How to edit sources.list as root under Debian 9?

So I just installed Debian 9.0.0 on my PC and now I can't download packages with the Synaptic packet manager as the sources.list file under /etc/apt/ has only the DVD set.

All other lines are commented out, with this text above the 2 lines I'd like to take back in:

# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:

This is probably due to the fact that I wasn't connected to the Internet while installing Debian using the DVD.

Also apparently the DVD isn't detected under Debian as under /media/ it only says cdrom and cdrom0 no matter if I insert the DVD or not with both being empty. -> Not sure if that is a separate issue?

I cannot edit the sources.list file by just opening it with the texteditor as it's write-protected.

I thought about installing leafpad from here: https://packages.debian.org/stretch/amd64/leafpad/download and I'm not sure if that would help.

To me it seems that the most straight-forward way would be to open the texteditor as root, comment out the DVD sources and take the 2 security.debian.org sources back in. However I'm not sure how to do that.

I tried sudo gedit which gets me this (I translated the part after Unable to init server:):

No protocol specified
Unable to init server: Connection failed:connection buildup denied

(gedit:1297): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display: :0

I would greatly appreciate any help.

asked Jun 22 '17 at 15:20

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

What about opening a console and using su - to become root? If that fails, what about changing to a fully black screen with CTRL-ALT-F2 (get back to the graphical interface with CTRL-ALT-F7) and login as root and the root password. Failing that, better just reinstall, other procedures are too complex to explain in a comment.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 1:22

@Arrow “better just reinstall, other procedures are too complex to explain in a comment” — so write an answer then... Note that on current Debian, the GUI is typically on VT2 so Ctrl-Alt-F2 isn’t going to do much.

– Stephen Kitt
Jun 23 '17 at 4:33

About writing an answer: there is no point as the user has moved to other questions, as you suggested.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 4:47

1

because I am shooting in the dark here not knowing the answer to all the above. That is not a problem but we need to work one step at the time. First, you said that su - worked, then, in that console whoami should say root, or id should report you are root. If so, edit any file with nano, like nano /etc/apt/sources.list. Second question, in a nrmal console (not root) could you execute sudo ls. If not, you need to edit sudoers. Then, after sudoers is correct, could you start a gui command like sudo xterm ?. If not we need to make xauthority of the running user available (cont.)

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 10:58

1

@mYnDstrEAm You could start xterm (as root?). So, you do have a password for root and you have edited sudo to accept your user. Fine, anything else we should take a look to to repair here?

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 19:07

|
show 7 more comments

So I just installed Debian 9.0.0 on my PC and now I can't download packages with the Synaptic packet manager as the sources.list file under /etc/apt/ has only the DVD set.

All other lines are commented out, with this text above the 2 lines I'd like to take back in:

# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:

This is probably due to the fact that I wasn't connected to the Internet while installing Debian using the DVD.

I tried sudo gedit which gets me this (I translated the part after Unable to init server:):

No protocol specified
Unable to init server: Connection failed:connection buildup denied

(gedit:1297): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display: :0

I would greatly appreciate any help.

asked Jun 22 '17 at 15:20

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

What about opening a console and using su - to become root? If that fails, what about changing to a fully black screen with CTRL-ALT-F2 (get back to the graphical interface with CTRL-ALT-F7) and login as root and the root password. Failing that, better just reinstall, other procedures are too complex to explain in a comment.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 1:22

@Arrow “better just reinstall, other procedures are too complex to explain in a comment” — so write an answer then... Note that on current Debian, the GUI is typically on VT2 so Ctrl-Alt-F2 isn’t going to do much.

– Stephen Kitt
Jun 23 '17 at 4:33

About writing an answer: there is no point as the user has moved to other questions, as you suggested.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 4:47

1

because I am shooting in the dark here not knowing the answer to all the above. That is not a problem but we need to work one step at the time. First, you said that su - worked, then, in that console whoami should say root, or id should report you are root. If so, edit any file with nano, like nano /etc/apt/sources.list. Second question, in a nrmal console (not root) could you execute sudo ls. If not, you need to edit sudoers. Then, after sudoers is correct, could you start a gui command like sudo xterm ?. If not we need to make xauthority of the running user available (cont.)

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 10:58

1

@mYnDstrEAm You could start xterm (as root?). So, you do have a password for root and you have edited sudo to accept your user. Fine, anything else we should take a look to to repair here?

