How do I update while maintaining a minimal desktop?

[Dave Rove]

When I installed Kubuntu 18.04, I selected the "minimal desktop" install option, which for example, doesn't install Akonadi or any of the packages that depend on it.

sudo do-release-upgrade updates to 18.10's full desktop with akonadi, games and stuff that I don't want. I've restored 18.04 from backup.

do-release-upgrade --help shows that there's an "-m" flag with options "desktop" and "server" but no "minimal".

Also, what is the effect of -f DistUpgradeViewKDE which is mentioned in some help guides for updating Kubuntu? I didn't use it when I made the update attempt, but it had no problem in updating the KDE desktop, albeit to the full-fat desktop.

How do I maintain the "minimal" desktop option? Any ideas, please?

[claydoh]

Desktop and Server have nothing to do with Plasma, but the type of system.

You will still be at a minimal install if that's what you started with. It will only upgrade the components you have installed. You will see it install some new things that are dependencies, but it will also remove some old bits that are no longer used.

Sent from my LG-H931 using Tapatalk

[v7peer]

Desktop and Server have nothing to do with Plasma, but the type of system.

You will still be at a minimal install if that's what you started with. It will only upgrade the components you have installed. You will see it install some new things that are dependencies, but it will also remove some old bits that are no longer used.

Sent from my LG-H931 using Tapatalk

Unfortunately this is not true. I noticed that the 18.10 update installed extra software. I had to remove some games, kmail, ktorrent konversation and some other components.

[chimak111]

A user on Ubuntu Mate reports something similar: packages not in the minimal option are found after upgrading to 18.10: https://askubuntu.com/a/1085203

So is it that these upgrades rely on the respective metapackage? In the case of Kubuntu, it maybe "kubuntu-desktop".

[Dave Rove]

So is it that these upgrades rely on the respective metapackage? In the case of Kubuntu, it maybe "kubuntu-desktop".

They're not dependencies of kubuntu-desktop but they are "recommends". So maybe that's what's happening? The recommended packages of kubuntu-desktop are being installed?

Anyway, following your suggestion on Reddit, I've simply removed stuff.

Before upgrading, I found that no installed package contained the substring "akonadi" or "game". So after the upgrade, I just ran sudo apt purge *akonadi* *game* which removed 74 packages (171MB) then sudo apt autoremove removed a further 51 packages (111MB). That did seem to work fine, removing nearly all the extraneous packages and not breaking anything that I could find.

Before the upgrade, I had 8.7GB used space, after the upgrade it was 9.6GB, then after purging packages it was 9.0GB. Good enough.

Edit: BTW, answering my other question in the original post, the -f DistUpgradeViewKDE option creates a popup that presents the upgrade as progress bars for each stage.

[claydoh]

Unfortunately this is not true. I noticed that the 18.10 update installed extra software. I had to remove some games, kmail, ktorrent konversation and some other components.

I don't know. My system is Minimal and I did not get any unexpected packages wheni upgraded. I checked the list of installs removals etc and did not note any extra items I was not expecting. I'd check but I'm away from gone atm

Sent from my LG-H931 using Tapatalk

[v7peer]

I performed a minimal install on 18.04 and I got extra packages when I upgraded to 18.10. Perhaps this is triggered by some software that I installed on the minimal system.

[Dave Rove]

It is indeed the "kubuntu-desktop" package that's the issue. I've re-tested the upgrade. It was not present on my system before the upgrade, but it was present after. The post-upgrade fix is simply to remove that package, then sudo apt autoremove goes like a forest fire though all the unwanted packages leaving you with the minimal desktop plus all your manually installed packages.

[Dave Rove]

I've dug into this a bit. do-release-upgrade is a python script that calls python modules in the directory /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/DistUpgrade

The module DistUpgradeCache.py has at line 868:
# now check for ubuntu-desktop, kubuntu-desktop, edubuntu-desktop

Then a bit further on at line 889:
# check if we have a meta-pkg, if not, try to guess which one to pick

The python code that follows that line (if I'm reading it correctly) then looks to see if any of the key dependencies of the various desktop metapackages are installed, and if so, picks that metapackage. If it doesn't find a suitable desktop metapackage by this method it errors-out.

So, I guess that the people that made the Kubuntu installer haven't been talking to the people that made the Ubuntu upgrade tool because it seems that the Kubuntu "minimal install" doesn't have its own desktop metapackge that can be recognized by the upgrade tool.

