About 6 months ago, I was reexploring the viability of using linux on an everyday basis. Kubuntu to be exact. I believe I was using the command-line apt-get -update and the command-line that updates the libraries and dependency file. I was not using one of the gui package installers. Upon restarting the computer, it just hangs with no messages or anything. Is there any way to attempt to repair whatever the damage may be, or just a fresh install?

If a fresh install is my only choice, how can the situation be prevented?

It's impossible to say how to prevent your current situation when you haven't provided any information about what caused it.

We need commands, error messages, etc. "The command-line that updates the libraries and dependency file" doesn't really help. Are you talking about "apt-get upgrade"? What does that have to do with your thread title "broken dependencies"? What got broken and how?

I will attempt to clarify. Using "apt-get update" there is a switch to cause the dependency libraries to be updated as well. aka update everything, not just the apps themselves. I pretty sure the report from apt-get on many attempts were broken dependencies in many libraries, mostly on ubuntu.com. I had hoped the broken dependencies were not too severe and attempted to restart my computer. Now, kubuntu is broken.

If broken dependencies are reported by apt-get, how can they be fixed?

If the machine won't start at all, that mean grub is not loading. If you boot from the install CD/DVD, select "rescue", and let it go until you can open a shell, use the system root as root, and mount /usr if necessary.

Then do: /grub-install. After that you can repair any remaining problems. Or, you can wait for 10 minutes after it hangs, and see if the machine just needs a little more time.

in 99% of all cases, all you need for apt-based systems is:
do this regularly, and don't add any fishy sources, and you should be fine.

A good reminder that it is useful to take regular full backups of your system, especially if you're going to be fiddling with anything that might have a profound effect on it.

It depends whether the sources of the packages were for "stable" packages or whether you were using a bunch of testing sources.

Almost certainly, apt-get has suggested that you try runningIt's worth a try - if you have a reasonable set of sources.

You would have been warned about the the broken dependencies - but you decided to proceed anyway.
Your data in /home should be OK

Provided root & /home are in different partitions you could reinstall KUbuntu provided you know what you are doing.

XzirAubrey,

IF you happen to have 3 partitions at the moment (root, swap and a separate home), you could do a fresh installation of Kubuntu:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...-distro-37074/

The above example uses Linux Mint 18 MATE.

Your existing home partition would be preserved and you would have a new root partition for your new Kubuntu system.

HOWEVER, if this is NOT the case, then you need to backup all your personal data to a separate external hard drive or flash drive before doing a fresh installation.

If anything breaks it is a good idea to use Synaptic Package Manager, which is a GUI version of the command line instructions on an above post.

It is probably no longer installed by default in Ubuntu/Kubuntu etc, so you would first need to open Terminal and enter:

Then open Synaptic > Custom Filters > Broken > Edit > Fix broken packages.

Thank you all for the input. Sounds like the best choice is to turn this machine into a dedicated linux machine. Right now it is set up as a dual boot with both OSs on the root drive.

Before I can do that, I shall have to purchase the most recent Win Machine that does NOT require paying rent for the OS. Then this machine will become my dedicated linux, having a partition for the core, a partition for apps, and a partition for personal data.

Which, of course, leads to a new question. But unrelated to this issue.

If you have an external hard drive, or an internal one that can be swapped out, I'd recommend trying that, and just using your BIOS boot order instead of a boot manager to switch between the two. At least until you decide whether Linux is an option for you.

I also wouldn't give up on rescuing the current dual boot. Was grub the bootloader before? I'd pop in a live CD and run grub-install /dev/sda (or whatever your hard drive name is).

edit: here's a little more information on broken packages I wrote in an unrelated thread, if you'd like more information.
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...5/#post5569480

Well, linux is the only choice truly. No way am I paying rent for my computer's os. I am not really a mac fan. I know less about osx than linux, which isn't really saying much. But, there are many linux distros that are free. I need a machine that will run office 365 for college, therefore I need a new machine anyways. I have Oracle VM VirtualBox that I have been meaning to get set up to look at other linux distros because it seemed kubuntu was dying. I want to try Mint and Debian.

As far as this computers last kubuntu install, wubi and unetbtin is what I see. I do not find a grub in the linux folders. I also see isolinux, ohhh I found grub under Kubuntu\boot.

I really need to learn about the linux architecture.

If you want to thoroughly learn Linux, you might check out the objectives for a sysadmin cert and study the ones that look interesting:
https://www.lpi.org/study-resources/...am-objectives/
Or a related resource:
http://theurbanpenguin.com/lpi/101.html

Edit: deleted some stuff, because it may have been bad advice.

Ok. I just tried to start Kubuntu...

"press 'esc' for menu...10"

UNetBootin
Help
Start Kubuntu
Check Disk
etc...

"Start Kubuntu" gives "Try Kubuntu" or "Install Kubuntu" but will not see my C: drive (possibly because it is running from the C: drive aka root drive in linux)

"Help" resulted in:
GRUB4DOS -> BusyBox 1.22.1 (ash) -> prompt (initramfs) which I assume translates to initial ram file system
none of the available commands said anything like "reinstall", most DOS looking commands like chdir. I did not know what to try to fix my Kubuntu from that prompt so I typed "exit", which it did not like "kernel panic: attempted to kill init"

"Check Disk" resulted in 1 error which I assume was the loopback.cfg missing

Hitting "UNetBootin" which I assume starts the installed Kubuntu results in:
Kubuntu does TRY to load but KDE crashes, krunner crashes, plasma crashes, then eventually just dead black screen.

sorry for the OT, but:
how i hate this.
being forced into microsoft cloud slavery, by an educational institution!

ok, sorry again, couldn't resist, carry on.

2 members found this post helpful.

Normally, totally free LibreOffice can do everything you might need Microsoft 365 for (which is very expensive).
[I don't know much about M$ 365]

Have you considered buying a cheap, possibly second-hand disk, that you can swap with your current disk?
You would be able to install and break Linux to your hearts content, without fear of damaging any of your precious data?

Once you are happy, it would be possible to go for a dual disk setup with M$ on one & Linux on the other.
Linux could access files on both disks - but Windows would be more limited.