[SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

Cows · 2010-01-16 02:55:13

Hello Everyone,

I tried Arch Linux back in 2006 and now I'm trying it once again in 2010. I read the beginner's guide, installed the system, and everything seems to work fine. This is a base installation using the core file. The only account on the system is the root account.

What I did:

1. Logged into root
2. Tested internet connection using "ping -c 3 google.com" and it was successful.
3. I copied the mirrorlist file to mirrorlist.backup using "cp /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.backup"
4. I edited the /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist file and uncommented all the United States servers
5. I did "pacman -Syy" and forced it to update the repositories
6. I did "pacman -S python" and tried to install python but it says that it wasn't found in the sync db.

for testing purposes:

7. I also tried to update the system using "pacman -Syu" and it said it was up to date, meanwhile I know that it isn't, since it is a base installation of Arch from 09 (2.6.30-ARCH).

Any suggestions?

EDIT:

I'm also running this on VirtualBox. Shouldn't be a problem since everything is working (including the internet).

Last edited by Cows (2010-01-16 04:05:22)

Cows · 2010-01-16 03:30:14

Any ideas?

jasonwryan · 2010-01-16 03:32:02

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/For … te#Bumping

If someone can help, they will...

Cows · 2010-01-16 03:33:06

"Posting a single word or useless message (bumping) to attract attention to your thread is not allowed. Do your own research, continue to troubleshoot, post the results, and be patient with the community. If people are reading your thread without answering or offering help, you may try supplying more details, or ask to be pointed in the right direction. Often, the reason for posts remaining unanswered is due in large part to the sparse details in the original post itself, or, the obvious availability of solutions in the wiki, on the forum (by using the search function) or on the web, and the community's unwillingness to point out the obvious."

Yes I did bump the thread and I also believe that I gave enough details.

EDIT:

Btw, I also did edit the post above because I didn't want to bump.

but anyways, thanks for your attempt.

Last edited by Cows (2010-01-16 03:34:47)

Allan · 2010-01-16 03:35:24

It was more the point that you bumped after 35 mins. Be patient. It _may_ be acceptable if no-one has answered in a day or two.

Does "pacman -Syy" actually update anything?

Cows · 2010-01-16 03:40:23

Thanks Allan, that was a more polite way of telling me and I appreciate that . For future purposes, how long do you suggest before bumping? Or should it never happen?

As for your question, "pacman -Syy" says it updates, I see it downloads 3 things, core, extra, community, it does this successfully.

Then if I try "pacman -S python" it says the following:

python package not found, searching for group...
error: 'python': not found in sync db.

EDIT:

Thanks

Last edited by Cows (2010-01-16 03:40:59)

Xenokite · 2010-01-16 03:45:28

You could try to uncomment the Canadian servers and try to re-sync the servers. i use both the Canadian and US server then run rank-mirrors to use the best of the best that was uncommented.

Last edited by Xenokite (2010-01-16 03:50:32)

Allan · 2010-01-16 03:45:38

Cows wrote:

Thanks Allan, that was a more polite way of telling me and I appreciate that . For future purposes, how long do you suggest before bumping? Or should it never happen?

lets say 2 days...

As for your question, "pacman -Syy" says it updates, I see it downloads 3 things, core, extra, community, it does this successfully.

Hmm... what are the sizes of those things it downloads? They should be about 35K, 450K, 370K respectively.

Also, what is the first uncommented mirror in your /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist?

lagagnon · 2010-01-16 03:49:53

Cows: you bumped your thread only 35 minutes after your original post! Please try to be patient. ArchLinux users live around the world in 24 different time zones. You should expect to wait at least 24 hours for a reply. If you expect and would like an instant reply then please use the IRC channel.

As to your question please show us the output of "cat /etc/pacmand/mirrorlist" and please also check /var/log/pacman.log to see if the log file gives you any clues to what is going on...

Cows · 2010-01-16 03:50:22

I uncommented all the US Servers.

First US Server uncommented is: http://mirror.archlinux.com/ve/$repo/os/i686

Now I found this thread:

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=88436

and he spoke about just uncommenting something and commenting it again and it worked.

Now I thought well this is a distro that started in Canada so let me uncomment a Canadian repo just to see.. for some reason after I did that it worked. Why would this happen? and how can I use a repo from one of the US ones?

EDIT:

I agree with you lagagnon and I apologize. I won't be able to provide the information since I'm running it inside of VirtualBox and I can't drag copy and paste.

--

Package sizes are

core - 35.8K
extra - 445.7K
community - 368.6K

Last edited by Cows (2010-01-16 03:56:26)

Xenokite · 2010-01-16 03:56:54

Cows wrote:

I uncommented all the US Servers.
First US Server uncommented is: http://mirror.archlinux.com/ve/$repo/os/i686
Now I found this thread:
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=88436
and he spoke about just uncommenting something and commenting it again and it worked.
Now I thought well this is a distro that started in Canada so let me uncomment a Canadian repo just to see.. for some reason after I did that it worked. Why would this happen? and how can I use a repo from one of the US ones?
EDIT:
I agree with you lagagnon and I apologize. I won't be able to provide the information since I'm running it inside of VirtualBox and I can't drag copy and paste.

Well to be honest it doesn't matter what repo you use i would think because on other pc's i have also use France repos and Italy repos and i also used RANK-MIRRORS. So just in case there is an ERROR in a certain mirrors i have a lot of backups.

Cows · 2010-01-16 03:58:41

backups of what? the cache or each mirror as in mirrorlist.backup#

Edit:

Mark as solve.

Solution:

Just test around with the mirrors, comment and uncomment each until one works.

Last edited by Cows (2010-01-16 04:06:09)

milomouse · 2010-01-16 05:28:14

I think he means multiple (backup) mirrors, not just one. Most people choose around 5 mirrors. If one doesn't work it will go onto the next one. The wiki on mirrors ( http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Mirrors ) has some good information and links to a couple sites that show the status of each mirror and when they were last updated so you can have the latest releases. There's also a program called Reflector that makes this easier (along with rankmirrors which requires Python). Welcome to Arch

Cows · 2010-01-16 05:29:35

Ah yes, like when they say "rankmirrors -n 6" which would be the 6 mirrors.

Arch Linux

#1 2010-01-16 02:55:13

[SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

#2 2010-01-16 03:30:14

Re: [SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

#3 2010-01-16 03:32:02

Re: [SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

#4 2010-01-16 03:33:06

Re: [SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

#5 2010-01-16 03:35:24

Re: [SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

#6 2010-01-16 03:40:23

Re: [SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

#7 2010-01-16 03:45:28

Re: [SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

#8 2010-01-16 03:45:38

Re: [SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

#9 2010-01-16 03:49:53

Re: [SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

#10 2010-01-16 03:50:22

Re: [SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

#11 2010-01-16 03:56:54

Re: [SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

#12 2010-01-16 03:58:41

Re: [SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

#13 2010-01-16 05:28:14

Re: [SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

#14 2010-01-16 05:29:35

Re: [SOLVED] Can't install anything in pacman

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