Conflicting distribution error when updating Plex repo via Apt in Ubuntu 18.04

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

I am having trouble getting the Plex repo to work in Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. I have tried both the standard repo of https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb ./public main as well as https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb public main. I am getting errors when attempting to run apt update. Does anybody know what might be causing this?

root@plex1804:/etc/apt/sources.list.d# apt update
Hit:1 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-security InRelease
Hit:2 https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb public InRelease
Hit:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic InRelease
Hit:4 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates InRelease
Hit:5 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-backports InRelease
Reading package listsā€¦ Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state informationā€¦ Done
All packages are up to date.
W: Conflicting distribution: https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb public InRelease (expected public but got )

root@plex1804:/etc/apt/sources.list.d# cat plexmediaserver.list
deb https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb public main

root@plex1804:/etc/apt/sources.list.d# lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
Release: 18.04
Codename: bionic

2

Correct is public main.
Do not forget to add the signing key else nothing will work. https://support.plex.tv/articles/235974187-enable-repository-updating-for-supported-linux-server-distributions/

This document still shows ./public. Please ignore it. The repository works and will issue a warning when you use public main As soon as the CI team gets everything else in place, (Iā€™d hoped it would be done by now) the warning will stop

3

I cannot get the latest update from the repo using apt. When I open the web UI interface it shows that a new update is available (1.13.2.5142), but running the apt commands I get the warning only.

W: Conflicting distribution: https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb public InRelease (expected public but got )

I have deb https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb public main as source and the signing key is also added.

4

Everything is correct on your side. Please be patient. Itā€™s just a small server ā€œhickupā€. Just install the package manually if you need the update NOW, e.g. sudo dpkg -i plexmediaserver_1.13.2.5142-3ba6662e9_amd64.deb.

5

Thanks for the answer, the update can wait :slight_smile: it is just something I noticed and was curious about the reason.

6

@uglymagoo said:
Everything is correct on your side. Please be patient. Itā€™s just a small server ā€œhickupā€.

Update from eleven days later: This warning message is still present. How long before I no longer see a warning in my update logs due to this ā€œtransientā€ issue?

7

At the risk of sounding harsh?

The entire repository and build system is being overhauled. I now spend most (90+ %) of my time getting it finished and live.

I can do one thing at a time: A. Provide support in the forums or B. Provide support with infrastructure.

Which should I be doing?

8

that is the kind of statement that you make internally. externally, youā€™re being rude to your customers. so, which one should you be doing?

9

Thank you for your feedback. I cannot tell you how many times I get negative feedback because Iā€™m not moving fast enough to suit others from those who think this is actual ā€œEasyā€ and have no concept of the actual work & complexity involved.

I do understand and appreciate how it looks unprofessional to see a ā€œWarningā€ when installing.
I do ask everyone understand and please grant me the understanding that Iā€™m but one cog in chain. I am doing my work to make this all come together as fast as is humanly possible.

Having been an engineer for 35+ years now, and please do not take this as crass or disrespectful in any way, if someone has an issue with how hard I work and how much I accomplish, I think Iā€™d have heard it by now as well as have taken the appropriate corrective action to amend such behaviors or conduct

1 Like
10

@ChuckPa If you donā€™t hear it enough, thank you for all you do!!!

With that said, I donā€™t want to seem like Iā€™m busting your chops but Iā€™m a Linux newbie. Well, sort of. Iā€™ve been running Plex on Mint 18 for about 1.5? 2? yearsā€¦ decided to test out Antergos then after a few days, came running back as fast as humanly possible to Mint. I did a fresh install of Mint 19, got Plex up and running with no issues and when I was installing something else via apt-get, I needed to update my cache and saw the dreaded,

ā€œW: Conflicting distribution: https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb public InRelease (expected public but got )ā€ message.

I checked the URL for the Plex PPA and it reads: deb https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb public main

ā€¦ I think thatā€™s what it is suppose to say but was wondering if you can verify.

