Pacman times out before updating core

kidamnesiac · 2012-02-25 19:40:40

The problem is a very simple one:

# pacman -Syy

:: Synchronising package databases...
error: failed retrieving file 'core.db' from ftp.spline.inf.fu-berlin.de : Connection time-out
error: failed retrieving file 'core.db' from ftp.spline.inf.fu-berlin.de : Connection time-out
error: failed to update core (download library error)
extra 1374.4 KiB 454K/s 00:03 [######################] 100%
community 1500.6 KiB 567K/s 00:03 [######################] 100%

This is an example output using a German server. Despite trying about ten different servers from different european countries, I still can't update core.

The install is running on VirtualBox (post-installation step of the Beginners Guide).

loafer · 2012-02-25 21:19:10

I can't connect to that mirror via ftp. Have you tried http? Or have a look here: https://www.archlinux.org/mirrorlist/

kidamnesiac · 2012-02-25 21:41:21

# pacman -Syy

:: Synchronising package databases...
error: failed retrieving file 'core.db' from mir1.archlinux.fr : Connection time-out
error: failed retrieving file 'core.db' from mir1.archlinux.fr : Connection time-out
error: failed to update core (download library error)
extra 1330.3 KiB 855K/s 00:02 [######################] 100%
community 1478.6 KiB 863K/s 00:02 [######################] 100%

As I said the problem probably exists because pacman times out when trying to update core, but then somehow manages to download the extra and community data. It persists no matter which server I try to update from. Pinging the mirror produces an average ping of ~50 ms and 0% packet loss.

Last edited by kidamnesiac (2012-02-25 21:42:45)

loafer · 2012-02-25 21:44:39

Please post your mirrorlist and pacman.conf.

shaunsingh14 · 2012-02-25 21:52:07

I incurred an issue similar to yours, earlier in the week. These wiki articles might be of interest.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Mirrors
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Im … erformance

Last edited by shaunsingh14 (2012-02-25 21:53:32)

kidamnesiac · 2012-02-25 21:59:54

/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist used in the previous output:

<
Server = ftp://mir1.archlinux.fr/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = http://mir1.archlinux.fr/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
>

/etc/pacman.conf is the default one provided with a fresh install:

<
#
# /etc/pacman.conf
#
# See the pacman.conf(5) manpage for option and repository directives

#
# GENERAL OPTIONS
#
[options]
# The following paths are commented out with their default values listed.
# If you wish to use different paths, uncomment and update the paths.
#RootDir     = /
#DBPath      = /var/lib/pacman/
#CacheDir    = /var/cache/pacman/pkg/
#LogFile     = /var/log/pacman.log
#GPGDir      = /etc/pacman.d/gnupg/
HoldPkg     = pacman glibc
# If upgrades are available for these packages they will be asked for first
SyncFirst   = pacman
#XferCommand = /usr/bin/curl -C - -f %u > %o
#XferCommand = /usr/bin/wget --passive-ftp -c -0 %o %u
#CleanMethod = KeepInstalled
Architecture = auto

# Pacman won't upgrade packages listed in IgnorePkg and members of IgnoreGroup
#IgnorePkg   =
#IgnoreGroup =

#NoUpgrade   =
#NoExtract   =

# Misc options
#UseSyslog
#UseDelta
#TotalDownload
CheckSpace
#VerbosePkgLists

# PGP signature checking
# NOTE: None of this will work without running `pacman-key --init` first.
# The compiled in default is equivalent to the following line. This requires
# you to locally sign and trust packager keys using `pacman-key` for them to be
# considered valid.
#SigLevel = Optional TrustedOnly
# If you wish to check signatures but avoid local sign and trust issues, use
# the following line. This will treat any key imported into pacman's keyring as
# trusted.
#SigLevel = Required TrustAll
# For now, off by default unless you read the above.
SigLevel = Never

#
# 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.

#[testing]
#SigLevel = PackageRequired
#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[core]
#SigLevel = PackageRequired
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[extra]
#SigLevel = PackageOptional
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

#[community-testing]
#SigLevel = PackageRequired
#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[community]
#SigLevel = PackageOptional
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

# If you want to run 32 bit applications on your x86_64 system,
# enable the multilib repositories as required here.

#[multilib-testing]
#SigLevel = PackageRequired
#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[multilib]
#SigLevel = PackageOptional
#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

# An example of a custom package repository.  See the pacman manpage for
# tips on creating your own repositories.
#[custom]
#SigLevel = Optional TrustAll
#Server = file:///home/custompkgs
>

Moderator edit: Please do use [ code ] tags around your listings. I've put some in for you to keep this readable but please do so yourself in the future. -- bernarcher

Last edited by bernarcher (2012-02-26 02:42:36)

loafer · 2012-02-25 22:10:53

So, you still get the same problem if you comment out the ftp mirror?