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 19:07

|
show 7 more comments

So I just installed Debian 9.0.0 on my PC and now I can't download packages with the Synaptic packet manager as the sources.list file under /etc/apt/ has only the DVD set.

All other lines are commented out, with this text above the 2 lines I'd like to take back in:

# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:

This is probably due to the fact that I wasn't connected to the Internet while installing Debian using the DVD.

I tried sudo gedit which gets me this (I translated the part after Unable to init server:):

No protocol specified
Unable to init server: Connection failed:connection buildup denied

(gedit:1297): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display: :0

I would greatly appreciate any help.

asked Jun 22 '17 at 15:20

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

So I just installed Debian 9.0.0 on my PC and now I can't download packages with the Synaptic packet manager as the sources.list file under /etc/apt/ has only the DVD set.

All other lines are commented out, with this text above the 2 lines I'd like to take back in:

# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:

This is probably due to the fact that I wasn't connected to the Internet while installing Debian using the DVD.

I tried sudo gedit which gets me this (I translated the part after Unable to init server:):

No protocol specified
Unable to init server: Connection failed:connection buildup denied

(gedit:1297): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display: :0

I would greatly appreciate any help.

debian software-installation root

asked Jun 22 '17 at 15:20

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

asked Jun 22 '17 at 15:20

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

asked Jun 22 '17 at 15:20

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

asked Jun 22 '17 at 15:20

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

asked Jun 22 '17 at 15:20

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

What about opening a console and using su - to become root? If that fails, what about changing to a fully black screen with CTRL-ALT-F2 (get back to the graphical interface with CTRL-ALT-F7) and login as root and the root password. Failing that, better just reinstall, other procedures are too complex to explain in a comment.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 1:22

@Arrow “better just reinstall, other procedures are too complex to explain in a comment” — so write an answer then... Note that on current Debian, the GUI is typically on VT2 so Ctrl-Alt-F2 isn’t going to do much.

– Stephen Kitt
Jun 23 '17 at 4:33

About writing an answer: there is no point as the user has moved to other questions, as you suggested.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 4:47

1

because I am shooting in the dark here not knowing the answer to all the above. That is not a problem but we need to work one step at the time. First, you said that su - worked, then, in that console whoami should say root, or id should report you are root. If so, edit any file with nano, like nano /etc/apt/sources.list. Second question, in a nrmal console (not root) could you execute sudo ls. If not, you need to edit sudoers. Then, after sudoers is correct, could you start a gui command like sudo xterm ?. If not we need to make xauthority of the running user available (cont.)

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 10:58

1

@mYnDstrEAm You could start xterm (as root?). So, you do have a password for root and you have edited sudo to accept your user. Fine, anything else we should take a look to to repair here?

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 19:07

|
show 7 more comments

What about opening a console and using su - to become root? If that fails, what about changing to a fully black screen with CTRL-ALT-F2 (get back to the graphical interface with CTRL-ALT-F7) and login as root and the root password. Failing that, better just reinstall, other procedures are too complex to explain in a comment.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 1:22

@Arrow “better just reinstall, other procedures are too complex to explain in a comment” — so write an answer then... Note that on current Debian, the GUI is typically on VT2 so Ctrl-Alt-F2 isn’t going to do much.

– Stephen Kitt
Jun 23 '17 at 4:33

About writing an answer: there is no point as the user has moved to other questions, as you suggested.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 4:47

1

because I am shooting in the dark here not knowing the answer to all the above. That is not a problem but we need to work one step at the time. First, you said that su - worked, then, in that console whoami should say root, or id should report you are root. If so, edit any file with nano, like nano /etc/apt/sources.list. Second question, in a nrmal console (not root) could you execute sudo ls. If not, you need to edit sudoers. Then, after sudoers is correct, could you start a gui command like sudo xterm ?. If not we need to make xauthority of the running user available (cont.)

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 10:58

1

@mYnDstrEAm You could start xterm (as root?). So, you do have a password for root and you have edited sudo to accept your user. Fine, anything else we should take a look to to repair here?

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 19:07

What about opening a console and using su - to become root? If that fails, what about changing to a fully black screen with CTRL-ALT-F2 (get back to the graphical interface with CTRL-ALT-F7) and login as root and the root password. Failing that, better just reinstall, other procedures are too complex to explain in a comment.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 1:22

@Arrow “better just reinstall, other procedures are too complex to explain in a comment” — so write an answer then... Note that on current Debian, the GUI is typically on VT2 so Ctrl-Alt-F2 isn’t going to do much.