If youā€™re still working on the back-end stuff to correct this little bug, no worries! Being a newbie with Linux, I just wanted to make sure I didnā€™t do something wrong when I re-installed on Mint 19.

Thanks!

11

Yes. public main is correct.

The reason everyone is seeing the warning is two fold:

  1. Ubuntu added the warning mechanism in apt-get and now outputs the message if the repositoryā€™s release file does not contain the ā€˜Codenameā€™ parameter.
  2. The current CI system was built before this became a requirement so is not included.

Current status:

  1. Itā€™s too fragile to even think of touching, we know it, and are redoing all of it. Iā€™m largely dedicated in Engineering (except for my few hours here now) to completing this work on schedule.
  2. You will see, quite imminently, the result of our work.

Thatā€™s the state of the onion :slight_smile:

2 Likes
12

@ChuckPa Thank you very much for the reply! :slightly_smiling_face:

13

I have time, Iā€™ve been reaping the benefits of Plex for free for about 18 months now, and Iā€™ve been wanting to learn the updated deb repo architecture.

Iā€™ll redo the repo build process, and help with other tasks in exchange for free Pass and, if my work is completely satisfactory by Jan 1, you agree to consider hiring me full time.

Cheapest internship on the planet.

Deal?

14

@Giblet535

Where were you these past 18 months? :smiley:

The deb repo is but a tiny fraction of the task being done.

If are you interested in working for Plex, by all means jump on the website and go at the careers page.

From there, contact Plex and tell them how you think you can help best and what youā€™re actually willing to do. AFAIK, there are always internship openings but I donā€™t have the full picture there.

1 Like
15

Iā€™ll do that, thanks.

16

For anyone here with Plex Pass who wants an easy way to update on Ubuntu Server 18.04 x64 I wrote a simple script. Note you will require your Plex Token (which you can get when it offers an update - right click copy link location).

# Download Plex
wget -O plexmediaserver_latest.deb 'https://plex.tv/downloads/latest/1?channel=8&build=linux-ubuntu-x86_64&distro=ubuntu&X-Plex-Token=your_token_here'

# Install Plex
sudo dpkg -i plexmediaserver_latest.deb

# Remove Installer
rm plexmediaserver_latest.deb

# Restart Plex Service
sudo service plexmediaserver restart

If this can be done using the repo in the future that will be better but this works for now.

4 Likes
17

cpike,

Thanks!! Good work around to have saved off.

18

Just hit this issue myself.

If this isnā€™t working, perhaps you could update your support documentation to say it isnā€™t currently working and save people a load of time trying to diagnose why this isnā€™t working?

The support doc still lists this as working, and itā€™s clear, it isnā€™t and hasnā€™t been for some time. https://support.plex.tv/articles/235974187-enable-repository-updating-for-supported-linux-server-distributions/

19

It is working. Just ignore the warning. Or please post more details about your issue.

20

I tend not to class errors as working. If this is the solution, whats the hesitation in updating your docs, alternatively link to this threadā€¦ itā€™s not exactly user friendly.

Current version out is 1.13.9.5439?

If I force my build scripts to ignore errors, I donā€™t see the latest as available? ergo, not working.

** root@tv:~# apt-cache madison plexmediaserver

plexmediaserver | 1.13.8.5395-10d48da0d | https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb public/main amd64 Packages

plexmediaserver | 1.13.5.5332-21ab172de | https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb public/main amd64 Packages

plexmediaserver | 1.13.5.5291-6fa5e50a8 | https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb public/main amd64 Packages

plexmediaserver | 1.13.4.5271-200287a06 | https://downloads.plex.tv/repo/deb public/main amd64 Packages**

Also annoyingly if you navigate to the repo in a browser, to take a look, you give a an error

The page youā€™re looking for was not found
You will be redirected automatically in 5 seconds.

This also shouts that this repo isnā€™t going to work on first glance.

Hope this helps explain.