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apt-get install build-essential fails with the following errors:

~$ sudo apt-get install build-essential
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Package build-essential is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source

E: Package 'build-essential' has no installation candidate

I had just run sudo apt-get update before trying this install.

The folder /etc/apt/sources.list.d is empty. Here's the meat of /etc/apt/sources.list:

$ grep deb\ http: /etc/apt/sources.list  #(with "deb http://" deleted)  
us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ raring main restricted  
us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ raring-updates main restricted  
us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ raring universe  
us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ raring-updates universe  
us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ raring multiverse  
us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ raring-updates multiverse  
us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ raring-backports main restricted universe multiverse  
security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu raring-security main restricted  
security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu raring-security universe  
security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu raring-security multiverse  
extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu raring main

This with ubuntu 13.04 64 bit.

apt-cache policy build-essential 
build-essential:
 Installed: (none)
 Candidate: (none)
 Version table:

The directory /etc/apt/sources.list.d is empty.

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  • 2
    Welcome to Ask Ubuntu! Could you include the output of apt-cache policy build-essential in your question? Also include the output of grep -r ^deb\ /etc/apt/sources.list.d /etc/apt/sources.list to list all your sources..
    – gertvdijk
    Commented Jul 3, 2013 at 23:54

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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Problem solved. In Ubuntu Software Center >> Edit >> Software Sources, I changed the server to Main Server and then run sudo apt-get update. Then sudo apt-get install build-essential which worked.

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With Command Line

If you want to solve this annoying problem using the command line. You should edit the file /etc/apt/source.list.

Add the line deb http://cz.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic main. Replacing cz.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu with the mirror in question, depending on your geographical position, if your distribution is bionic. If not, put in the right one.

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This worked for me

  1. Run sudo software-properties-gtk
  2. Under 'Ubuntu Software' tab select/tick the first 4 options- main, universe, restricted, multiverse

Softwares & Updates

  1. Click 'Close'
  2. Click 'Reload'

Now, try your install command again.

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