– Stephen Kitt
Jun 23 '17 at 4:33

About writing an answer: there is no point as the user has moved to other questions, as you suggested.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 4:47

because I am shooting in the dark here not knowing the answer to all the above. That is not a problem but we need to work one step at the time. First, you said that su - worked, then, in that console whoami should say root, or id should report you are root. If so, edit any file with nano, like nano /etc/apt/sources.list. Second question, in a nrmal console (not root) could you execute sudo ls. If not, you need to edit sudoers. Then, after sudoers is correct, could you start a gui command like sudo xterm ?. If not we need to make xauthority of the running user available (cont.)

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 10:58

@mYnDstrEAm You could start xterm (as root?). So, you do have a password for root and you have edited sudo to accept your user. Fine, anything else we should take a look to to repair here?

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 19:07

|
show 7 more comments

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

Since you have sudo working, you should use sudoedit:

SUDO_EDITOR="gedit -w" sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list

edited Jun 23 '17 at 20:29

answered Jun 22 '17 at 15:22

Stephen Kitt

176k24401479

That only works as 2 separate commands. sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list almost worked - I tried to save it with ctrl+o (it confusingly only said ^O) but then it asks me for the filename with only strange options instead of an option to replace the original file. How can I replace it? Furthermore I can't open the root console anymore - the screen only flickers black after I enter the password.

– mYnDstrEAm
Jun 22 '17 at 15:32

Let us continue this discussion in chat.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 4:50

Seriously, it’s a single command. If you want to make it two, first you need to export SUDO_EDITOR="gedit -w", then sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list.

– Stephen Kitt
Jun 23 '17 at 20:31

add a comment |

You can use sudo to edit the file using a simple text editor such as nano or kate

sudo kate /etc/apt/sources.list

or if that doesn't work: sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

You should be able to then uncomment what you need and save.

This link will help with default lists: https://wiki.debian.org/SourcesList

edited Feb 19 at 14:09

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

answered Jun 23 '17 at 19:45

leviataint

165

add a comment |

Your Answer

StackExchange.ready(function()
var channelOptions =
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "106"
;
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function()
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled)
StackExchange.using("snippets", function()
createEditor();
);

else
createEditor();

);

function createEditor()
StackExchange.prepareEditor(
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader:
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
,
onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
);

);

draft saved

draft discarded

StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2funix.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f372736%2fhow-to-edit-sources-list-as-root-under-debian-9%23new-answer', 'question_page');

);

Post as a guest

Name

Required, but never shown

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

Since you have sudo working, you should use sudoedit:

SUDO_EDITOR="gedit -w" sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list

edited Jun 23 '17 at 20:29

answered Jun 22 '17 at 15:22

Stephen Kitt

176k24401479

That only works as 2 separate commands. sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list almost worked - I tried to save it with ctrl+o (it confusingly only said ^O) but then it asks me for the filename with only strange options instead of an option to replace the original file. How can I replace it? Furthermore I can't open the root console anymore - the screen only flickers black after I enter the password.

– mYnDstrEAm
Jun 22 '17 at 15:32

Let us continue this discussion in chat.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 4:50

Seriously, it’s a single command. If you want to make it two, first you need to export SUDO_EDITOR="gedit -w", then sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list.

– Stephen Kitt
Jun 23 '17 at 20:31

add a comment |

Since you have sudo working, you should use sudoedit:

SUDO_EDITOR="gedit -w" sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list

edited Jun 23 '17 at 20:29

answered Jun 22 '17 at 15:22

Stephen Kitt

176k24401479

That only works as 2 separate commands. sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list almost worked - I tried to save it with ctrl+o (it confusingly only said ^O) but then it asks me for the filename with only strange options instead of an option to replace the original file. How can I replace it? Furthermore I can't open the root console anymore - the screen only flickers black after I enter the password.

– mYnDstrEAm
Jun 22 '17 at 15:32

Let us continue this discussion in chat.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 4:50

Seriously, it’s a single command. If you want to make it two, first you need to export SUDO_EDITOR="gedit -w", then sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list.

