Upgrade Fails with "Clearsigned file isn't valid, got 'NOSPLIT' (does the network require authentication?)"

[HFH-Digerati]

Attempting to update a on-prem physical Linux system from 16.0.5.622 16.0.6 but update fails with the following:

Hit:1 http://downloads-global.3cx.com/downloads/debian stretch-testing InRelease
Hit:2 http://security.debian.org stretch/updates InRelease
Get:3 http://downloads.3cx.com/downloads/debian stretch InRelease
Err:3 http://downloads.3cx.com/downloads/debian stretch InRelease
Clearsigned file isn't valid, got 'NOSPLIT' (does the network require authentication?)
Ign:4 http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch InRelease
Get:5 http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch-updates InRelease [93.6 kB]
Hit:6 http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch Release
Fetched 96.5 kB in 0s (162 kB/s)
Reading package lists...
E: Failed to fetch http://downloads.3cx.com/downloads/debian/dists/stretch/InRelease Clearsigned file isn't valid, got 'NOSPLIT' (does the network require authentication?)
E: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

System is a standard annual license which it says expires in Dec. of 2022, but when I click to verify the license I get -

3CX failed to establish a TCP connection to activation.3cx.com.
Ensure that the local or border firewalls are configured to allow outbound traffic to activation.3cx.com

I've created an any-port/any external IP outbound rule at the site firewall so there should be a wide-open connection for the system to anything.

This may or may not be relavent - the previous contractor used his own email address rather than a customer email address for registering the system which I changed with 3cx so I could sign in with here. Does that need to be changed somewhere in the GUI?

I have not been able to get the system root credentials from the previous contractor. While I'm continuing to try to get him to provide the creds, the current plan is to throw up a VM, install from the Debian ISO and restore a backup, but I'd like to get the system to the most recent version first.

TIA

 

[cobaltit]

For getting the system up and running your thought of nuking and reinstalling from the ISO and then restoring is the best bet. Then you'll know the lineage of the box.

For upgrading the contact info, I believe you can do that via the customer portal, although you may not have the credentials if it was registered via the email of the previous contractor. Either filling out the contact form on the 3CX page here appropriate for your area, or working with a partner to help get your contact info sorted out is your best bet.

 

[cobaltit]

Btw, that error generally indicates some sort of network issue, perhaps a firewall messing with traffic. So the wipe and reinstall may not solve that issue, but at least you will know the lineage and have the root password for the instance. But I'd poke around your firewall and see if anything jumps out there.