Suddenly Cannot Upgrade Apps. [SOLVED]

[DocTomJP]

In Stretch, suddenly (in that last week everything was normal), I am unable to upgrade.

After running Update, I then progress to Full-Upgrade. The app. starts, I respond with "y", and upgrade begins. But within seconds it slows and apparently stops (in that no increase in bytes received is shown, and the curser either blinks or is static; sometimes the download rate at the RHS still shows a value, sometimes not.

Then a restart may occur, usually at a low download rate. But sometimes for less than a second or two, a rate of several PB/s(!) is shown, with no corresponding increase in the size of the downloaded chunk. Eventually when attempting a big download (Thunderbird security fix), it fails completely, reporting that the connection failed and and citing an IP address (133.242.99.74 80) which seems to be a Japanese server - organization for IP address 133.242.99.74 is SAKURA Internet in Japan. I have never used a Japanese mirror.

These events occur when I use aptitude or apt-get.

They also occur whether I have a HK mirror, or a Singapore mirror in my hosts file. (I live in Thailand.)

I have tried so many proposed fixes that I have just about forgotten what I have done. But one suggestion that I followed with great hope (only to have it dashed) was to set my preferences in the /etc/gai..conf file to try IP4 before IP6, as it was reported that a conflict may occur causing the problem. But no success!

Note that my internet access (Firefox) is behaving normally, with no signs of slow performance. A speed test showed about 10 Mb/s download, and 4 Mb/s upload speeds.

I have been using Debian Stretch for about 9 months, and previously Jessie for about 2 years. I have never before encountered a problem like this.

So I am stuck, unable to update. Please can somebody help.

(Note - I am an ageing amateur, so please be explicit with any instructions.)

[Capitain_Jack]

I would wonder if you have https repositories and apt-transport-https package installed...have you?

[DocTomJP]

Captain-Jack : thanks for your very rapid response.

My repos. are http, not https, and the apt-transport app. is not installed.

I have not seen the need to have https repos. in any of the sites that I have searched, and indeed the Debian Wiki shows examples as http, not https.

Further, I emphasise that the repos. in my sources list were apparently fine last week when all was well with upgrade speed and continuity.

Any further help will be greatly appreciated.

[Head_on_a_Stick]

Try http://deb.debian.org/

[Capitain_Jack]

My repos. are http, not https, and the apt-transport app. is not installed.

Just try installing the apt-transport-https even your repository is normal and see what happens. The minimal is do not work, than only uninstall it, and at maximum works and you're all set.

[DocTomJP]

Gentlmen : many thanks indeed for your attention to my problem.

I can report that the problem has gone away as mysteriously as it arrived! I did nothing further in attempts to overcome the problem, but at my last two attempts Upgrade proceeded normally; indeed it seemed very fast, so much so that it had finished downloading the 40Mb security upgrade for Thunderbird before I had noticed the speed indication!

I am suspicious that the problem resided with the Japanese server.

In any case I feel that I should close this post now, with my thanks once again for your inputs.

DocTom.