Ok, so I resolved this with venice.ai (does not log like ChatGPT) This is the transcript. The fix at the end was removing this:
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/webupd8team-ubuntu-brackets-noble.list
Is is the process of upgrading now, thanks for reading.
Annon
Problem upgrading from 18 core to 18 pro General Help Dec 11 9m ago I installed Zorin core and spend a LOT of time installing software and trying to see if I could get something to replace a Windows machine. I want to continue this mission with an upgrade to 18 pro. But I get the attached error message. I don't want to use the iso and start all over. Am an experienced user but a Zorin newbie, HELP! TIA i did send an error report and it reads as follows: [CHECKING] Started [CHECKING:Validating Upgrade Attempt] Started [CHECKING:Validating Upgrade Attempt] Completed [CHECKING:Checking Filesystem] Started [CHECKING:Checking Filesystem] Completed [CHECKING:Restarting Apt] Started [CHECKING:Restarting Apt] Completed [CHECKING:Simulating Flatpak Transaction] Started [CHECKING:Simulating Flatpak Transaction] Completed [CHECKING:Processing Apt Repos] Started [CHECKING:Processing Apt Repos] Completed [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Started [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Fatal Error: { error-repo-download-failed: W:Updating from such a repository can't be done securely, and is therefore disabled by default., W:See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details., W:An error occurred during the signature verification. The repository is not updated and the previous index files will be used. GPG error: https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com stable InRelease: The following signatures couldn't be verified because the public key is not available: NO_PUBKEY 0686B78420038257, E:The repository 'Index of /webupd8team/brackets/ubuntu noble Release' does not have a Release file. } [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Failed [CHECKING] Failed [CHECKING:Restoring System] Started [CHECKING:Restoring System] Error: { error-repo-download-failed: W:Updating from such a repository can't be done securely, and is therefore disabled by default., W:See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details., W:An error occurred during the signature verification. The repository is not updated and the previous index files will be used. GPG error: https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com stable InRelease: The following signatures couldn't be verified because the public key is not available: NO_PUBKEY 0686B78420038257, E:The repository 'Index of /webupd8team/brackets/ubuntu noble Release' does not have a Release file. } [CHECKING:Restoring System] Completed
Venice
Based on the error log you provided, the upgrade from Zorin OS 18 Core to Pro is failing because of issues with third-party software repositories you have added, not because of a problem with Zorin itself. The upgrade process is blocked because it cannot securely update the package lists from these repositories.
Here is a breakdown of the specific errors and how to fix them. You will need to use the terminal for these steps.
The Core Problems
- Brave Browser Repository GPG Key Error:
GPG error: https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com stable InRelease: The following signatures couldn't be verified because the public key is not available: NO_PUBKEY 0686B78420038257- This means the GPG key used to sign the Brave browser repository has expired or is missing from your system.
apt cannot verify the authenticity of the packages from this source, so it refuses to use it.
- Obsolete Brackets Repository Error:
E:The repository 'Index of /webupd8team/brackets/ubuntu noble Release' does not have a Release file.- The
webupd8team PPA for the Brackets editor is old and unmaintained. It does not have a release file for Zorin OS 18 (which is based on Ubuntu 22.04 "Noble Numbat"), so it's causing the process to fail completely.
How to Fix This and Retry the Upgrade
You need to clean up these repository issues before you can successfully upgrade. Follow these steps in order.
Step 1: Fix the Brave Browser Repository Key
Open your terminal and run the following commands to download and add the new Brave repository key.
bash
# Download the new Brave GPG key
curl -fsS https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor --yes -o /usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg
# Update your package list to see if the error is gone
sudo apt update
After running this, you should no longer see the NO_PUBKEY error for Brave when you run sudo apt update.
Step 2: Remove the Obsolete Brackets Repository
This repository is broken and needs to be removed completely. The easiest way to manage PPAs and repositories is with the "Software & Updates" application.
- Open the Software & Updates application from your app menu.
- Go to the Other Software tab.
- Scroll through the list and find the entry for
http://ppa.launchpad.net/webupd8team/brackets/ubuntu. It will likely be unchecked or marked as failing.
- Select it and click the Remove button.
- Close the window. It may ask you to reload the repositories; click Reload.
Alternatively, if you prefer the terminal, you can remove the PPA file with this command:
bash
# This command finds the specific file for the webupd8team brackets PPA and deletes it
sudo rm -f /etc/apt/sources.list.d/webupd8team-ubuntu-brackets-*.list
After removing it, run sudo apt update again to confirm the error is gone.
Step 3: Clean Up and Retry the Upgrade
Now that you have fixed the repository issues, you can attempt the upgrade again.
- Final Check: Run
sudo apt update one more time. The command should complete successfully without any GPG errors or "does not have a Release file" errors.
- Re-run the Zorin Upgrader: You can launch the Zorin OS Upgrader from your terminal to see a live log of the process.
bash
-
sudo zorin-os-upgrader
The upgrader should now pass the "Updating Apt Repos" check and proceed with the rest of the upgrade to Zorin OS 18 Pro. This process will download the Pro-specific packages and apply the changes without requiring you to reinstall the entire OS.
---
a_user@HP-ZBook-17-G3:~$ sudo zorin-os-upgrader sudo: zorin-os-upgrader: command not found
Venice
My apologies, that command name was incorrect. The graphical tool for upgrading Zorin OS is not typically invoked from the command line like that.
The error you received, `command not found`, confirms that `zorin-os-upgrader` is not a standard executable command in the terminal.
