Persistent USB HDD errors

[exotic creek]

I installed mint using rufus with persistence to a USB HDD.
Everything seems to work and I do have the casper-rw folder.
I can not however install anything.
Trying to install brave browser for example I got and error about :

E: The repository 'cdrom://Linux Mint 22.3 Zena - Release amd64 20260108 noble Release' does not have a Release file.
N: Updating from such a repository can't be done securely, and is therefore disabled by default.
N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details.
Error: The "apt-get update" command is not working on your system. The Brave installer cannot proceed. Please try again after fixing your system configuration.

I followed advice online about removing the cdrom line from the /etc/apt/sources.list
and it made no difference.

I also tried things like sudo apt-get update and got this error;
mint@mint:~$ sudo apt-get update
Ign:1 cdrom://Linux Mint 22.3 Zena - Release amd64 20260108 noble InRelease
Err:2 cdrom://Linux Mint 22.3 Zena - Release amd64 20260108 noble Release
Please use apt-cdrom to make this CD-ROM recognized by APT. apt-get update cannot be used to add new CD-ROMs
Hit:3 https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com stable InRelease
Ign:4 http://packages.linuxmint.com zena InRelease
Hit:5 http://packages.linuxmint.com zena Release
Hit:6 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-security InRelease
Hit:8 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble InRelease
Hit:9 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-updates InRelease
Hit:10 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-backports InRelease
Reading package lists... Done
E: The repository 'cdrom://Linux Mint 22.3 Zena - Release amd64 20260108 noble Release' does not have a Release file.
N: Updating from such a repository can't be done securely, and is therefore disabled by default.
N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details.

[oblique field]

The easiest way is:
Use Software Sources in the Start-Menu and choose both Main Mirror and Base Mirror.

[exotic creek]

I don't know what main mirror and base mirror are but they are already both set.

[tawny quail]

run inxi -r and examine result

[exotic creek]

This is the result.

mint@mint:~$ inxi -r
Repos:
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
1: deb cdrom:[Linux Mint 22.3 Zena - Release amd64 20260108]/ noble contrib main
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
1: deb http://packages.linuxmint.com zena main upstream import backport
2: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble main restricted universe multiverse
3: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-updates main restricted universe multiverse
4: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-backports main restricted universe multiverse
5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ noble-security main restricted universe multiverse
Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.sources
1: deb [arch=amd64 arm64] https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com stable main

[oblique field]

re-set it

[dusty stream]

these are something like "proxy servers" who provide your machines with software packages. their advantages are the shorter distances, less traffic over all, higher speed. disadvantages? maybe a package get once in a year updated a day or so later.

[tawny quail]

they're where your OS fetches software from. one from ubuntu, one from mint

the list above looks fine

if still having issues, then remove the CDROM source using Software Sources. look around.

[exotic creek]

It does not say anything about cdrom in the software sources menu. I did remove it from the sources.list file though and that made no difference.

[tawny quail]

it must be in some of the various parts in software sources

check thoroughly

then run inxi -r again after removing it

[tawny quail]

currently shows here in 2nd line of result

[exotic creek]

It does not show in the software sources menu (GUI) but it does show in the sources.list.
I've tried deleting that line in source.list and commenting it out but it just keeps adding it back.

[tawny quail]

eh. maybe nothing left to do but redo the USB from scratch. this is not normal.

[exotic creek]

just edited my last response you may not have seen it as you responded so quick.
Should I use something other than rufus to create the USB?

[tawny quail]

RUFUS has a persistent option, and should be fine. if u want alternate, there is Universal USB Installer.

[exotic creek]

Thanks, I'll try again.

[exotic creek]

Re-downloaded it re-installed it and it made no difference.
No cdrom anywhere in the software sources menu and keeps getting added back to the sources.list file whether I comment it out or delete the line altogether.
I guess this answers my question about whether it's time to switch to linux.

[tawny quail]

i wouldnt judge it based on a live usb

i've had literally zero issues in 8 years

try with MX Linux. (don't add persistence in RUFUS) since it has the option to provide its own.

[tawny quail]

@exotic creek ^ 🙂

as since there's some choice, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gp8xD-q-hw

for quick rundown.