Skipping acquire of configured file 'main/binary-i386/Packages' as repository 'xxx' doesn't support architecture 'i386'
I tracked down offending repo (any for Google chrome in this dir)
cd /etc/apt/sources.list.d
grep chrome * | grep -v amd64
or more generally
grep -r google /etc/apt | grep -v amd64
Now do same as below for each repo file which matches above
cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome-unstable.list
### THIS FILE IS AUTOMATICALLY CONFIGURED ###
# You may comment out this entry, but any other modifications may be lost.
deb http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
SOLUTION : limit to just 64 bit by introducing the [arch=amd64]
deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
ROOT CAUSE : Google dropped support for 32-bit Chrome on Linux triggering an error when updating apt in 64-bit systems (with multi arch enabled) ... details here : http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2016/03/fix-failed-to-fetch-google-chrome-apt-error-ubuntu
To confirm you are using 64 bit ubuntu with multiarch enabled issue
dpkg --print-foreign-architectures
if it says
i386
then you have added 32 bit support, this will list your native arch ... issue
dpkg --print-architecture
if you are native 64 you will see this output so do SOLUTION shown above
amd64
Here is the command to remove multi architecture ( only if you have no 32 bit applications )
sudo dpkg --remove-architecture i386
(this solution is for Ubuntu Bionic Beaver)
First, shame on Google for letting this issue linger so long!!
Here's how to fix it:
As already mentioned above, editing files in /etc/apt/sources.list.d seems to work... but only temporarily. The next day, the problem is back.
Here's why:
The file /etc/cron.daily/google-earth-pro runs daily and overwrites what you have in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-earth-pro.list.
To fix it once and for all, edit /etc/cron.daily/google-earth-pro.
Find this line:
REPOCONFIG="deb http://dl.google.com/linux/earth/deb/ stable main"
...and change it to:
REPOCONFIG="deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/earth/deb/ stable main"
Changing
deb http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
to
deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
in each of
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-musicmanager.list/etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-musicmanager.list.save/etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-musicmanager.list.distUpgrade
seems to fix the issue for Google Music Manager for Play Music too. Not sure if it will revert these changes at some point as the files are automatically configured.