How do I fix the malformed line from my source.list?

Support & Help Requests
, ,
#1

I was trying to download the wine hq, but when I tried to download it, something happened to my computer. After I failed to install wine, I always encountered the same problem when I write this command: sudo apt-get update, or just
apt-get update.
The problem is that I receive this message in my terminal.
E: Malformed entry 60 in list file /etc/apt/sources.list(Component) E: The list of sources could not be read. From there, I cannot use any apt-get command...
Could you fix this problem?
I used the command sudo more /etc/apt/sources.list to get the lines for the source.list
In my source.list, it says the following:

# deb cdrom:[Ubuntu-MATE 20.04 LTS _Focal Fossa_ - Release amd64 (20200423)]/ fo
cal main multiverse restricted universe

# See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal main restricted
# deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal main restricted

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the
## distribution.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-updates main restricted
# deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-updates main restricted

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team. Also, please note that software in universe WILL NOT receive any
## review or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal universe
# deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal universe
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-updates universe
# deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-updates universe

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu 
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to 
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in 
## multiverse WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu
## security team.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal multiverse
# deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal multiverse
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-updates multiverse
# deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-updates multiverse

## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
# deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's
## 'partner' repository.
## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by Canonical and the
## respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu users.
# deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu focal partner
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu focal partner

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security main restricted
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security main restricted
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security universe
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security universe
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security multiverse
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security multiverse

# This system was installed using small removable media
# (e.g. netinst, live or single CD). The matching "deb cdrom"
# entries were disabled at the end of the installation process.
# For information about how to configure apt package sources,
# see the sources.list(5) manual.
deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/ cosmic main
# deb-src https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/ cosmic main
deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/focal main
# deb-src https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/focal main
deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/ focal main
# deb-src https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/ focal main

I hope this information helps to find the malformed entry.
I am new to linux, so it is very hard for me to find what to do...

#2

It looks like there is an extra linebreak within the first line:

# deb cdrom:[Ubuntu-MATE 20.04 LTS _Focal Fossa_ - Release amd64 (20200423)]/ fo
cal main multiverse restricted universe

should be

# deb cdrom:[Ubuntu-MATE 20.04 LTS _Focal Fossa_ - Release amd64 (20200423)]/ focal main multiverse restricted universe
#3

line 60 needs a space before focal

deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/ focal main

Do you know how to use the vi editor? if yes, :set number will display numbers so you can see the issue with line 60 (missing a space between ubuntu/ focal main). Two lines down, it is correct.

If you dont know vi, let's use xed (another editor, go to Edit>prefs>Display Line numbers)

sudo xed /etc/apt/sources.list ... fix line 60, File, Save, Exit
then sudo apt update, it should be clean.

3 Likes
#4

Hi, thank you for your help.
Because I am beginner in linux os, I don't know what "vi" is.
Also, I don't know how to get to "xed".
The command sudo xed /etc/apt/sources.list doesn't work for me.
It says that xed command cannot be found. How to you go to the Edit>prefs>Display?

#5

Kevin, seems you dont have xed as an editor. But, I think you have pluma editor on your system.
sudo pluma /etc/apt/sources.list
Pluma shows the Line number at the bottom of the window. Go to line 60 and add that space. Save, Exit, and test again that sudo apt update is clean (w/o errors)

1 Like
#6

Yes, it worked!
thank you so much

#7

Thank you so much for your help.

#8

good day sir please if i type in sudo apt-get update this is what it shows me
E: Malformed line 4 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (type)
E: Type 'dep' is not known on line 1 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/atom.list
E: The list of sources could not be read.
how do i fix this

#9

sir please i hope you reply me sooner
thank you

#10

@kay_boy Maybe it should be deb not dep. Seems you're trying to install the atom editor.
The first line of /etc/apt/sources.list.d/atom.list should be

deb [arch=amd64] https://packagecloud.io/AtomEditor/atom/any/ any main

See https://flight-manual.atom.io/getting-started/sections/installing-atom/#platform-linux

#11

thank you so much
but sir what is the first thing i should do to remove this error

#12

Fix the error, then sudo apt update should not give errors. If it does, post the errors here.

#13

i tried installing atom but seems like i did something wrong so i can't install anything again
whenever i try installing anything, it says

E: Malformed line 4 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (type)
E: The list of sources could not be read.

i have been trying sice yesterday to remove this error but no way please can you help me

#14

can you post line 4 of that file /etc/apt/sources.list ?

#15

This is it sir

IMG_20210324_231425.jpg
IMG_20210324_231425.jpg2080×1560 1.24 MB

#16

The last line should be:

deb http://http.kali.org/kali kali-rolling main non-free contrib
1 Like
#17

E: Malformed entry 1 in list file /etc/apt/sources.list.d/archive_uri-htts_dl_winehq_org_wine-builds_ubuntu_focal-groovy.list (Component)
E: The list of sources could not be read.

I have been having this issue for some time now and i have tried all the above to no avail. Please help me out. I am new to all this. Thank you

#18

you can remove that file from /etc/apt/sources.d/ dir

but my question is, are you on focal (20.04 or groovy (20.10)?

There is a recommended way to install wine5.

1 Like
#19

um how do i check that

# deb cdrom:[Kubuntu 20.10 _Groovy Gorilla_ - Release amd64 (20201022)]/ groovy main multiverse restricted universe 


# See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to 
# newer versions of the distribution. 
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy main restricted 
# deb-src http://ie.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ groovy main restricted 

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the 
## distribution. 
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-updates main restricted 
# deb-src http://ie.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ groovy-updates main restricted 

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu 
## team. Also, please note that software in universe WILL NOT receive any 
## review or updates from the Ubuntu security team. 
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy universe 
# deb-src http://ie.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ groovy universe 
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-updates universe 
# deb-src http://ie.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ groovy-updates universe 

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu 
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to 
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in 
## multiverse WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu 
## security team. 
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy multiverse 
# deb-src http://ie.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ groovy multiverse 
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-updates multiverse 
# deb-src http://ie.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ groovy-updates multiverse 

## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as 
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes 
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features. 
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review 
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team. 
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-backports main restricted universe multiverse 
# deb-src http://ie.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ groovy-backports main restricted universe multiverse 

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's 
## 'partner' repository. 
## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by Canonical and the

## respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu users. 

# deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu groovy partner 
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu groovy partner 

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-security main restricted 
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-security main restricted 
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-security universe 
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-security universe 
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-security multiverse 
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-security multiverse 

# This system was installed using small removable media 
# (e.g. netinst, live or single CD). The matching "deb cdrom" 
# entries were disabled at the end of the installation process. 
# For information about how to configure apt package sources, 
# see the sources.list(5) manual
#20

sorry for the late response though