PCLOS lost synaptic, config computer, openoffice, and others during update ?

k.king · 10-20-2009, 08:42 AM

PCLOS 2009.1 ran update thru synaptic gui this morning via reload and mark updates and apply.
But when it finished something (very to me) unexpected happened.
I lost Synaptic, Configure Computer, Open Office, and a load of DVD related applications.
I tried running cli
apt-get update
it fetches info but basically says nothing to apply

I tried
apt-get install

Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 removed and 4 not upgraded.

then I tried
apt-get upgrade

Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
The following packages have been kept back
gtk+2.0 libgdk_pixbuf2.0_0 libgdk_pixbuf2.0_0-devel libgtk+-x11-2.0_0
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 removed and 4 not upgraded.

I did try manually
apt-get install synaptic

but as soon as I run it via GUI and reload mark updates the only thing it says it will do is remove synaptic

I just tried pointing at some different repo's was getting same on a few
but on
distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/texstar/pclinuxos/apt/
it looks like it pulled down the "kept back" packages.

GetOpenOffice still fails though, and not sure how to get back "configure computer"

any suggestions ?

Kenhelm · 10-21-2009, 11:02 PM

Almost the same thing happened to me last night when trying to update PCLinuxOS 2009.2, except I didn't lose Open Office.
I got 'Configure Computer' back with
apt-get install drakconf

But when 'Configure Computer' was started in a terminal with the command 'drakconf' it complained that some of its components were "not executable".
So I had to 'apt-get install' the following missing packages too
printerdrake
drakmenustyle
draksnapshot
drakvirt
drakguard

knudfl · 10-23-2009, 12:27 AM

PCLinuxOS 2009 is inconsistent for the moment, and has
been so for some weeks.
In fact it has turned into a "new OS" with the change of
glibc from version 2.4 to version 2.10.1 .

Like many times before, it is a good idea only to upgrade
the few things required for security reasons.
And wait some months until it is consistent again.

Suggest : Have an extra copy installed on a spare partition
or a spare computer, to test the packages, you think should
be updated.
.....

knudfl · 10-23-2009, 04:48 AM

I made a new install this morning , PCLinuxOS 2009.2,
to test a new old Pentium 4 computer.
And upgraded glibc from 2.4 to 2.10.1

Now I made a sequential "upgrade" of 'synaptic'
to find out, if it is possible to loose it :
ldd /usr/bin/synaptic
libglib-2.0.so.0 => /usr/lib/libglib-2.0.so.0
libc.so.6 => /lib/i686/libc.so.6
/lib/ld-linux.so.2
... Not at all complicated, so ...
1) # apt-get install synaptic
2) Test synaptic → OK
3) # apt-get install libglib2
4) Test synaptic → OK
5) # apt-get install binutils
6) Test synaptic → OK
... which shows that at least the used mirror is up to date.
> > http://spout.ussg.indiana.edu pclinuxos/2007/main
... please add this to the top of your /etc/apt/sources.list :

Code:

rpm http://spout.ussg.indiana.edu/linux/pclinuxos/pclinuxos/apt/ pclinuxos/2007 main extra nonfree kde gnome

.....
And good luck !
.....
.....
EDIT : Some applications / libraries can still only be installed
if you remove other quite common and necessary applications
/ libraries.
.....

k.king · 10-23-2009, 07:49 AM

I managed to restore my "configure computer" by using synaptic to install "drakconf"
Only seem to have "GetOpenOffice" and no "OpenOffice" in synaptic.
trying to run GetOpenOffice (once installed) fails suggesting possible internet failure.

Would some separation in repositaries be possible ?
Have one for experimental bleeding edge types with spare pc's
and
make as default a "stable" one with necessary security updates and "safe" feature updates ?

maybe somehow have a completely separate methodology for advising new release/version is available would you like to upgrade now ?
and
if the above option is taken maybe (provided space is available) build some sort of fallback option on boot to previous version ?

Kenhelm · 10-23-2009, 09:05 PM

On my PCLinuxOS2009.2 'GetOpenOffice' is a bash script:
/usr/bin/getopenoffice

It tests the internet connection by trying to download the Google search page with:
wget http://www.google.com/index.html

If this fails the script gives the message:
"No Internet connection found.

Exiting..."

Try checking if 'wget' is installed and working by entering into a terminal:
wget http://www.google.com/index.html -O /dev/null

k.king · 10-24-2009, 06:42 AM

<<
Try checking if 'wget' is installed and working by entering into a terminal:
wget http://www.google.com/index.html -O /dev/null
>>
That seems to work okay

looking at the script the only other things I noticed was

if [ -r /usr/bin/zenity ]; then

there is a zenity in /usr/bin but tbh I do not understand what the -r means.

If I got a 2009.2 iso and ran install should that "upgrade" and reset things ok ?

Kenhelm · 10-24-2009, 09:50 PM

if [ -r /usr/bin/zenity ]; then ......
tests if the file exists and is readable.

In synaptic -> File -> History -> October 2009 -> 21/10/09
there's a list of the removed packages, in my case there were about 130 including synaptic, Firefox, harddrake, ImageMagick, Xdialog, gimp, kdeaddons, kmplayer, update-notifier, xsane and many libraries
I reinstalled every package on the list which could be installed and now my system seems to be back to normal.

