I've recently transitioned from being a lifelong Windows user to exploring Linux, and after enjoying Kubuntu, I've tried installing Debian on an older PC from around 2010. However, I'm encountering an issue where I can't install packages using apt because I'm getting a 'permission denied' error when I try to access the /etc/apt/sources.list file. Can anyone help me troubleshoot this?
4 Answers
Could you share the exact error message you see when attempting to install something? Sometimes, the details can really help narrow down the issue.
That makes sense! It sounds like your sources.list might be pointing to the wrong place since it's referencing a CD-ROM. You might need to edit that file and replace it with the correct online repositories.
It's worth mentioning that there are a few installer options for Debian, like the Debian installer and live ISOs which use different installation methods. If you're unsure what was set up during your installation, consider redoing the install with noticed configurations, especially if this isn't your main setup.
When you installed Debian, did you set a root username and password? If you type `su` in the terminal and enter your root password, that should allow you to run apt commands without permission issues. Also, once you're root, you can use `visudo` to grant your regular account sudo privileges. Give that a try!
If you used a live image to install, you might have gone through a setup that doesn't automatically configure sudo like Ubuntu does. Are you trying to use `sudo` before the apt commands? It's important to ensure `sudo` is set up if that's what you prefer.
I got an error saying: 'E: The repository 'cdrom://[Official Debian GNU/Linux Live 12.10.0 kde ...] does not have a Release file.' It mentions that I can't securely update from that source.