://gb.mirrors.cicku.me/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
Server = https://london.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64
Server = http://mirrors.melbourne.co.uk/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
Server = https://mirrors.melbourne.co.uk/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
Server = http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/ftp.archlinux.org/core/os/x86_64
Server = https://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/ftp.archlinux.org/core/os/x86_64
Server = http://mirror.netweaver.uk/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
Server = https://mirror.netweaver.uk/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
Server = http://lon.mirror.rackspace.com/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
Server = https://lon.mirror.rackspace.com/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
Server = http://mirror.server.net/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
Server = https://mirror.server.net/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
Server = https://repo.slithery.uk/core/os/x86_64
Server = https://mirror.st2projects.com/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
Server = http://mirrors.ukfast.co.uk/sites/archlinux.org/core/os/x86_64
Server = https://mirrors.ukfast.co.uk/sites/archlinux.org/core/os/x86_64
Server = http://mirror.cov.ukservers.com/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
Server = https://mirror.cov.ukservers.com/archlinux/core/os/x86_64
[extra]
Usage = All
Server = http://archlinux.uk.mirror.allworldit.com/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
Server = https://archlinux.uk.mirror.allworldit.com/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
Server = https://repo.c48.uk/arch/extra/os/x86_64
Server = http://gb.mirrors.cicku.me/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
Server = https://gb.mirrors.cicku.me/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
Server = https://london.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64
Server = http://mirrors.melbourne.co.uk/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
Server = https://mirrors.melbourne.co.uk/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
Server = http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/ftp.archlinux.org/extra/os/x86_64
Server = https://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/ftp.archlinux.org/extra/os/x86_64
Server = http://mirror.netweaver.uk/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
Server = https://mirror.netweaver.uk/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
Server = http://lon.mirror.rackspace.com/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
Server = https://lon.mirror.rackspace.com/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
Server = http://mirror.server.net/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
Server = https://mirror.server.net/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
Server = https://repo.slithery.uk/extra/os/x86_64
Server = https://mirror.st2projects.com/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
Server = http://mirrors.ukfast.co.uk/sites/archlinux.org/extra/os/x86_64
Server = https://mirrors.ukfast.co.uk/sites/archlinux.org/extra/os/x86_64
Server = http://mirror.cov.ukservers.com/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64
Server = https://mirror.cov.ukservers.com/archlinux/extra/os/x86_64

id alpm

id: ‘alpm’: no such user

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 12,841

Re: [SOLVED] Pacman error: failed to synchronize all databases

Been messing around with /etc/passwd? Run `systemd-sysusers` as root.

jedidawn

Member

Registered: 2025-05-31

Posts: 4

Re: [SOLVED] Pacman error: failed to synchronize all databases

Ahhh, there was an incorrectly formatted entry in /etc/groups. Fixing that and running systemd-sysusers fixed the issue with pacman. Thanks for the help!