BL4.5.0-32bit - How to remove unused packages without damaging system?
 

In order to update LinSSID, I tried to install it using the according DEB, but there was a dependency, which could not be resolved, so I reinstalled the previous LinSSID using the PPA within the terminal.

That's when I was notified about quite a huge amount of unused packages which were recommended for removal, using an autoremove command.

Can I trust in that command?

How can I remove these packages without the risk of damaging anything, please?

Depends what list of software is recommended for removal?

The answer to this question might take a bit,
because this system is shut down for today, already,
and I won't use it for a while, probably.
But I'll be back on this for sure...

the turn it on while someone that knows is here to help you. geez.

There are private reasons, I didn't expect before, sorry...

no problem - just meant that trying to fix asap for me is crucial - i need my systems up and running esp when i had my biz and website, etc.

and people are not always on the site so just being there and being diligent will help get things resolved quicker. knwoing so little about linux that would drive me crazy to have my system(s) hung....

Ok, now, here's the missing information about the unused packages:

Much of that is header files for libraries. Anything ending in -dev. YOu certainly do not need any of that unless you are compiling software that needs it. I would keep enlightenment-theme-gtk and faenza-icon-theme, but that is up to you one is a gtk theme and the other an icon theme. Nothing else looks like it would kill your system but I can't make co promises I don't know what you have installed or what you think you need. But I would let autoremove get rid of it.

In fact, I do compile my wifi driver from time to time. It 's the rtl8812au, which needs to be compiled again, when something about the kernel has been updated before.

The wifi driver does not need those dev packages. It is not related to X11, python and others, so from this point it looks safe.

Can I exclude the theme package and the icon package from autoremove or shall I autoremove all packages and reinstall these two packages again, afterwards?

basically you are allowed to remove all/any of them and later you can reinstall some if you need. But apt can only remove all of them (or none) in one step.

First apt install packages you wish to keep and then do the autoremove it will not remove the ones you just told apt to install.

Seems weird because they are already installed but anyway ...

Thank you all!