corrupted sources.list

[Sam Rosenfeld <sam1@speakeasy.net>]

My version of debian 3.1 was downloaded via the net, and the original
files, which contained the info for the sources.list file, have been lost.
When I try to install package pkg with "apt-get install pkg" I get the
following message:

W: Couldn't stat source package list http://security.debian.org
stable/updates/contrib Packages
(/var/lib/apt/lists/security.debian.org_dists_stable_updates_contrib_binary-i386_Packages)
- stat (2 No such file or directory)

W: Couldn't stat source package list http://security.debian.org
stable/updates/non-free Packages
(/var/lib/apt/lists/security.debian.org_dists_stable_updates_non-free_binary-i386_Packages)
- stat (2 No such file or directory)

W: You may want to run apt-get update to correct these problems
E: Package pkg has no installation candidate

I have tried this with "pkg" substituted by well-known Debian packages.


In addition, I have a strange (to me) problem with my "man" bin file; it
doesn't get and display the contents of manpages (though they exist in my
/usr/share/man/man1-8/ folders).  Is it possible that this man problem is
related to the sources.list problem?

Will appreciate any clear doc (or explanation) dealing with either or both
of the above problem(s).

Sam