Why can't I update?

Software PureOS
1

When notified there are security and app updates, I try to update but get this message:

“unable to download updates from ‘odrs.gnome.org’ failed to download https://odrs.gnome.org/1.0/reviews/api/ratings: cannt resolve hostname”

but my network connections are fine. This has been happening for weeks.

Any suggestions? Thanks, John

1 Like
2

Looks like something not working with DNS resolution.

Can you try dig odrs.gnome.org ?

And then dig @8.8.8.8 odrs.gnome.org ?

2 Likes
3

Perhaps might help:

$ sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
$ sudo apt autoremove gnome-software && sudo apt install gnome-software

Above is in accordance with this link.

1 Like
4

Thanks purismforum. Both dig commands returned what seemed like normal results.
‘dig’ is new to me; what would be a sign of trouble in their output? Thanks, JAA84

1 Like
5

Thanks Quarnero. Is the first of your suggested commands going to upgrade my entire operating system? Not sure I’m ready for that. jaa84

1 Like
6

Yes, you are!

1 Like
7

You should be looking at the Answer section, all is ok if there is something in it.

Example :

 ;; ANSWER SECTION:
odrs.gnome.org.         900     IN      CNAME   openshift.gnome.org.
openshift.gnome.org.    900     IN      A       8.43.85.29
openshift.gnome.org.    900     IN      A       8.43.85.14
openshift.gnome.org.    900     IN      A       8.43.85.13

If Dig works, then the DNS resolution looks to be working.

What did you get with the apt commands suggested by @quarnero?

2 Likes
8

I saw exactly the output that you just showed in ‘example’. So DNS is working.

I’m leery of the ‘apt upgrade’ command. will that take me from amber to byzantium ( or which ever way it goes?) Thanks, jaa84

2 Likes
9

No, it will not take you to Byzantium. It will upgrade Amber.

EDIT: Anyway, please wait until @purismforum or someone else confirms my suggestion (perhaps solution without searching for reason why this happened, as you described).

1 Like
10

Hey, might be just a temporary DNS resolution issue.

And usually yes apt update && apt upgrade should be ok.

See this from the wiki --> https://tracker.pureos.net/w/recommendations/upgrading_packages/

Unless you updated the apt source somehow. Frankly I am sad to say that I have been using Ubuntu for a while now, and that I always do apt update && apt upgrade almost daily with no issues.

2 Likes
11

Yes, this is the way to stay on the safe side, basic rule. And as it was very late for myself yesterday, let us try to help @jaa84 understand why regular (usually automated) updates are important:

  • Here is my Debian output, current one:

$ sudo apt update
Hit:1 http://security.debian.org stable/updates InRelease
Hit:2 etc.
All packages are up to date.
$ sudo apt upgrade apt
…
apt is already the newest version (1.8.2.1).
Calculating upgrade… Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

Here are two step-by-step proposals (to resolve particular issue here):

  1. $ sudo apt update
    $ sudo apt upgrade gnome-software

  2. $ sudo apt update
    $ sudo apt purge gnome-software ($ sudo apt autoremove …)
    $ sudo apt install gnome-software

12

I tried debugging a similar issue two years ago. I finally gave up and stopped using gnome-software for the most part. It worked; I just kept getting erroneous messages.

I still get those, and similar, messages on both PureOS and Debian buster.

I hope someone can figure this out.

13

Thanks Quarnero. The Amber upgrade you recommended seems to have done the trick.
I didn’t need to remove and reinstall gnome-software.

By the way, I understand the importance of regular updates, and had been doing them faithfully until about a month ago, when I started getting the failed-to-download message. jaa84

2 Likes