How to Edit the Sources List in Debian

In Debian, the list of repositories from which you can install software is specified in the file /etc/apt/sources.list and in additional .list files in the directory /etc/apt/sources.list.d/. If your system is asking for a CD-ROM source, it's likely because there's a line in your sources.list file or in a file in sources.list.d that specifies a CD-ROM source.

Here's how you can remove the CD-ROM source:

Backup the current sources.list file: Before editing the sources.list file, it's a good idea to make a backup of it in case something goes wrong.
```
sudo cp /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.backup
```
Edit the sources.list file: Open the sources.list file in a text editor with root privileges, such as nano or vi.
```
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list
```
Comment or remove the CD-ROM line: Look for a line that starts with deb cdrom:. Comment it out by placing a # at the beginning of the line, or remove the line entirely.
```
# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux ...]
```
Save and close the file: If you used nano, you can save changes by pressing Ctrl + O, then press Enter, and exit by pressing Ctrl + X.
Update the package database: Finally, update the package database to reflect the changes to the sources.list file.
```
sudo apt-get update
```

This should stop your system from asking for the CD-ROM when installing software or updating the package database.

Adam Malin

adammalin.com

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