[chimak111]

I suspect this issue will affect other *buntus as well! You should consider filing a bug. It would be helpful if the devs look at this issue.

[Dave Rove]

I suspect this issue will affect other *buntus as well! You should consider filing a bug. It would be helpful if the devs look at this issue.

Which devs, though? Do the KDE devs define the "minimal desktop"? I believe that option is available on other distros. Do the Kubuntu developers have anything to do with that part of the installation, or is that part something upstream for them? Would the Ubuntu developers of the upgrade tool be interested in something that KDE haven't sorted out, as they might see it?

[sithlord48]

KDE does not release a full or minimal desktop package. KDE does release all its various parts as source releases then the distros package them and decide what the "desktop" will consist of (in terms of included packages)

[chimak111]

Which devs, though? Do the KDE devs define the "minimal desktop"? I believe that option is available on other distros. Do the Kubuntu developers have anything to do with that part of the installation, or is that part something upstream for them? Would the Ubuntu developers of the upgrade tool be interested in something that KDE haven't sorted out, as they might see it?

My limited experience with filing bugs is that you do your best and the triagers will move it to the right place.

BTW, I just upgraded Ubuntu Mate 18.04 (minimal install option) to 18.10 and it stayed minimal.

[chimak111]

Desktop and Server have nothing to do with Plasma, but the type of system.

You will still be at a minimal install if that's what you started with. It will only upgrade the components you have installed. You will see it install some new things that are dependencies, but it will also remove some old bits that are no longer used.

Sent from my LG-H931 using Tapatalk

I don't know. My system is Minimal and I did not get any unexpected packages wheni upgraded. I checked the list of installs removals etc and did not note any extra items I was not expecting. I'd check but I'm away from gone atm

Sent from my LG-H931 using Tapatalk

Here's my experience.

• I downloaded the Kubuntu 18.04.1 iso
• installed it using the minimal option in a VM
• ran sudo apt update and sudo apt full-upgrade
• removed a bunch of fonts I don't need and installed nothing else.
• changed software sources to notify of normal releases
• ran sudo do-release-upgrade

Here are bits of the output before I cancelled the process:

Reading state information... Done

Calculating the changes

Do you want to start the upgrade? 

14 installed packages are no longer supported by Canonical. You can 
still get support from the community. 

4 packages are going to be removed. 335 new packages are going to be 
installed. 1287 packages are going to be upgraded. 

You have to download a total of 1,102 M. This download will take 
about 2 hours 20 minutes with a 1Mbit DSL connection and about 1 day 
18 hours with a 56k modem. 

Fetching and installing the upgrade can take several hours. Once the 
download has finished, the process cannot be canceled. 

Continue [yN]  Details [d]d

At this point, I pressed "d" and saw, in part:

No longer supported: libargon2-0 libart-2.0-2 libaudio2 
libboost-date-time1.65.1 libboost-filesystem1.65.1 
libboost-iostreams1.65.1 libboost-locale1.65.1 
libboost-system1.65.1 libboost-thread1.65.1 
libfile-copy-recursive-perl libllvm6.0 libncurses5 libqgpgme7 
libsdl1.2debian

and

Remove: fwupdate-signed libdns1100 pulseaudio-module-gconf 
software-properties-kde

