Why Am I Not Able to Update Ubuntu 16.04?

Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus) reached its End of Life (EOL) on April 30, 2021. As such, it no longer receives official support or updates, including security updates and bug fixes. If you are having trouble updating your Ubuntu 16.04 installation, this article will help you understand why and what steps to take.

End of Life (EOL)

Since 16.04 reached its EOL, the repositories for regular updates have been redirected to a different location. This means that the standard repositories are no longer available for updates. To resolve this, you need to change your sources from the standard repositories to the EOL repositories.

Repository Changes

You may need to update your file to point to the server. This involves replacing instances of with Here’s how you can do that:

Command:

sudo sed -i 's|||g' sudo sed -i 's|||g' 

Network Issues

Ensure that your internet connection is stable and that there are no firewall settings blocking access to the repositories. A stable network connection is crucial for a successful update process.

Broken Packages

A broken package can prevent your system from updating. To check for broken packages, run the following command:

Command:

sudo apt-get check

If you have any broken packages, resolve them before attempting to update the system.

Use of Third-Party Repositories

If you have third-party repositories enabled, they may no longer be available or compatible, resulting in issues during the update process. To disable third-party repositories, you can remove the repository entries from your or use a tool like software-properties-gtk to manage them.

Steps to Update

1. Update the Sources

Perform the repository changes as mentioned above.

2. Update the Package List

After updating the repository, run:

sudo apt update

3. Upgrade the Packages

The next step is to upgrade the installed packages:

sudo apt upgrade

4. Full Upgrade (Optional)

If you prefer, you can perform a full upgrade which may remove and reinstall some packages to ensure a clean update:

sudo apt full-upgrade

Consider Upgrading

Since 16.04 has reached its EOL, it is highly recommended that you consider upgrading to a newer version of Ubuntu. The latest LTS (Long Term Support) version as of August 2023 is Ubuntu 22.04. You can upgrade through the command line or by downloading the latest version and performing a fresh installation.

If you encounter any specific error messages or need further assistance with the upgrade process, feel free to ask for help!