Cleaning up packages in Debian

jlb0057 · 02-15-2009, 08:30 PM

I believe I have a bloated software library on my Debian testing system due to administering the box with too little knowledge and too much reliance on the GUI, e.g. Synaptic Package Mgr. This box is a PIII with 256MB RAM, so my goal is to trim unwanted packages and learn some CMI in the process.

I would like suggestions of packages, bash commands and/or scripts to help me identify and remove unnecessary packages.

After searches and review of debian.org HOWTO, I removed some orphaned libraries with the following:

Code:

# apt-get update
# apt-get remove --purge $(deborphan)
# apt-get autoremove

I also installed cruft and received a HUGE amount of data from the report:

Code:

# cruft -N

Is it safe to run cruft on my system?

r1d3r · 02-15-2009, 08:45 PM

It should be safe, it mostly works with the dpkg database.
But be careful, its still experimental!

anurag_bhd · 02-15-2009, 09:39 PM

Try this:

Code:

sudo apt-get clean

This command will remove all the deb packages in the apt-get cache - /var/cache/apt/archives

craigevil · 02-15-2009, 10:52 PM

apt-get clean

deborphan | xargs apt-get -y remove --purge

and after that I would run debfoster just pay attention to what it wants to remove before you say yes.

jlb0057 · 02-16-2009, 04:59 PM

Muchas gracias for the helpful responses here. A couple corollary questions:

1. Is there a command or package that will tell me software that has not been used for a given amount of time? Or am I better to go through packages one by one in aptitude or or GUI pkg manager?

2. What are some recommended minimal size, but functional desktop environments? Will I cause any unexpected problems by removing Gnome and KDE or by switching GUI's while shopping around?

craigevil · 02-17-2009, 03:29 AM

I like LXDE, I use it on my Eee pC, my install is only 1.4gb.

jdkaye · 02-17-2009, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlb0057

Muchas gracias for the helpful responses here. A couple corollary questions:

1. Is there a command or package that will tell me software that has not been used for a given amount of time? Or am I better to go through packages one by one in aptitude or or GUI pkg manager?

Hi jlb,
There are an awful lot of packages to go through 1 by 1! I hope you are quite young and have no other obligations in your life

. aptitude may be a better bet as a package manager than apt-get. You might go through your menus and see what software apps you can't imagine ever using and then removing them. Usually the package name is obvious from the application but not always. You can use the handy debian package site:
http://www.debian.org/distrib/packages
If you know what the binary is, then just do a search on "Search the contents of packages" for that file and you will find what package contains it. aptitude will usually warn you if removing that package will cause many other packages to be removed.
Cheers,
jdk

jlb0057 · 02-17-2009, 11:33 PM

jdk, you're right, of course. I decided to start by removing gnome and did not catch that I was also removing gdm. The system was glitchy for a moment until I went to the terminal and put gdm back on.