and

Install: accountwizard akonadi-backend-mysql akonadi-server akregator 
bolt cantata cpp-8 cryptsetup-initramfs cryptsetup-run 
dbus-user-session encfs fonts-beng fonts-beng-extra fonts-deva 
fonts-deva-extra fonts-gargi fonts-gubbi fonts-gujr 
fonts-gujr-extra fonts-guru fonts-guru-extra fonts-indic 
fonts-kacst fonts-kacst-one fonts-kalapi fonts-khmeros-core 
fonts-knda fonts-lao fonts-lklug-sinhala fonts-lohit-beng-assamese 
fonts-lohit-beng-bengali fonts-lohit-deva fonts-lohit-gujr 
fonts-lohit-guru fonts-lohit-knda fonts-lohit-mlym fonts-lohit-orya 
fonts-lohit-taml fonts-lohit-taml-classical fonts-lohit-telu 
fonts-mlym fonts-nakula fonts-navilu fonts-noto-cjk 
fonts-noto-color-emoji fonts-orya fonts-orya-extra fonts-pagul 
fonts-sahadeva fonts-samyak-deva fonts-samyak-gujr 
fonts-samyak-mlym fonts-samyak-taml fonts-sarai 
fonts-sil-abyssinica fonts-sil-padauk fonts-smc 
fonts-smc-anjalioldlipi fonts-smc-chilanka fonts-smc-dyuthi 
fonts-smc-karumbi fonts-smc-keraleeyam fonts-smc-manjari 
fonts-smc-meera fonts-smc-rachana fonts-smc-raghumalayalamsans 
fonts-smc-suruma fonts-smc-uroob fonts-taml fonts-telu 
fonts-telu-extra fonts-thai-tlwg fonts-tibetan-machine 
fonts-tlwg-garuda fonts-tlwg-garuda-ttf fonts-tlwg-kinnari 
fonts-tlwg-kinnari-ttf fonts-tlwg-laksaman fonts-tlwg-laksaman-ttf 
fonts-tlwg-loma fonts-tlwg-loma-ttf fonts-tlwg-mono 
fonts-tlwg-mono-ttf fonts-tlwg-norasi fonts-tlwg-norasi-ttf 
fonts-tlwg-purisa fonts-tlwg-purisa-ttf fonts-tlwg-sawasdee 
fonts-tlwg-sawasdee-ttf fonts-tlwg-typewriter 
fonts-tlwg-typewriter-ttf fonts-tlwg-typist fonts-tlwg-typist-ttf 
fonts-tlwg-typo fonts-tlwg-typo-ttf fonts-tlwg-umpush 
fonts-tlwg-umpush-ttf fonts-tlwg-waree fonts-tlwg-waree-ttf 
fwupd-signed haveged kaddressbook kde-config-mailtransport 
kde-style-qtcurve-qt4 kde-style-qtcurve-qt5 kdegames-card-data-kf5 
kdegames-mahjongg-data-kf5 kdepim-addons kdepim-runtime 
kdepim-themeeditors keditbookmarks kf5-kdepim-apps-libs-data 
kf5-messagelib-data kio-ldap kio-sieve kleopatra kmahjongg kmail 
kmines knotes kontact konversation konversation-data korganizer 
kpat krdc ksudoku ktnef ktorrent ktorrent-data kubuntu-desktop 
libaom0 libargon2-1 libavcodec58 libavfilter7 libavformat58 
libavutil56 libboost-date-time1.67.0 libboost-filesystem1.67.0 
libboost-iostreams1.67.0 libboost-locale1.67.0 
libboost-system1.67.0 libboost-thread1.67.0 libcdio18 
libcodec2-0.8.1 libdns-export1102 libdns1102 libgit2-27 
libgutenprint-common libgutenprint9 libhavege1 libhttp-parser2.8 
libilmbase23 libio-stringy-perl libipt2 libiso9660-11 
libkdecorations2private6 libkf5akonadiagentbase5 
libkf5akonadicalendar-data libkf5akonadicalendar5abi2 
libkf5akonadicontact-data libkf5akonadicontact5abi1 
libkf5akonadicore-bin libkf5akonadicore5abi1 libkf5akonadimime-data 
libkf5akonadimime5 libkf5akonadinotes-data libkf5akonadinotes5 
libkf5akonadiprivate5abi1 libkf5akonadisearch-bin 
libkf5akonadisearch-data libkf5akonadisearch-plugins 
libkf5akonadisearchcore5 libkf5akonadisearchdebug5 
libkf5akonadisearchpim5 libkf5akonadisearchxapian5 
libkf5akonadiwidgets5abi1 libkf5alarmcalendar-data 
libkf5alarmcalendar5abi1 libkf5calendarcore5abi1 
libkf5calendarsupport-data libkf5calendarsupport5abi1 
libkf5calendarutils-bin libkf5calendarutils-data 
libkf5calendarutils5abi1 libkf5contacteditor-data 
libkf5contacteditor5 libkf5contacts-data libkf5contacts5 
libkf5eventviews-data libkf5eventviews5 libkf5followupreminder5 
