How to fix E: Method https has died unexpectedly! in APT

APTINTERMEDIATEHIGH

This error occurs when apt's HTTPS method crashes during package updates, usually due to CPU instruction incompatibility or corrupted binaries. Set GNUTLS_CPUID_OVERRIDE=0x1 or reinstall apt-transport-https to fix it.

What this error means

When apt attempts to fetch packages from HTTPS repositories, it uses a method handler to manage the HTTPS connection. "Method https has died unexpectedly" indicates that the HTTPS handler process crashed or was terminated abnormally. This typically happens when the gnutls library (used for SSL/TLS connections) encounters instructions that your CPU doesn't support, causing an illegal instruction error. Alternatively, the apt methods binary may be corrupted or incompatible with your system architecture.

How to fix "E: Method https has died unexpectedly!"

1Apply the GNUTLS_CPUID_OVERRIDE fix (immediate solution)

The quickest fix is to set an environment variable that tells GNUTLS to avoid problematic CPU instructions:

bash

GNUTLS_CPUID_OVERRIDE=0x1 sudo apt update

If this works, you can make it permanent so you don't need to set it each time.

2Make the GNUTLS fix permanent

Edit your system environment file to always apply the fix:

bash

sudo nano /etc/environment

Add this line at the end of the file:

bash

GNUTLS_CPUID_OVERRIDE=0x1

Save the file (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X), then log out and log back in or reboot:

bash

reboot

Alternatively, add it to your shell profile for user-level changes:

bash

echo "export GNUTLS_CPUID_OVERRIDE=0x1" >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

3Reinstall apt-transport-https (alternative approach)

If the GNUTLS fix doesn't work, the binary may be corrupted. Reinstall the package:

bash

GNUTLS_CPUID_OVERRIDE=0x1 sudo apt-get install --reinstall apt-transport-https

Note: You may need to use the GNUTLS_CPUID_OVERRIDE environment variable even during reinstallation if the issue is CPU-related.

For Raspberry Pi or other ARM systems, you might need to specify the exact version:

bash

sudo apt-get install --reinstall apt-transport-https=1.8.2.3_armhf.deb

4Clear and rebuild apt cache

If reinstalling doesn't help, clear the apt cache and rebuild it:

bash

GNUTLS_CPUID_OVERRIDE=0x1 sudo apt-get clean
GNUTLS_CPUID_OVERRIDE=0x1 sudo rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
GNUTLS_CPUID_OVERRIDE=0x1 sudo apt-get update

This removes potentially corrupted metadata and downloads fresh package lists.

5Kill stuck apt processes and fix locks

If apt is completely stuck, force-kill any running apt processes:

bash

sudo killall apt apt-get
sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/lock
sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock
sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend
sudo rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock
sudo dpkg --configure -a

Then try apt again with the GNUTLS fix:

bash

GNUTLS_CPUID_OVERRIDE=0x1 sudo apt update

6Use HTTP instead of HTTPS as a last resort

If HTTPS continues to fail and you cannot apply the fixes, temporarily use HTTP repositories instead:

bash

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

Replace https:// with http:// in all lines. For example, change:

bash

deb https://deb.debian.org/debian bullseye main

to:

bash

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bullseye main

Also check and update any files in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/. After making changes:

bash

sudo apt update

Note: This reduces security, so resolve the GNUTLS issue when possible and switch back to HTTPS.

How to fix E: Method https has died unexpectedly! in APT

What this error means

Typical symptoms

Common causes

How to fix "E: Method https has died unexpectedly!"

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