# Repositories

<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have the </span>[USB flash drive we created to install Debian](https://hub.subspace.services/books/software/page/traditional-computer "Traditional Computer")<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> plugged into the USB port, Debian may default to installing software from this local repository. </span>

<p class="callout info">A "[repository](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_repository)<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">" is the location that your software manager searches for available software. </span></p>

<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Using the repository on your USB flash drive as the default may cause errors when trying to install software that is not locally available. </span>

<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In order to disable it, we need to open the </span>[Synaptic Package Manager](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaptic_(software))<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. This program is a visual interface for installing software and managing repositories that is available by default on Debian. </span>

When we open it from the Start Menu in the bottom right and navigate to "Administration", and then the program "Synaptic Package Manager".

[![Screenshot from 2025-04-14 22-17-39.png](https://hub.subspace.services/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/scaled-1680-/screenshot-from-2025-04-14-22-17-39.png)](https://hub.subspace.services/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/screenshot-from-2025-04-14-22-17-39.png)

<p class="callout warning"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">You will need to enter your account password. </span></p>

<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Opening this program will ask us to end the password for the root user account that we created during the </span>[Debian installation process](https://hub.subspace.services/books/software/chapter/installing-an-operating-system "Installing an Operating System").

[![image.png](https://hub.subspace.services/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/scaled-1680-/aXKimage.png)](https://hub.subspace.services/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/aXKimage.png)

After we enter the password and open the program, we will be prompted with a help prompt that we can close. Now, we are presented the Synaptic Package Manager that is used to install software.

[![image.png](https://hub.subspace.services/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/scaled-1680-/YeEimage.png)](https://hub.subspace.services/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/YeEimage.png)

We are using Synaptic to change the Repositories used by this computer. Under the "Settings" menu, select "Repositories". This will open the "Software &amp; Updates" window. We need to go to the "Other Software" tab and deselect the "**cdrom:**" entry.

[![image.png](https://hub.subspace.services/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/scaled-1680-/4Msimage.png)](https://hub.subspace.services/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/4Msimage.png)

Once the option is deselected, it will prompt you to reload repository information so it knows what programs are available for download.

[![image.png](https://hub.subspace.services/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/scaled-1680-/9NKimage.png)](https://hub.subspace.services/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/9NKimage.png)

Once you do that, the system may request to update your repository because it is out of date. This will ensure that you are installing the most up-to-date software.