Understanding repositories

[zodac11]

I was only able to generate a new, default source list from https://debgen.simplylinux.ch/ and copy+paste the repos to "sources.list".

That tool is unreliable. Avoid.

The core of a correct sources.list is three lines of text, copy-and-paste-able from the Wiki page. I know it's unfamiliar, but it's not complicated.

What is [contrib non-free] and should I add contrib non free from the wiki to the sources.list?

For the third and final time: read the Wiki page.

If you decide to add contrib and non-free, the Wiki page provides you with an alternate text to copy-and-paste.

Once you get what you think is a workable file, post it here if you want it reviewed.

I read the wiki in details, things are a bit more clear in my mind about repos. Accordingly with the wiki my sources.list is as follows, looks working now. Can you please check as well?

###### Debian Main Repos
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ stable main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ stable main contrib non-free

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ stable-updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ stable-updates main contrib non-free

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security/ stable/updates main
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian-security/ stable/updates main

deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ stretch-backports main
deb-src http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ stretch-backports main

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ stretch main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ stretch main contrib non-free

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ stretch-updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ stretch-updates main contrib non-free

deb http://security.debian.org/ stretch/updates non-free contrib main
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ stretch/updates main contrib non-free

My sources.list.d contains three repos I manually added. I am well aware of Ubuntu repos and will try to find an alternative way for that specific program:

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/micahflee/ppa/ubuntu/ artful main
# deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/micahflee/ppa/ubuntu/ artful main
deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositori ... ebian_9.0/ /
deb https://pkg.tox.chat/debian/ stable stretch

[dilberts_left_nut]

You don't need the deb-src lines or the ones that say 'stable', just keep the 'stretch' ones - that is why it's complaining about duplicates.

[Lysander]

Looks like a lot of material there you may not need.

When I first installed Jessie my sources list was pretty bloated. Now the active repos in my sources.list are just

deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ stretch main contrib non-free
deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security stretch/updates main contrib non-free
deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ stretch-updates main contrib non-free
deb http://deb.opera.com/opera-stable/ stable non-free

in addition to

deb http://repository.spotify.com stable non-free
deb http://repo.vivaldi.com/stable/deb/ stable main

in /etc/apt/sources.list.d

I haven't added Stretch backports since there's hardly anything in there.

And a word about this forum - wiki > attempt problem solve > go back to wiki/read extraneous material > attempt problem solve > if no success, post on forum citing intention, attempts and research undertaken. Wiki is always the first port of call - that's what it's there for.

[dasein]

Now the active repos in my sources.list are just

deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ stretch main contrib non-free
deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security stretch/updates main contrib non-free
deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ stretch-updates main contrib non-free
deb http://deb.opera.com/opera-stable/ stable non-free

And the Opera repo is needed/appropriate only if one wishes to run that particular Web browser.

Pedantically speaking, the "stretch-updates" repo isn't strictly necessary, although it is safe to use and often proves handy.

Wiki is always the first port of call - that's what it's there for.

Couldn't have said it better myself

[zodac11]

Now the active repos in my sources.list are just

deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ stretch main contrib non-free
deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security stretch/updates main contrib non-free
deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ stretch-updates main contrib non-free
deb http://deb.opera.com/opera-stable/ stable non-free

And the Opera repo is needed/appropriate only if one wishes to run that particular Web browser.

Pedantically speaking, the "stretch-updates" repo isn't strictly necessary, although it is safe to use and often proves handy.

Wiki is always the first port of call - that's what it's there for.

Couldn't have said it better myself

Thanks to everyone for helping out. I now have a stable repo (I assume) and got the basics of it. Just unchecked deb-scr's from Synaptics and copied @dasein's repos to the source list. Now it looks like:

http://ftp.ch.debian.org/debian/ stretch-updates non-free contrib main
http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ stretch-backports main
http://security.debian.org/debian-security/ stretch/updates non-free contrib main
http://ftp.ch.debian.org/debian/ stretch non-free contrib main

[Lysander]

Looks good, personally my repos are appended main contrib non-free rather than the other way round, but I don't think it makes any difference.

Glad you got your list in order. You should have seen my old Jessie one, that was a real mess.

Perform the following three commands to check everything is in order

Code: Select all

sudo apt autoremove
sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade

That's if you're using sudo, if not just use root. If everything is OK after those you're all ready to go.

PS: A good habit to get into is installing everything you can from the official repos. From that old topic it looks like I was pulling stuff from left, right and centre. These days I install purely through the command line and get 99% of stuff off the official repos. Opera, Vivaldi and Spotify were the only pieces of software that come from elsewhere.

It's good practice to learn about installing via the CLI rather than Synaptic.

https://debian-handbook.info/browse/stable/apt.html