Be careful with updates the last couple days.

[SteveRiley]

For context: my previous apt-get update & apt-get upgrade was on 16 August; all went well. I have enabled the Kubuntu Updates, Kubuntu Backports, and Kubuntu Experimental PPAs since I first built my system weeks ago.

Today, 19 August, I ran update & upgrade. Upgrade installed a number of packages, also indicated a number were being held back. So then I followed with a dist-upgrade that pulled down several more. I neglected to notice that the dist-upgrade also wanted to remove a few packages. Didn't realize the problem until after rebooting. Right before KDM appeared, a white box occupying the upper quarter of my monitor flashed briefly. Once the KDM dialog appeared, logging in failed -- the screen would flash a few times and then return to KDM.

Some Googling on various errors in /var/log/kdm.log and ~/.xsession-errors didn't show anything too relevant. So finally I checked /var/log/apt/history.log to find out what got removed. For some strange reason, the dist-upgrade wanted to remove kde-workspace, kde-workspace-bin, and kde-window-manager. I reinstalled them and all is now fine with the world.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Be careful with updates the last couple days.

That happens on occasions when the repository has not been fully loaded with all the interdependent changes and someone does an update. A new workspace app will probably be updated shortly.

[Snowhog]

Re: Be careful with updates the last couple days.

I'm suggesting that the trouble began when the OP added the Kubuntu Experimental PPA. That PPA should not be used unless one is into serious testing and enjoys being repeatedly dropped off of the cliff they are standing at the edge of.

[Jonas]

Re: Be careful with updates the last couple days.

I'm suggesting that the trouble began when the OP added the Kubuntu Experimental PPA. That PPA should not be used unless one is into serious testing and enjoys being repeatedly dropped off of the cliff they are standing at the edge of.

Yup that would be my assumption too, I tried the experimental ppa sometime before (for some reason I cant remember) and my impression were that it was the eternal alpha stage.

Anyway thanks for the heads up, always good to check here if one have the experimental repo open.

/Jonas

[SteveRiley]

Re: Be careful with updates the last couple days.

I'm suggesting that the trouble began when the OP added the Kubuntu Experimental PPA. That PPA should not be used unless one is into serious testing and enjoys being repeatedly dropped off of the cliff they are standing at the edge of.

Yup that would be my assumption too, I tried the experimental ppa sometime before (for some reason I cant remember) and my impression were that it was the eternal alpha stage.

I'm using the Experimental PPA because it appears to be the only way to get the PIM portions of KDE 4.7, which are still missing from the Backports PPA. Is there an alternate (and safer) way to get the version 4.7 elements of KDE PIM?

[DarthMedicus]

Re: Be careful with updates the last couple days.

For context: my previous apt-get update & apt-get upgrade was on 16 August; all went well. I have enabled the Kubuntu Updates, Kubuntu Backports, and Kubuntu Experimental PPAs since I first built my system weeks ago.

Today, 19 August, I ran update & upgrade. Upgrade installed a number of packages, also indicated a number were being held back. So then I followed with a dist-upgrade that pulled down several more. I neglected to notice that the dist-upgrade also wanted to remove a few packages. Didn't realize the problem until after rebooting. Right before KDM appeared, a white box occupying the upper quarter of my monitor flashed briefly. Once the KDM dialog appeared, logging in failed -- the screen would flash a few times and then return to KDM.

Some Googling on various errors in /var/log/kdm.log and ~/.xsession-errors didn't show anything too relevant. So finally I checked /var/log/apt/history.log to find out what got removed. For some strange reason, the dist-upgrade wanted to remove kde-workspace, kde-workspace-bin, and kde-window-manager. I reinstalled them and all is now fine with the world.

I actually had the same thing happen to me, with the addition of black boxes appearing on my desktop instead of the window of whichever app I was trying to open. Rebooted into console, reinstalled kde-workspace, and the errors were no more (this was of course after a panicked search of google turned up nothing, as well).

[quarkslot]

Re: Be careful with updates the last couple days.

I'm using the Experimental PPA because it appears to be the only way to get the PIM portions of KDE 4.7, which are still missing from the Backports PPA. Is there an alternate (and safer) way to get the version 4.7 elements of KDE PIM?

I've learnt that it pays to avoid the experimental PPA - I get really upset when my system disappears up its own you-know-what and I'd be even more upset if I were to lose my e-mails, calendar and contacts!

4.7 will almost certainly be packaged in 11.10, my advice is wait until then. If you are lucky it will appear earlier in the backports.

Probably not the answer you are looking for unless, as Snowhog says, you "like being dropped off of the edge of a cliff".

[SteveRiley]

Re: Be careful with updates the last couple days.

I've learnt that it pays to avoid the experimental PPA - I get really upset when my system disappears up its own you-know-what and I'd be even more upset if I were to lose my e-mails, calendar and contacts!

I use KDE PIM only as a window into my Gmail and Google calendar. If Akonadi were to self-destruct (again), I'm not worried about data loss...only the loss of time from (1) cursing at the thing and (2) configuring it all over from scratch.

However, I'm still irked that the developers of KMail hold firm to their belief that HTML mail is evil and intentionally muck up the formatting of replies. I know, I know, I have the choice to use other email user agents (a choice of one: Thunderbird). However, I should also have the ability to choose on my own whether to use HTML mail, not have someone else's choice forced upon me. Alas, this mini rant probably doesn't really belong in the thread, so I'll stop now...

Probably not the answer you are looking for unless, as Snowhog says, you "like being dropped off of the edge of a cliff".

Sometimes it can be really fun! Yes, I'm weird that way.