my ubuntu gives error E:Malformed line 52 in source list /etc/apt/sources.list (dist parse), E:The list of sources could not be read., E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.

What is the output of:

cat -n /etc/apt/sources.list

Thanks

 1
     2 # See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
     3 # newer versions of the distribution.
     4 deb http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty main restricted
     5 deb-src http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty multiverse main restricted universe #Added by software-properties
     6
     7 ## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the
     8 ## distribution.
     9 deb http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates main restricted
    10 deb-src http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates multiverse main restricted universe #Added by software-properties
    11
    12 ## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
    13 ## team. Also, please note that software in universe WILL NOT receive any
    14 ## review or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
    15 deb http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty universe
    16 deb http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates universe
    17
    18 ## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
    19 ## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
    20 ## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
    21 ## multiverse WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu
    22 ## security team.
    23 deb http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty multiverse
    24 deb http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates multiverse
    25
    26 ## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
    27 ## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
    28 ## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
    29 ## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
    30 ## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
    31 deb http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports main restricted universe multiverse
    32 deb-src http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports main restricted universe multiverse #Added by software-properties
    33
    34 deb http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security main restricted
    35 deb-src http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security multiverse main restricted universe #Added by software-properties
    36 deb http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security universe
    37 deb http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security multiverse
    38
    39 ## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by Canonical and the
    40 ## respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu users.
    41 deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu trusty partner
    42 deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu trusty partner
    43
    44 ## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Ubuntu's
    45 ## 'extras' repository.
    46 ## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by third-party
    47 ## developers who want to ship their latest software.
    48 # deb http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty main
    49 # deb-src http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty main
    50
    51
    52 deb http://archive.canonical.com/ trustypartner
    53 # deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ trustypartner
    54 # deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ trustypartner

The above is the output.

Thanks

Issue the command

sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list
This will ask for your password as conformation for an administrative action and then open and editor with the sources.list configuration file loaded.
Scroll down to the very end, delete the last line,
and in the two lines before insert a space character between 'trusty' and 'partner' making it

...
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ trusty partner
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ trusty partner

Save the file and close the editor.

Then re-try updating and report the results.

Oops, sorry, wrong instructions.

I missed to see that that same source is already present in lines 41-42.

Corrected instructions:

Issue the command
sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

This will ask for your password as conformation for an administrative action and then open and editor with the sources.list configuration file loaded.
Scroll down to the very end, and delete the last three lines (those containing trustypartner).
Save the file and close the editor.
Then re-try updating and report the results.

Thanks Manfred Hampl, that solved my question.

Hi,

Another problem with my dell laptop is that it beeps 8 times in 3 sets before starting and the dell logo does not come up while starting. Please help.

Thanks ,

Vinita

Thanks Manfred Hampl, that solved my question.