Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

[TheBlaze]

Hello!

I tried to upgrade to KDE SC 4.4 beta. I followed the instructions on the main kubuntu page, but ran into a problem:

Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/kdelibs5_4%3a4.3.80-0ubuntu7~karmic1~ppa1_amd64.deb                              
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Then I ran "sudo apt-get -f install" and got:

Preparing to replace kdelibs5 4:4.3.4-0ubuntu1~karmic1~ppa1 (using .../kdelibs5_4%3a4.3.80-0ubuntu7~karmic1~ppa1_amd64.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement kdelibs5 ...
Replacing files in old package kdebase-workspace-libs4+5 ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/kdelibs5_4%3a4.3.80-0ubuntu7~karmic1~ppa1_amd64.deb (--unpack):
 trying to overwrite '/usr/lib/libnepomukquery.so', which is also in package kdebase-workspace-dev 4:4.3.4-0ubuntu1~karmic1~ppa2
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/kdelibs5_4%3a4.3.80-0ubuntu7~karmic1~ppa1_amd64.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Can anyone help?

B

[sithlord48]

Re: Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

can't help you right now but i plan to install 4.4 as soon as i get home.. so i will keep you posted on any issues i have or how i solved this one (provided i run in to it). give me about 5 hours from this post.

edit : can't wait ne longer decided to do it on the work laptop , so far its good (still installing, part 1 sudo apt-get upgrade).

Edit 2 : part one of install worked perfectly starting part 2 sudo apt-get dist-upgrade. so far very smooth again only fetching packages atm..


edit 3: just finished the second part of the upgrade process. i know have only 2 packages left up upgrade (gwenview & kdegraphics-stringi-plugin)
your issue may reside in the packaging of the 64 bit packages (since its i386 here) sorry but again you will have to wait for me to get to my 64 -bit machine @ home

[GreyGeek]

Re: Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

By jumping ahead of the official release and installing BETA (bleeding edge) software you've encountered dependency problems. The problem now is that your skill set may not be sufficient for you to recover.

During the upgrade attempt, kdebase-workspace-dev 4:4.3.4-0ubuntu1~karmic1~ppa2 had not been replaced yet, but the process is trying to trying to overwrite '/usr/lib/libnepomukquery.so' because installingkdelibs5_4%3a4.3.80-0ubuntu7~karmic1~ppa1_amd64.deb requires the new library. But, the old library is a dependency of kdebase-workspace-dev 4:4.3.4-0ubuntu1~karmic1~ppa2, and dpkg refuses to remove it. That broke the upgrade process, leaving your system in a state of mixed dependencies. These situations are usually encountered and resolved by the developers and testers before the packages are placed into the regular repositories. That you are asking your question indicates that you are neither a developer nor one skilled enough to test. IOW, you are in over your head.

I don't know how many 4.3 version files the process had succeeded in replacing with 4.4 versions before it broke. Your solution is to either determine and downgrade to those that were replaced, returning your system to its original 4.3 condition, or to manually delete '/usr/lib/libnepomukquery.so', retry the "-f install" cleanup command, and resume the "dist-upgrade" command. Most likely you will enounter another dependency problem. If you continue plowing through you "might" be sucessful but I suspect the resulting KDE 4.4 desktop would be to flaky to depend on. Hopefully, if that happens, you won't blame KDE4 for it.

I have no way of predicting how successful you will be with either approach, so I offer a third. Reinstall your system from a LiveCD, upgrade it to 4.3, and wait until 4.4 is in the regular repositories.

[TheBlaze]

Re: Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

As far as I understand the only packages that were not upgraded are kdelibs5 and libkdepim4. Is there any way to remove kdebase-workspace-dev? Wouldn't that resolve the problem? And if not, how do I downgrade a package?

P.S.: I'm not here to blame anyone. I enjoy using kubuntu because it's fun. And part of the fun is instaling and using beta software and learning stuff in the process. Since I began using kubuntu I had every beta installed.

[sithlord48]

Re: Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

done installing and after a reboot, i notice 2 things, default desktop settings.but now for some reason i can't seam to start the desktop effects any more, but i am sure its just some thing i have overlooked .

[claydoh]

Re: Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

no, not overlooked, I think effects are either temporarily broken or temporarily disabled. I think I overheard something to that effect in irc recently, but have not confirmed that just yet

[TheBlaze]

Re: Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

I fixed dependencies by "sudo dpkg -r kdebase-workspace-dev". There was also a problem with aurorae that I solved the same way. The rest of installation went without problems.
I didn't know what to do with kdmrc (my version was changed probably because I'm using auto login), so I kept my version.

Kde now starts, but is very "crashy". Plasma crashes all the time, but that my be caused by a some widget.

@sithlord48: For me, effects work as before.

[TheBlaze]

Re: Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

After renaming .kde folder everything seems fine.

[claydoh]

Re: Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

done installing and after a reboot, i notice 2 things, default desktop settings.but now for some reason i can't seam to start the desktop effects any more, but i am sure its just some thing i have overlooked .

Well I didn't hear it, I read it
http://kde.org/announcements/announce-4.4-beta1.php

[scotths]

Re: Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

By jumping ahead of the official release and installing BETA (bleeding edge) software you've encountered dependency problems. The problem now is that your skill set may not be sufficient for you to recover.

This seems a bit harsh... I would expect this for an Alpha version, but I would expect that by the time it reaches Beta it would be in a reasonably functional state such that merely installing wouldn't require excessive understanding. Of course one has to put up with bugs and possibly even serious issues, but I don't think the intent is that everyone who tries a beta version should be an expert.

[sithlord48]

Re: Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

done installing and after a reboot, i notice 2 things, default desktop settings.but now for some reason i can't seam to start the desktop effects any more, but i am sure its just some thing i have overlooked .