Let's use the correct method to start the upgrade process.
### How to Start the Upgrade Correctly
You need to launch the "Zorin OS Upgrader" graphical application. Here are a few ways to do it:
#### Method 1: From the Application Menu (Easiest)
1. Open your **Applications Menu** (the icon in the bottom-left corner of your screen).
2. Type `Upgrader` into the search bar.
3. Click on the **Zorin OS Upgrader** application to launch it.
It should now open the graphical interface you saw before, and because you've fixed the repository issues, it should be able to proceed.
#### Method 2: From the "Software Updater" Tool
Sometimes the upgrade process is initiated through the standard software update tool.
1. Open your **Applications Menu** and search for **Software Updater**.
2. Launch it and let it check for updates. Install any pending Zorin OS 18 Core updates first.
3. After all updates are installed, check the tool's window for a message or button that says **"Upgrade to Zorin OS 18 Pro"**.
#### Method 3: Using a Terminal Command to Find and Launch It
If the application isn't showing up in the menu for some reason, you can use the terminal to find its `.desktop` file and launch it.
1. Open a terminal.
2. Run the following command to search for the upgrader's application file:
bash
* ```
grep -r "Zorin OS Upgrader" /usr/share/applications/
- This command should output a filename, likely
zorin-os-upgrader.desktop.
- You can then launch the application using the
gtk-launch command:
bash
-
gtk-launch zorin-os-upgrader.desktop
**Recommendation:** Start with **Method 1**. It is the most direct and standard way to initiate the upgrade. The graphical tool will then run the checks again, and since you've fixed the Brave and Brackets repository errors, it should now proceed successfully.
---
I get the following error now: [CHECKING] Started [CHECKING:Validating Upgrade Attempt] Started [CHECKING:Validating Upgrade Attempt] Completed [CHECKING:Checking Filesystem] Started [CHECKING:Checking Filesystem] Completed [CHECKING:Creating Necessary Files] Started [CHECKING:Creating Necessary Files] Completed [CHECKING:Adding GPG Keys] Started [CHECKING:Adding GPG Keys] Completed [CHECKING:Restarting Apt] Started [CHECKING:Restarting Apt] Completed [CHECKING:Simulating Flatpak Transaction] Started [CHECKING:Simulating Flatpak Transaction] Completed [CHECKING:Processing Apt Repos] Started [CHECKING:Processing Apt Repos] Completed [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Started [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Retrying [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Fatal Error: { error-repo-download-failed: W:Updating from such a repository can't be done securely, and is therefore disabled by default., W:See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details., E:The repository 'https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/webupd8team/brackets/ubuntu noble Release' does not have a Release file. } [CHECKING:Updating Apt Repos] Failed [CHECKING] Failed [CHECKING:Restoring System] Started [CHECKING:Restoring System] Error: { error-repo-download-failed: W:Updating from such a repository can't be done securely, and is therefore disabled by default., W:See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details., E:The repository 'https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/webupd8team/brackets/ubuntu noble Release' does not have a Release file. } [CHECKING:Restoring System] Completed
Venice
It looks like the fix for the Brave browser repository worked, as that error is gone. However, the upgrader is still failing on the same second issue: the obsolete Brackets repository.
The error message is slightly different this time, which is a key clue: `E:The repository 'https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/webupd8team/brackets/ubuntu noble Release' does not have a Release file.`
This indicates that the repository source is still active on your system, but the PPA itself is broken. The method you used to remove it may not have caught all instances or it's defined in a different location.
Let's perform a more thorough cleanup.
### How to Thoroughly Remove the Broken Repository
We will search your entire system for any mention of `webupd8team` and `brackets` and remove it.
1. **Open a Terminal.**
2. **Search for all repository files that contain "webupd8team":** Run the following command. It will search through the main sources file and all files in the `sources.list.d` directory and print the name of any file that contains the problem text.
bash
* ```
grep -r "webupd8team" /etc/apt/
- Analyze the Output: The command above will likely output one or more file paths. For example:
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/webupd8team-ubuntu-brackets-noble.list- Or it might point to a line inside
/etc/apt/sources.list
- Remove the Offensive File(s): Based on the output from the previous command, use
sudo rm to delete the file(s). If the output was /etc/apt/sources.list.d/webupd8team-ubuntu-brackets-noble.list, the command would be:
bash
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/webupd8team-ubuntu-brackets-noble.list
**If the output pointed to a line inside `/etc/apt/sources.list`, you must edit that file instead.**
* Open it with a text editor: `sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list`
* Find the line containing `webupd8team/brackets`.
* Put a `#` at the beginning of the line to comment it out, or simply delete the entire line.
* Save the file and exit (`Ctrl+X`, then `Y`, then `Enter` in nano).
* **Final Verification and Cleanup:** After removing the file(s), run `sudo apt update` one more time. It should now complete without any errors. To be extra safe, you can also use a tool to clean up any remnants of the PPA:
bash
1. ```
sudo apt install ppa-purge
sudo ppa-purge ppa:webupd8team/brackets
This command is designed to safely disable a PPA and revert any installed packages to the standard versions from the official repositories. It may report that the PPA is already disabled, which is fine.
Retry the Upgrade
Once you have completed the steps above and confirmed that sudo apt update runs without errors, you can try the upgrade again.
- Launch the Zorin OS Upgrader from your application menu.
- It should now pass the "Updating Apt Repos" check and continue with the upgrade to Pro.
This more aggressive search-and-destroy method should finally clear the problematic repository from your system and allow the upgrade to proceed.
