I would suspect that you have upgraded something from further up the dependency chain to a squeeze-backports version. Removing the backports repo is likely to be what has led to this current situation. Add back the squeeze-backports repo and try:
If this fails then issue the following to see what you have installed from backports and post output (again: ensure you have put back the squeeze-backports repo first and run apt-get update):

I went for the wheezy option. changing the sources list then:
apt-get update
apt-get upgrade
apt-get dist-upgrade
aptitude update
aptitude full-upgrade
reboot
login as root
apt-get install gnome
reboot
Screen resolution wrong so could not see evolution mailbox migration, so rebooted, with a hope
screen resolution correct.

Now I have the all new unfriendly disabled gnome desktop but at least a working system.


Thank you all, of to write some questions of where things have gone in the dekstop forums.

Very grateful

M.

I know this bis solved, but if you want DE similar to Gnome2, you can install Mate, which is a Gnome2 fork.

Darn it, did not see your cynwulf, would have tried that first. TY

Wheezy is very stable. On it now. Boringly stable. You shouldn't have trouble with it.

The suggestion for using Mate is a good one.

I switched to Xfce when I saw where Gnome was headed. Prefer it as I think it is what the Gnome panel DE wanted to grow up to be.

My wife, however, uses Gnome and when I upgraded hers so that she could use the newest Gnucash I purged Gnome before the upgrade and then added the Mate repo and installed it. She loves it. I like it.

I think Caja, the replacement for Nautilus (fork of Nautilus 3.4) is an improvement and they seem to be headed in the right direction.

If I had run into it before getting to know Xfce I would probably be using it myself. Very nice.

Great to know you resolved issue.
Congrats!