Edit: Have you tried with ipv6 disabled. There was a bug: https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/27988

Last edited by loafer (2012-02-25 22:18:49)

kidamnesiac · 2012-02-25 22:18:19

Yes. If you look closely at the posted output, pacman fails twice as it first tries connecting to the ftp mirror, then to the http one...

> EDIT: But I did comment out the ftp mirror, just to make sure I am not misleading you, and pacman still times out.

I always (in my previous two installs) had problems with pacman, but back then resolving just took an awfully long time (30s), but the files did download in the end. It seems this problem has escalated with an update or something.

> EDIT 2: Saw your suggestion regarding IPv6 and tried disabling it using the instructions on this page. The page suggests three different ways of doing this, so I tried them all, first independently of each other (with rebooting in between) and then all of them together, but it hasn't fixed anything for me.

Reference translations for those who do not understand French:

Method 1: Disabling module loading at startup
add 'alias net-pf-10 off' to /etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf
add 'FILES = "/etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf"' to /etc/mkinitcpio.conf
regenerate the image using 'mkinitcpio -p linux'

Method 2: Disabling operations
add 'net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 = 1' to /etc/sysctl.conf
execute 'sysctl -p'

Method 3: Disabling the functionality
add 'options ipv6 disable=1' to /etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf

As I said none of these solves the problem for me even when used together. It could be a VirtualBox-related problem.

Last edited by kidamnesiac (2012-02-26 00:04:04)

grimlooter · 2012-04-01 07:14:26

It might have something to do with your signature checking. When I change my signature level to Never I can update core.db

 SigLevel = Never

After that I get a problem with looking up keys.

 
for key in FFF979E7 CDFD6BB0 4C7EA887 6AC6A4C2 824B18E8; do
    pacman-key --recv-keys $key
    pacman-key --lsign-key $key
    printf 'trust\n3\nquit\n' | gpg --homedir /etc/pacman.d/gnupg/ \
        --no-permission-warning --command-fd 0 --edit-key $key
done

Throws errors:

ERROR: Remote key not fetched correctly from keyserver.
ERROR: The key identified by FFF979E7 could not be found locally.

Last edited by grimlooter (2012-04-01 07:48:43)

andesho91 · 2012-04-01 07:37:06

grimlooter wrote:

It might have something to do with your signature checking. Try going into your /etc/pacman.conf and changing your SigLevel to Never
 SigLevel = Never 

Surely, the SigLevel affects the whole database, not just certain mirrors, I mean when I was setting up my arch installation again (after repartitioning the hard disk to remove windows) I found that I couldn't access any of the repositories until I signed all the keys/did what you quoted above..

@kidamnesiac Is this issue just restricted to that mirror by any chance? I have found from time to time that this happens with on or two of the UK mirrors, and enabling a few more mirrors (one from abroad) helped the situation.

grimlooter · 2012-04-01 07:48:54

Possible Solution:
Try checking your dns settings. I used VirtualBox also and when I changed my /etc/resolv.conf nameservers to openDNS (208.67.222.222) it updated with SigLevel = Never.

Next Problem:
When I try to install a new package now, I get the following errors:

error: vim-runtime: key "FCF2CB179205AC90" is unknown
error: key "FCF2CB179205AC90" could not be looked up remotely

Last edited by grimlooter (2012-04-01 07:55:02)

Arch Linux

#1 2012-02-25 19:40:40

Pacman times out before updating core

#2 2012-02-25 21:19:10

Re: Pacman times out before updating core

#3 2012-02-25 21:41:21

Re: Pacman times out before updating core

#4 2012-02-25 21:44:39

Re: Pacman times out before updating core

#5 2012-02-25 21:52:07

Re: Pacman times out before updating core

#6 2012-02-25 21:59:54

Re: Pacman times out before updating core

#7 2012-02-25 22:10:53

Re: Pacman times out before updating core

#8 2012-02-25 22:18:19

Re: Pacman times out before updating core

#9 2012-04-01 07:14:26

Re: Pacman times out before updating core

#10 2012-04-01 07:37:06

Re: Pacman times out before updating core

#11 2012-04-01 07:48:54

Re: Pacman times out before updating core

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