Announcement

**SteveRiley** · Jun 12, 2013, 01:44 AM

Interesting idea in that post about using the history file to purge installed packages. However, package management at this level is a fairly advanced task. Unless you feel comfortable with occasional dpkg --force-things interventions -- and I almost guarantee that the need for this will arise, especially if you make a mistake -- I'd advise against following the procedure.

One of the primary sources of problems around here is poor package maintenance. Don't let yourself fall into that trap. Start over, be clean.

**kc1di** · Jun 12, 2013, 04:26 AM

Agree with Steve, move all your important files to a cd, second disc or the cloud and do a fresh install, removing the D.E.'s will also remove many dependencies that most likely will affect other D.E. as well. Good Luck

**PaulW2U** · Jun 12, 2013, 08:53 AM

Originally posted by wanakutia View Post

My main question is: Is it better to remove all desktops environments one by one using history log file as describe here: http://complete-concrete-concise.com...eprogram#howto,
or, move all my files to 2nd HDD and make fresh Kubuntu installation and put my files back to main HDD?

On several times I've used a logical approach to convert one flavour of the *buntu family to another and it's only worked once. I've usually ended up with something that won't boot up correctly and I've had to re-install anyway. So many hours wasted. I won't try again.

**Buddlespit** · Jun 30, 2013, 10:35 AM

What I've done in the past was to:

Code:

$ sudo aptitude remove --purge gnome?
$ sudo aptitude remove --purge unity?
$ sudo aptitude remove --purge ubuntu-desktop
$ sudo apt-get install --reinstall kubuntu-full (or kubuntu-desktop, if you prefer)

Probably not the best way to do things....

**SteveRiley** · Jun 30, 2013, 12:37 PM

Originally posted by Buddlespit View Post

Probably not the best way to do things....

Nope. Not everything gets removed this way. The Ubuntu Linux Resources ("Psychocats") site has some detailed instructions for switching DEs, but even these have sometimes allowed odd remnants to remain. It's best to reinstall from scratch when switching DEs.

**claydoh** · Jun 30, 2013, 01:05 PM

Originally posted by Buddlespit View Post

What I've done in the past was to:

Code:

$ sudo aptitude remove --purge gnome?
$ sudo aptitude remove --purge unity?
$ sudo aptitude remove --purge ubuntu-desktop
$ sudo apt-get install --reinstall kubuntu-full (or kubuntu-desktop, if you prefer)

Probably not the best way to do things....

I agree with Steve here, plus using aptitiude is a danger in this situation as it can be too "smart" in trying to resolve dependencies and create quite a mess.

**SteveRiley** · Jun 30, 2013, 06:29 PM

Originally posted by claydoh View Post

plus using aptitiude is a danger in this situation as it can be too "smart" in trying to resolve dependencies and create quite a mess.

While this once might have been true, I haven't seen any evidence lately that it still is. I've been using Aptitude more and more lately; the ncurses interface is amazingly efficient for a number of tasks. The solver in the newer Aptitude has yet to cause problems for me.

In fact, in my current configuration, it works better than apt-get. I have an APT preference file that prohibits installing GRUB or ELILO or LILO on my machine because I'm using rEFInd. Whenever a new kernel appears, apt-get tries to install a number of i386 (?) packages that are dependents of the prohibited packages. Aptitude does not. I'm flummoxed.

**Buddlespit** · Jul 01, 2013, 05:35 PM

While I was working on my third attempt to install my server and get a dnla server to work with all of the different appliances I have in my house, I stumbled across aptitude, wget and dpkg. Using those three commands are what got my server up and running properly. I have taken to using aptitude on my desktop and my laptop for most major projects now.

I've read that aptitude used to cause all kinds of havoc, but it seems to have been fixed or ported since 12.04 (also from what I had read).

**claydoh** · Jul 01, 2013, 05:53 PM

Oh it's not aptitude, it's a great tool. It is the huge number of packages involved in this particular situation. It just takes one error in one package. Throw in any random ppa packages....

Anyway, the ultimate point still is that it is probably simpler, easier, and quicker to go clean than to try surgery..

**wanakutia** · Jul 01, 2013, 07:44 PM

Anyway, the ultimate point still is that it is probably simpler, easier, and quicker to go clean than to try surgery..

... And that's what I did. I managed to move all my files to another disk and make a clean installation of Kubuntu 13.04!!!!

I have to admit, that It's looking slightly different now and I like it. System now is much faster and problems, with appropriate time according to time zone in all app; plasma-desktop crushes or not working short cuts, are gone now.

Thanks a lot, there are interesting methods and ideas mentioned here, thinks to look into in the future - maybe with different purpose or situation (or with simply more skills).

I don't mark this threat as SOLVED for time being, so if anybody wanted to dig deeper into aptitude or have better idea to solve the issue, I'm more than happy to continue conversation.

Cheers

**SteveRiley** · Jul 03, 2013, 01:05 AM

I love this

**Buddlespit** · Jul 04, 2013, 05:42 AM

I'm, apparently, unable to attach the picture to this post.
Huh.... let's add insult to injury... I can't find it on my computer to upload to mediafire...

**SteveRiley** · Jul 05, 2013, 04:57 PM

That's ok...Google image search found several

Announcement

Too many desktop environments on Kubuntu 13.04 - remove or reinstall OS?

Too many desktop environments on Kubuntu 13.04 - remove or reinstall OS?

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment