[ solved] Unable to install KDE4

dpeirce · posted: 2009-09-14 01:51

I'm running Antix M8.2 in Virtualbox 2.2.4 in an Antix M8.2 host. Weirdly, I'm unable to install KDE4. However, searching, I see lots of people who installed KDE4 with no problem.

I tried the meta-installer - KDE4 but a console window opens and first it wants a code; I can't find anything about a code anywhere. I tried my user and root passwords but that didn't satisfy the console.

In Synaptic I clicked the kdebase package for KDE 4.2.2-1. I get a dialog box which tells me that it wants dolphin but it isn't going to be installed. Same with kappfinder, kdebase-bin, and a number of other KDE basic packages. Kdebase then unmarks itself.

I have these repos enabled in /etc/apt/sources.list:

Code: Select all

deb ftp://ftp.mepis.com/mepis/ mepis-8.0 main
deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/ testing main contrib non-free
deb http://security.debian.org/ testing/updates main contrib non-free
deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org/ testing main
deb http://main.mepis-deb.org/mepiscr/repo/ mepis8cr main non-free
deb http://restricted.mepis-deb.org/mepiscr/repo/ mepis8cr restricted restricted-non-free
deb http://main.mepis-deb.org/mepiscr/test/repo/ mepis8cr test
deb http://restricte4d.mepis-deb.org/mepiscr/ test-restricted
deb http;//deb.opera.com/opera/ stable non-free
deb http://deb.opera.com/opera-beta/ stable non-free

I tried also enabling the corresponding 'stable' repos, but it made no difference, so I disabled them again.

I feel like I'm probably missing something obvious, but can't figure it out. Help would be appreciated.

In faith, Dave
Viva Texas

anticapitalista · posted: 2009-09-14 09:04

Try in a terminal

apt-get update
apt-get install kde-minimal (or if you prefer more kde apps apt-get install kde-full)

dpeirce · posted: 2009-09-14 17:30

No, apt-get gave me basically the same results, except a better explanation __{{emoticon}}__ . It suggests that there are broken packages and unmet dependencies, or that I'm using unstable and the needed packages haven't been put in the repository. I'm assuming 'unstable' refers to Sid, but I'm using testing.

I wonder if this is something on my end or are the repositories incomplete for some reason? I had installed Antix M8.2 earlier, and was using the testing repos when it finally broke on a wicd problem ( I found how to fix that but will post it separately ). When I reinstalled, I noticed when I checked the repositories in synaptic that it was already using a mixture of stable and testing but no Lenny, and that my Opera repos were already entered but not enabled. That's different from what I remember when I installed earlier. I reinstalled in the same Virtualbox VM that I used before, but I thought it reformatted that virtual drive. I didn't ask it to save files/configs.

I just tried using the meta-installer to get LXDE, but it also has unmet dependencies - and it wanted a 'code', what the heck is that 'code'??? :^).

At this point, unless you have another suggestion, I think I will reinstall from the ISO and pay attention this time to the repositories BEFORE I do the update.

In faith, Dave
Viva Texas

posted: 2009-09-14 18:59

The problem may simply be some changes in kde entering Testing and it isn't complete yet.
For the meta-installer, the 'code' bit should be after everything has been installed. Just ignore and press enter

dpeirce · posted: 2009-09-14 20:59

OK, I feel like this might be weird. I just installed KDE 4 (kde-full) in DreamLinux 3.5 on Virtualbox using the same us.debian testing repos. It installed fine, with no busted packages. I went back to Antix M8.2 and reloaded the us.debian repos and tried again to download kde-full -- and got the same list of busted packages and kde-full unmarked itself.

????? (And thanks for the explanation on the 'code' for meta-installer).

In faith, Dave
Viva Texas

anticapitalista · posted: 2009-09-14 21:23

Maybe you need the Debian stable repo as well.

I just managed to install kde via meta-installer in antiX-base.
This is the sources.list.

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# See sources.list(5) for more information

# Note:If you want maximum stability, only use the stable repos.
# If you want to install kde3.5, you MUST only use the stable repos.

# Mepis8
deb ftp://ftp.mepis.com/mepis/ mepis-8.0 main 

# Debian
deb http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian/ stable main contrib non-free 
deb http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian/ testing main contrib non-free
deb http://security.debian.org/ testing/updates main contrib non-free 
#deb-src http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian/ stable main contrib non-free 
 
# mplayer
deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org stable main
deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing main

# Mepis Community Main, Restricted, and Test Repos
#deb http://main.mepis-deb.org/mepiscr/repo/ mepis8cr main non-free
#deb http://restricted.mepis-deb.org/mepiscr/repo/ mepis8cr restricted restricted-non-free
#deb http://main.mepis-deb.org/mepiscr/testrepo/ mepis8cr test
#deb http://restricted.mepis-deb.org/mepiscr/testrepo/ mepis8cr test-restricted 

# opera
#deb http://deb.opera.com/opera/ lenny non-free

# virtualbox
#deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian lenny non-free

# liquorix kernels
#deb http://liquorix.net/debian/ sid main

###### Debian Unstable/Sid/sidux ##########
###### Use at your own risk! ########
#deb http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian/ unstable main contrib non-free
#deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org unstable main
#deb http://sidux.com/debian/ sid main contrib non-free firmware fix.main fix.contrib fix.non-free

anticapitalista · posted: 2009-09-14 21:29

Ok, I think I have found the solution.
Temporarily #the Mepis repos (including the community ones) and then use the meta-installer.

Alternatively
aptitude install kde-full

and accept the first option.

dpeirce · posted: 2009-09-15 00:49

Big grins in Texas!!! KDE4.3.1 installed and has booted into a beautiful bubbly desktop. Not IceWM!!! ( Gotta get rid of those bubbles!! :^> ).

So, the Mepis repos conflicted with the Debian testing repos? I commented out all the Mepis repos including the Mepis-8.0 main. Should I leave them all commented? I had enabled all the repositories from Mepis together with the Testing repos and the Opera repos in order to have a wide selection of packages, but just the debian testing, and the multimedia testing, and the two Opera repos seem to give me plenty of choice.

Does anything bad happen if I don't enable the Mepis-8.0 main repo?

But, thanks!!

In faith, Dave
Viva Texas

Linux; a re-Gnu-able resource.

anticapitalista · posted: 2009-09-15 11:06

Now you have kde4 installed, re-enabling the Mepis repos should be ok.

dpeirce · posted: 2009-09-15 19:29

Thanks for your help! I hope it does KDE4 updates OK :^). But now I know that, when it gives me those"but it won't be installed" errors, I should try disabling everything but the repo where that thing is. Thanks.

In faith, Dave
Viva Texas

Linux: Where do you want to go... Oh, we're already there!