In synaptic -> Settings -> Repositories
I found that the last mirror on my repository list is for Open Office.
ftp://ftp.nl.freebsd.org/pub/os/Linux/distr/texstar/openoffice/apt/
(You have to move the horizontal scroll bar to the right to see 'openoffice' in the 'Section(s)' column)
I enabled it, then used the 'Reload' button, and the Open Office packages became available in synaptic.
There's a different package for each locale e.g.
task-openoffice3-en-GB
task-openoffice3-en-US

The information section for them says
"Open Office 3.1 Meta Package
This package will install everything you need for Open Office 3.1"

But as I didn't lose Open Office I haven't tried going any further with this method.

knudfl · 10-25-2009, 10:34 AM

.. Some more comments ..
PCLinuxOS 2009.2 isn't much different, 1124 packages are 'pclos2007..'
and 351 are 'pclos2009..' No pclos2010 packages, like in the repo's.
( In 2009.0 : all 1416 ~ are '..2007..')

The package selection is different, 2009.2 has no 'OpenOffice'.

About the repo's : Things are more consistent today than 2 days ago.

I still see no reason for updating everything, but if you want
to try , it will probably work best on a clean install.
.....

k.king · 10-25-2009, 10:37 AM

yes my history showed it removed 136 packages, upgraded 9, and installed 16
will have to find time to go thru the list.

ftp://ftp.nl.freebsd.org/pub/os/Linu...penoffice/apt/
did not appear in my list, so I tried to add,
I guessed distrib was pclinuxos/2007 same as all the others
and put only openoffice in the sections field.
on reloading it complained it could not connect/fetch it...

Kenhelm · 10-25-2009, 02:17 PM

I automated the installation of my 130 removed packages with a script.

Code:

#!/bin/bash
packages=/home/USER/packagelist
logfile=/home/USER/apt-get.log
apt-get --simulate install $(cat $packages) | tee -a $logfile

I pasted the list of removed packages from the synaptic history into a text file '$packages' with one package per line.
Then used 'su -' to become root in a terminal and kept running the apt-get simulation.
Three packages which gave the message "E: Couldn't find package" had to be removed from the list.
One package needed to be given a later version number.
Once the simulation worked without error, removing '--simulate' installed the packages.
The apt-get output to the terminal window is also appended to the log file.

k.king · 10-26-2009, 06:52 AM

Kenhelm
thanks for the script and instructions, that worked pretty well in the main.

the only package that I know of that I want and can not get back is pdftk
if I try to install it complains

pdftk:
Depends: libgcj.so.7 but it is not installable

I've tried uninstalling libgcj and reinstalling libgcj 7 by itself or as dependency for pdftk but always hit same error.

another oddity is
libusb
bash: libusb: command not found

tho synaptic reports it as installed and I've run scanadf (I think using libusb?)

knudfl
when you say "it will probably work best on a clean install."
do you mean getting a 2009.2 iso and running over the top of existing
(incidently I tried to find yesterday but could only find a page linke to youtube clips?)
or
wiping drive and starting all again
or
is there some reporsitary I need to add to synaptic to upgrade ?

if I run synaptic currently it tells me no updates.

How are you supposed to get openoffice in 2009.2 ?
I've downloaded install from openoffice.org and run script, it installs and I can launch if I navigate to the /opt/ folder it installed into. But there is no menu items and some warnings. I did a quick google and stock answer is do not install from the oo .org but use the package from your distib. As you pointed out there is no oo in 2009.? and the getopenoffice fails on mine claiming no internet.

Kenhelm · 10-27-2009, 03:44 AM

Other PCLinuxOS users have been having similar problems with pdftk.
http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index...6447#msg516447

knudfl · 10-27-2009, 11:12 AM

Well, as said before, the repo's are not as inconsistent
today as four days ago.

So you may avoid a clean install : which is installing
into your current partition ( everything disappers )
.. or to a spare partition. ( I have 44 partitions.)

Are you sure, you really upgraded / updated ? ?
Example, glibc : My synaptic says ...
" Installed version 2.4 .. Latest version 2.10.1 "
( See photo )
If yours is different it's time to hit the 'Reload'
button .. or do # 'apt-get update' .

OpenOfficeOrg : see photo .. and only 'iptables-devel'
is removed, if I ask for upgrading of ' glibc '.
.....
.....
libusb is not a command, is a shared library.
Commands are mainly in these path's : echo $PATH
And please do : 'rpm -ql libusb0.1_4' to see all files.
.....
.....
'pdftk' : You will just have to wait, I guess.
Something is wrong with pdftk-1.41-2pclos2007.src.rpm,
used for building the package. And the dependencies may
trash 'rpm' and 'synaptic' install functions + the X-server :
.. I had to reinstall 2009.1 ( 2009.0 ? ).
2009.2 : Installer problems.
.. First time in seven years, I have trashed an OS.
.. And no luck with a reinstall of the suspect = libgcc1
from a rescue OS.

'pdftk' : I will let you know, when there is a solution.
.....

k.king · 10-29-2009, 03:59 AM

knudfl
<<
Are you sure, you really upgraded / updated ? ?
Example, glibc : My synaptic says ...
" Installed version 2.4 .. Latest version 2.10.1 "
>>
Mine already says 2.10.1

<<
If yours is different it's time to hit the 'Reload'
button .. or do # 'apt-get update' .
>>
Since I had the issue (started this thread) whenever I clicked "Reload" and "Mark All Upgrades" I was never see anything... till today there are a load but I am going to hold off applying these until I have spare time (if I then need) to recover.

<<
OpenOfficeOrg
>>
I only had/have OpenOffice entries for clipart and templates, so I downloaded the v3.2dev tgz and am running that for moment.
What has surprised me is installing from the OO installer I do appear to have a raft of "ooo-dev3-...." entries showing in synaptic as installed.

<<
libusb is not a command, is a shared library.
Commands are mainly in these path's : echo $PATH
And please do : 'rpm -ql libusb0.1_4' to see all files.
>>
oops, brain fade, the command I wanted was lsusb, which is still fine.
I had libusb on my mind because of reading up on re-compiling wine to make use of.

<<
'pdftk' : You will just have to wait, I guess.
>>
guess so.