libkf5grantleetheme-data libkf5grantleetheme-plugins 
libkf5grantleetheme5 libkf5gravatar-data libkf5gravatar5 
libkf5identitymanagement-data libkf5identitymanagement5abi1 
libkf5imap-data libkf5imap5 libkf5incidenceeditor-bin 
libkf5incidenceeditor-data libkf5incidenceeditor5abi2 
libkf5kaddressbookgrantlee5 libkf5kaddressbookimportexport5 
libkf5kdegames-data libkf5kdegames7 libkf5kdegamesprivate1 
libkf5kdepimdbusinterfaces5 libkf5kmahjongglib-data 
libkf5kmahjongglib5 libkf5kmanagesieve5 libkf5kontactinterface-data 
libkf5kontactinterface5 libkf5ksieve-data libkf5ksieve5 
libkf5ksieveui5 libkf5ldap-data libkf5ldap5 libkf5libkdepim-data 
libkf5libkdepim-plugins libkf5libkdepim5abi2 
libkf5libkdepimakonadi5 libkf5libkleo5abi1 libkf5mailcommon-plugins 
libkf5mailcommon5abi4 libkf5mailimporter-data 
libkf5mailimporter5abi1 libkf5mailimporterakonadi5 
libkf5mailtransport-data libkf5mailtransport5abi2 
libkf5mailtransportakonadi5 libkf5mbox5 libkf5messagecomposer5abi2 
libkf5messagecore5abi2 libkf5messagelist5abi1 
libkf5messageviewer-plugins libkf5messageviewer5abi5 
libkf5mimetreeparser5abi3 libkf5pimcommon-plugins 
libkf5pimcommon5abi3 libkf5pimcommonakonadi5 libkf5pimtextedit-data 
libkf5pimtextedit5abi3 libkf5sendlater5 libkf5syndication5 
libkf5templateparser5abi2 libkf5texteditor-bin libkf5tnef-data 
libkf5tnef5 libkf5webengineviewer5abi3 libkpimgapicalendar5 
libkpimgapicontacts5 libkpimgapitasks5 libkpimimportwizard5 
libkpimkdav-data libkpimkdav5 liblilv-0-0 liblivemedia64 libllvm7 
liblouis16 libmagickcore-6.q16-6 libmagickcore-6.q16-6-extra 
libmagickwand-6.q16-6 libmbedcrypto1 libmbedtls10 libmbedx509-0 
libncurses6 libncursesw6 libokular5core9 libopencv-core3.2 
libopencv-imgproc3.2 libopenexr23 libplacebo5 libpoppler79 
libpostproc55 libprocps7 libpython2-stdlib 
libqt5multimediagsttools5 libqt5multimediaquick5 libqtcurve-utils2 
libreoffice-avmedia-backend-gstreamer libreoffice-base 
libreoffice-base-core libreoffice-base-drivers libreoffice-calc 
libreoffice-common libreoffice-core libreoffice-draw 
libreoffice-impress libreoffice-java-common libreoffice-kde5 
libreoffice-math libreoffice-sdbc-hsqldb libreoffice-style-breeze 
libreoffice-style-colibre libreoffice-style-oxygen 
libreoffice-style-tango libreoffice-writer libserd-0-0 
libsnapd-glib1 libsnapd-qt1 libsndio7.0 libsord-0-0 
libspatialaudio0 libsratom-0-0 libswresample3 libswscale5 libtbb2 
libtinfo6 libtinyxml2-6a libwayland-egl1 libx265-160 
linux-headers-4.18.0-11 linux-headers-4.18.0-11-generic 
linux-image-4.18.0-11-generic linux-modules-4.18.0-11-generic 
linux-modules-extra-4.18.0-11-generic mbox-importer mpd 
mysql-client-core-5.7 mysql-server-core-5.7 pim-data-exporter 
pim-sieve-editor plasma-browser-integration 
plasma-discover-snap-backend python2 python2-minimal 
python3-netifaces python3-uno ruby-xmlrpc software-properties-qt 
uno-libs3 ure

The code block immediately above includes the fonts I got rid off but also packages that other users have complained leading to essentially a "full install".

[claydoh]

Ok, getting back from vacation/wedding/honeymoon, I fiunally remembered this problem

Mine did get the Akonadi/etc installed when I upgraded from 18.04 to 18.10. I will have to dig into the logs, but I do recall only seeing the expected *new* packages to be installed (the list was very small) , as I always look art these things.

It is worth a bug report on Launchpad, if I get time (and remember to do it , lol!)