Docker Repository Does Not Have a Release File on Running apt-get update on Ubuntu

I am using Ubuntu 16.10 and recently installed Docker (v1.12.4) using the Xenial build by following the instructions found here. I haven't encountered any problems creating containers, ensuring they restart automatically, etc.

However, now every time I run apt-get update I receive the following error message:

W: The repository 'https://apt.dockerproject.org/repo ubuntu-xenial Release' does not have a Release file.
N: Data from such a repository can't be authenticated and is therefore potentially dangerous to use.
N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details.
E: Failed to fetch https://apt.dockerproject.org/repo/dists/ubuntu-xenial/main/binary-amd64/Packages
E: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

I have tried to remedy the problem by following the advice found here and cannot seem to solve this problem.

Has anyone encountered this before and fixed it? If so, what is needed to resolve this?

Solution 1:

On Linux Mint, the official instructions did not work for me. I had to go into /etc/apt/sources.list.d/additional-repositories.list and change serena to xenial to reflect my Ubuntu codename. Depending on your Debian variant, version, and the original installation method followed, you may need to modify /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list instead.

You can typically find the appropriate codename by running one of a few different commands. In the following examples, focal is the codename:

$ grep CODENAME /etc/os-release
VERSION_CODENAME=focal
UBUNTU_CODENAME=focal

$ lsb_release -c
Codename:   focal

# NOTE: On Ubuntu 20.04.2, /etc/os-release is symlinked to /usr/lib/os-release and
#       lsb_release reads from /usr/lib/os-release.

Solution 2:

For Linux Mint, this problem is actually referenced in the Docker website:

Note: The lsb_release -cs sub-command below returns the name of your Ubuntu distribution, such as xenial. Sometimes, in a distribution like Linux Mint, you might have to change $(lsb_release -cs) to your parent Ubuntu distribution. For example, if you are using Linux Mint Rafaela, you could use trusty.

amd64:

$ sudo add-apt-repository \
"deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
$(lsb_release -cs) \
stable"

The lsb_release -cs command gives a repository for which Docker has no prepared package - you must change it to xenial.

The correct command for Linux Mint 18 which is based on Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial is

sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
   xenial \
   stable"

Solution 3:

Elliot Beach is correct. Thanks Elliot.

Here is the code from my gist.

sudo apt-get remove docker docker-engine docker.io

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl software-properties-common

curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo apt-key add -

sudo apt-key fingerprint 0EBFCD88

sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
xenial \
stable"

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install docker-ce

sudo docker run hello-world

Solution 4:

As suggested in official docker document also. Try running this:

• sudo vi /etc/apt/sources.list

Then remove/comment any (deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/ xenial stable) such entry at the last lines of the file.

Then in terminal run this command:

• sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/ bionic stable"

• sudo apt-get update

It worked in my case.