Comments on: How to Fix GPG No Public Key NO_PUBKEY Error During apt-get Update

By: Eyal Peleg

Eyal Peleg — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 06:32:58 +0000

Lots of thatks to BartVB.
aptitude install debian-keyring debian-archive-keyring
worked great for me on debian lenny.

By: worawit

worawit — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 08:25:22 +0000

Thanks from Thailand.
my command is
# pgp –recv-keys AED4B06F473041FA
…..
# pgp –armor –export AED4B06F473041FA | apt-key add -
…..
# apt -get update

By: BartVB

BartVB — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 07:11:19 +0000

Most of the time it’s easier to fix these problems with:

# aptitude install debian-keyring debian-archive-keyring

This should install the required public keys.

By: Timbuktu

Timbuktu — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:27:16 +0000

You need to add ‘sudo’ to the command apt-key… it should be:
gpg –armor –export $keymissing | sudo apt-key add – && apt-get update

otherwise, you get this error:
timbuktu@homecomp:~$ keymissing=F9A2F76A9D1A0061 && \
> gpg –keyserver wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net –recv-keys $keymissing && \
> gpg –armor –export $keymissing | apt-key add – && apt-get update
gpg: requesting key 9D1A0061 from hkp server wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net
gpg: key 9D1A0061: “Opera Software Archive Automatic Signing Key 2010 ” not changed
gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg: unchanged: 1
gpg: no writable keyring found: eof
gpg: error reading `-’: general error
gpg: import from `-’ failed: general error

By: Marko

Marko — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:51:43 +0000

Hi,
Just to say thank you for your e-Book Linux – 101 Hacks

Bye
Marko

By: stat

stat — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:25:49 +0000

David – I have been using Ubuntu for many years and many versions the gpg issue has indeed become worse over the last couple of versions but all I have read indicates that this is an issue with the repos and not a localized problem. In researching through the bug tracker, googling the forums etc. I have frequently read that the gpg issue was not critical or indicative of a larger issue. I agree those keys are there for a reason and often do their job without even being noticed but any box that has been modified (third party sources and the like) are going to see these errors. Depending on what you have installed I can tell you what keys you will need. Apt keys and key ring are both still works in process and a bit error prone. I would not recommend freaking every time one of the acted up, you will be pretty busy.

If you have evidence to support that this is a serious issue or even can explain what the issue is so that it can be avoided it would be of help to the community. I would suspect that the only way to avoid this is to run a default system which would be missing the whole point of Linux. I fail to see that this is anything to worry about and appreciate Ramesh posting this here and reminding me of the solution (I have forgotten it so many times I have since embedded it into my sources list for reference).

By: David

David — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:22:03 +0000

Those keys are there for a reason, if you don’t have the key then you should find out why instead of just blindly installing it.
On a properly configured box (eg default) then all the keys should be there. If trusting everyone blindly was a good idea, then they wouldn’t bother signing them in the first place.