How do I restore the sources.list file?

You can boot into a Live CD (a virtual machine will suffice) and copy /etc/apt/sources.list from it. Alternatively, have a Live CD image ready and follow these instructions:

  1. Mount the CD. If you've an .iso file, mount it using:

    sudo mount -o loop ubuntu-11.04-desktop-amd64.iso /media/cdrom

  2. Mount the filesystem file from the CD:

    sudo mount -o loop /media/cdrom/casper/filesystem.squashfs /mnt

  3. Copy the sources.list file over:

    sudo cp {/mnt,}/etc/apt/sources.list

  4. Change the file permissions if necessary:

    sudo chmod 644 /etc/apt/sources.list

From my Ubuntu 11.04 Live CD:

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty main restricted
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty main restricted

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty-security main restricted
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty-security main restricted

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the
## distribution.
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty-updates main restricted
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty-updates main restricted

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'universe'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team. Also, please note that software in universe WILL NOT receive any
## review or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
# deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty universe
# deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty universe
# deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty-updates universe
# deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty-updates universe
# deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty-security universe
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty-security universe

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
## multiverse WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu
## security team.
# deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty multiverse
# deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty multiverse
# deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty-updates multiverse
# deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty-updates multiverse
# deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty-security multiverse
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu natty-security multiverse

For the best download speed, you need to re-select a mirror near you:

  1. Open the Ubuntu Software Center
  2. Open Edit -> Software Sources...
  3. Click the select box next to Download from:
  4. Select a server at your choice

You might want to enable some repositories as well, like Community-maintained Open Source software (universe) and Software restricted by copyright and legal issues (multiverse)


For 16.04

Here is a list you can use for /etc/apt/sources.list

Just run the following command:

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

and then copy and paste the following contents into the file (these should be the only lines in the file!):

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-updates main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-backports main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu xenial partner
deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu xenial partner

Press CTRL + o and then press ENTER to save the file. Press CTRL + x to exit nano.


In case you are not on Ubuntu server i.e. with no GUI. You can follow the following steps:-

  1. Go to Software and updates.
  2. Select Ubuntu Software.
  3. Select the sources you want to have.
  4. Click on Close. It will ask you for reloading and updating cache.
  5. Click Reload.

Wait and relax; It will automatically create the sources.list file for you.

Tags:

Software Sources

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