– Stephen Kitt
Jun 23 '17 at 20:31

add a comment |

Since you have sudo working, you should use sudoedit:

SUDO_EDITOR="gedit -w" sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list

edited Jun 23 '17 at 20:29

answered Jun 22 '17 at 15:22

Stephen Kitt

176k24401479

Since you have sudo working, you should use sudoedit:

SUDO_EDITOR="gedit -w" sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list

edited Jun 23 '17 at 20:29

answered Jun 22 '17 at 15:22

Stephen Kitt

176k24401479

edited Jun 23 '17 at 20:29

answered Jun 22 '17 at 15:22

Stephen Kitt

176k24401479

answered Jun 22 '17 at 15:22

Stephen Kitt

176k24401479

answered Jun 22 '17 at 15:22

Stephen Kitt

176k24401479

That only works as 2 separate commands. sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list almost worked - I tried to save it with ctrl+o (it confusingly only said ^O) but then it asks me for the filename with only strange options instead of an option to replace the original file. How can I replace it? Furthermore I can't open the root console anymore - the screen only flickers black after I enter the password.

– mYnDstrEAm
Jun 22 '17 at 15:32

Let us continue this discussion in chat.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 4:50

Seriously, it’s a single command. If you want to make it two, first you need to export SUDO_EDITOR="gedit -w", then sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list.

– Stephen Kitt
Jun 23 '17 at 20:31

add a comment |

That only works as 2 separate commands. sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list almost worked - I tried to save it with ctrl+o (it confusingly only said ^O) but then it asks me for the filename with only strange options instead of an option to replace the original file. How can I replace it? Furthermore I can't open the root console anymore - the screen only flickers black after I enter the password.

– mYnDstrEAm
Jun 22 '17 at 15:32

Let us continue this discussion in chat.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 4:50

Seriously, it’s a single command. If you want to make it two, first you need to export SUDO_EDITOR="gedit -w", then sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list.

– Stephen Kitt
Jun 23 '17 at 20:31

That only works as 2 separate commands. sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list almost worked - I tried to save it with ctrl+o (it confusingly only said ^O) but then it asks me for the filename with only strange options instead of an option to replace the original file. How can I replace it? Furthermore I can't open the root console anymore - the screen only flickers black after I enter the password.

– mYnDstrEAm
Jun 22 '17 at 15:32

Let us continue this discussion in chat.

– Arrow
Jun 23 '17 at 4:50

Seriously, it’s a single command. If you want to make it two, first you need to export SUDO_EDITOR="gedit -w", then sudoedit /etc/apt/sources.list.

– Stephen Kitt
Jun 23 '17 at 20:31

add a comment |

You can use sudo to edit the file using a simple text editor such as nano or kate

sudo kate /etc/apt/sources.list

or if that doesn't work: sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

You should be able to then uncomment what you need and save.

This link will help with default lists: https://wiki.debian.org/SourcesList

edited Feb 19 at 14:09

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

answered Jun 23 '17 at 19:45

leviataint

165

add a comment |

You can use sudo to edit the file using a simple text editor such as nano or kate

sudo kate /etc/apt/sources.list

or if that doesn't work: sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

You should be able to then uncomment what you need and save.

This link will help with default lists: https://wiki.debian.org/SourcesList

edited Feb 19 at 14:09

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

answered Jun 23 '17 at 19:45

leviataint

165

add a comment |

You can use sudo to edit the file using a simple text editor such as nano or kate

sudo kate /etc/apt/sources.list

or if that doesn't work: sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

You should be able to then uncomment what you need and save.

This link will help with default lists: https://wiki.debian.org/SourcesList

edited Feb 19 at 14:09

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

answered Jun 23 '17 at 19:45

leviataint

165

You can use sudo to edit the file using a simple text editor such as nano or kate

sudo kate /etc/apt/sources.list

or if that doesn't work: sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

You should be able to then uncomment what you need and save.

This link will help with default lists: https://wiki.debian.org/SourcesList

edited Feb 19 at 14:09

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

answered Jun 23 '17 at 19:45

leviataint

165

edited Feb 19 at 14:09

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

edited Feb 19 at 14:09

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

edited Feb 19 at 14:09

mYnDstrEAm

79151445

answered Jun 23 '17 at 19:45

leviataint

165

answered Jun 23 '17 at 19:45

leviataint

165

answered Jun 23 '17 at 19:45

leviataint

165

add a comment |

draft saved

draft discarded

Thanks for contributing an answer to Unix & Linux Stack Exchange!

Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

But avoid …

Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.

To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.

draft saved

draft discarded

Post as a guest

Name

Required, but never shown

Name

Required, but never shown

Name

Required, but never shown

搜尋此網誌

mjhjmtu