Unable to update: release file is expired

User Support
1

Install: fresh just installed, 4 attempts today same error and issue

Iso: worked in the past with no errors like this, worked yesterday same usb same iso same pc. Iso is 3 weeks old if it matters

Noted during installation: set my motherboard’s clock behind 2 hours after the first part of install 4 out of 4 times i tried installing

What i did to try to fix it: configure the motherboard’s clock properly before and after the first part of the installation as that part is when it changed, second part where you config didn’t

Result of my attempt: error remains, motherboard’s clock remains good before and after, but qubes inherits wrong time even if i manualy set it to the right one during the first part of the installation. It ends up being +2 hours even when my motherboard’s clock is right. I carefully put proper time zone with proper time so no mistake on my end

:no_entry: Problem: i can’t update certain qubes. Unclear to me if related or not and if problem on my end or kicksecure and whonix end. If my clock is the problem then why other qubes update without errors? But if its kicksecure and whonix problem then why no one else has the same issue?

:folded_hands: What i hope for in the answer: explanation for cause of time change while installing and cause of update failing and advice to fix both.

:cry: Error when i try to update whonix-workstation-18:

E:Release file for tor+https://deb.kicksecure.com/dists/trixie/InRelease is expired (invalid since 6h 50min 30s) Updates for this repository will not be applied., E: Release file for tor+https://deb.whonix.org/dists/trixie/InRelease is expired (invalid since 6h 50min 6s)

:cry: Error when i try to update whonix-gateway-18: (after update of fedora-43-xfce, note because time change to correct value in dom0)

E:Release file for tor+https://deb.whonix.org/dists/trixie/InRelease is expired (invalid since 5h 41min 26s). Updates fors this repository will not be be applied., E:Release file for tor+https://deb.kicksecure.com/dists/trixie/InRelease is expired (invalid since 5h 44min 26s). Updates for this repository will not be applied.

:thinking: Updating fedora-43-xfce works meanwhile!

Noted after update of fedora-43-xfce (my default): clock in qubes changed to correct value. It now says same error message

2

:thinking: Update: dom0 update worked fine too! Seems to be only whonix qubes!

3

:thinking: Update: debian-13-xfce update worked fine too! It is indeed only whonix qubes! I am stuck and awaiting help!

4

:folded_hands: I should ask for help! @unman

5

:thinking: I should inform the lead developer of Whonix @adrelanos

6

:thinking:

Error: Release file for tor+https://deb.kicksecure.com/dists/trixie/InRelease is expired (invalid since 5h 25min 53s). Updates for this repository will not be applied.
[1]    82266 exit 100   sudo apt update
❯ curl -fsSl https://deb.kicksecure.com/dists/trixie/InRelease
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA512

Origin: kicksecure
Label: Kicksecure
Codename: trixie
Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:32:27 UTC
Valid-Until: Mon, 17 Aug 2026 08:32:27 UTC
Architectures: amd64 arm64 armel armhf hurd-i386 hurd-amd64 kfreebsd-amd64 kfreebsd-i386 mips mipsel powerpc ppc64 ppc64el s390x sparc
Components: main contrib non-free
Description: Kicksecure trixie stable APT Repository

:thinking: My thoughts: I am stuck with no fix!

7

I had the exact same problem today.

What ended up working is to re-start sys-whonix, and make sure Tor was running and connected. Once I did that, the update started working again (quite magically, I would say, so it may have been just a timing issue).

8

@XenQube

I updated dom0, whonix-gateway-18 and whonix-workstation-18 some minutes ago. Everything is up and running. No hiccups. If there are any outdated release files or signatures, QubesOS will prevent installation. It usually takes some time for additional updates of those files/sigs to propagate. Just be patient and don’t try to force things beyond your control.

9

Multiple users on multiple topics complained about roughly the same issue today, and it lasted for several hours. That’s why you might missed it, updating after everything setlled up. Luckily though :grin:

10

Are you in a timezone currently at UTC+2? Because if so, that’s how things are supposed to be. Your hardware clock (as shown e.g. in the BIOS) should be set to the time in UTC, not to your local time. The OS, i.e. dom0, is going to use the configured timezone to present you with your local time by adding an offset to the time it gets from your hardware clock.

It would be possible to configure dom0 to keep the hardware time at local time, but that is usually not necessary. People sometimes do it because they parallel boot Windows on the same machine, but even then it’s better to instead configure Windows to keep the hardware time in UTC. That avoids the multiple OSs conflicting with each other over who gets to apply timezone changes (especially daylight saving time).