Well I didn't hear it, I read it
http://kde.org/announcements/announce-4.4-beta1.php

thats right i read that part about "composite effects disabled on some hardware".. just forgot about it.. wonder if they will work @ home on my newer machine...

[GreyGeek]

Re: Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

By jumping ahead of the official release and installing BETA (bleeding edge) software you've encountered dependency problems. The problem now is that your skill set may not be sufficient for you to recover.

This seems a bit harsh...

I can understand why you may think that, but consider this:

Most who installs Kubuntu do so with the release version, the one that is advertised as "user" ready. With the rising popularity of Linux, the new Kubuntu user is more than likely a new Linux user too. Translation: NO experience.

The major concern is the newbie to Linux who installs the released version and has troubles. It can be, and sometimes is, a real task helping those young Penguins. Besides KDE there is GNOME and XFCE, and there are at last 28,000 packages in the repository. A tipical Kubuntu installation, besides the base packages, may have over 200 other repository packages installed, and each user may have a different set of packages installed. (All those who have installed the SAGE math package, as I have, raise your hands!) Not only that, but they can be installed on any one of a HUGE variety of machines, from brand new to 10 years old, besides netbooks and XBoxes! Most PCs are compatible with Linux, some are partially compatible, and a few won't let Linux run well if at all, even when they don't have the old Linux blocking Foxconn MOBO BIOS installed. IOW, the range and combinations of official Kubuntu packages and the machines they run on are mind boggling.

Those that do the majority of the helping, as you can see from this list are not that many, but every who contributes, even once, helps because not everyone can know everything about each package or PC, except maybe for dibl, SnowHog and Rog131 You get 7 pages into the list and you've reached folks who have made less than 100 posts in the last four years this forum has been open. 36% of all of the 167,619 posts made to this board, about 60,000, were made by the folks on the first page of that member list I cited. One third of that 60,000, or about 20,000 posts, were made by the three people I mentioned above.

The current list of 14,814 members isn't static, there are always old ones dropping off and new ones joining. There are several dozen who lurk here everyday. While most new Kubuntu users have no problems installing and running Kubuntu, that would require them to visit here seeking help, there are a some that do, so there are dozens of new questions being asked every day.

Ergo, it can be difficult enough, even when one is familiar with the official software and its bugs and nuisances, or the machine it is on, to help someone fix their problem, especially when they don't mention pertinent facts or past actions that they took that led to the problem, "it just stopped working". When you toss in alien programs and packages, binaries, tar files and a plethora of other things folks have tried to install it magnifies the difficulties. And, if you aren't successful in helping them and/or they don't seem to be able to follow and do what you ask them to do, some end of getting angry and blaming those who try to help, or Kubuntu. Dibl even has a "Top 20 Kubuntu FAQs HERE" link at the bottom of his posts which offer solutions to a several of the most frequently encountered basic problems. The idea is to help as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time. Esoteric installations aren't usually an easy solve.

Not all these installations of alpha, beta, alien, tar, etc... applications end well. I've seen them expand into 6 or more pages of messages which end with the OP posting a rant and storming off. In this case, although KDE 4.4 beta doesn't seem to be stable for TheBlaze, he knew or learned a method on his own which helped him out of the problem.

[scotths]

Re: Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

I get what you are saying.. Perhaps lines need to be more clearly drawn. I think most people have come to see Beta software as being in reasonably good shape and usable if you are willing to put with some instability and perhaps not quite developed features. Thus, a relatively typical user in a non-critical environment could make the choice to use it. If that isn't the case for linux software, 2 problems result:

1) People are going to continue attempting to install beta software because they are used to doing that on other platforms.

2) Such a class of software should exist as part of the software life-cycle. If this isn't it, that's just adding to the confusion.

By jumping ahead of the official release and installing BETA (bleeding edge) software you've encountered dependency problems. The problem now is that your skill set may not be sufficient for you to recover.

This seems a bit harsh...

I can understand why you may think that, but consider this:

Most who installs Kubuntu do so with the release version, the one that is advertised as "user" ready. With the rising popularity of Linux, the new Kubuntu user is more than likely a new Linux user too. Translation: NO experience.

[sithlord48]

Re: Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

::INSTALL ON MY 64-BIT::

following the steps on the upgrade page. the install worked flawlessly.
the initial log in took a while longer then usual (either updating configs) or the fact that plasma-desktop crashed as soon as it loged in. Note: fancy tasks is not working w/ 4.4 beta.
working that out with out nuking the rest of my settings right now...

[kubicle]

Re: Problem upgrading to KDE 4.4

I fixed dependencies by "sudo dpkg -r kdebase-workspace-dev". There was also a problem with aurorae that I solved the same way.

These kinds of package conflicts are quite common on the development versions, as things get moved around in the packages (for example, aurorae is now included in 'kde-window-manager' package which makes 'kwin-style-aurorae' package redundant).

The conflicts usually get ironed out during the devel phase (like adding conflicts/replaces tags to packages involved).

Anyway, the key steps to overcome package file conflicts are:
1. Investigate the packages that are conflicting
a. Are the packages of the same version? (as in are they all from the same version of KDE, for example)
b. Is one of the packages meant to replace the other?
2. Try removing a conflicting package that is not essential
3. As a last resort, you can force overwriting with dpkg (use with caution)

Kde now starts, but is very "crashy". Plasma crashes all the time, but that my be caused by a some widget.

Most KDE libraries change between major releases, which means many "3rd party" widgets that use these libraries will need some changes or at least a rebuild, often a good idea to clean plasma configs when switching to a new KDE major version.

@sithlord48: For me, effects work as before.

The effects are only disabled for some graphics chips