Ubuntu apt-get - packages not found

We had a problem when installing a bespoke Ubuntu 10.04 Server LTS setup via shell scripts we had written. Some of the packages were not found. This mainly occurred on virtual dedicated servers. We had previously installed on more than 20 normal dedicated server ok.

Turns out that the /etc/apt/sources.list had only a very limited list on the ones that didn't work. I copied the file from a normal server that was ok, and re-tried our scripts. That solved the problem.

Not too sure if you could build up other problems doing this, so always save a copy of the original file somewhere safe before changing.

Examples follow after the break...

Version with issues:


deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid main
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-security main


Version I copied from another server, which worked for me:



# deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid main restricted
# deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates main restricted
# deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-security main restricted
# See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.


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


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


## 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/ lucid universe
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid universe
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates universe
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates 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/ lucid multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates multiverse


## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'backports'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
# deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-backports main restricted universe multiverse
# deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-backports main restricted universe multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's

## 'partner' repository.

## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by Canonical and the

## respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu users.

# deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu lucid partner

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

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-security main restricted

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

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-security universe

deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-security universe

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-security multiverse

deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-security multiverse