"Add/Remove Programs" programs grayed out

[Gospen]

On a fresh install of Kubuntu, I go to Add/Remove Programs to install firefox... But when I select "Any Suite" then click on "Internet" Firefox is grayed out??  I'm a little frustrated (with other things that this post shouldn't cover)... cause if things are supposed to "Just Work" they don't seem to just work to well.

[Gospen]

Re: "Add/Remove Programs" programs grayed out

I found the solution and I think it should be stickied or put in a quick start guide, because I have spent too many hours figuring this out.

IF you have installed Kubuntu OFFLINE, like me using an unsupported wireless card, when you go and connect to the internet by LAN to install new programs or do any updates you must first go to your konsole (Alt+F2, "konsole") then enter:

sudo kwrite /etc/apt/sources.list

And MAKE SURE that the addresses to the repositories (the place where you get your programs and updates) are UNCOMMENTED.

Your "sources.list" file should look like this:

# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
deb [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] dapper main restricted
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
deb-src [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] dapper main restricted

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the
## distribution.
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
deb [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] dapper-updates main restricted
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
deb-src [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] dapper-updates main restricted

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'universe'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
## universe WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu security
## team.
deb [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] dapper universe
deb-src [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] dapper universe

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'backports'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] dapper-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] dapper-backports main restricted universe multiverse

# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
deb [url]http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu[/url] dapper-security main
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
deb-src [url]http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu[/url] dapper-security main
deb [url]http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu[/url] dapper-security universe
deb-src [url]http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu[/url] dapper-security universe

If you install online you shouldn't have to worry about this, because the install program checks the sites.

[robc02]

Re: "Add/Remove Programs" programs grayed out

I have been having the same problem and, yes, my sources.list file needed uncommenting to match the one shown here. Trouble is, after a reboot, the Add/Remove programs are still greyed out. I checked, just to make sure that the new sources.list file had saved properly - and it had.

Although I clicked Restart, the session was saved, just as if it had been hibernated (I don't have a hibernate option even though my machine supports it - but that is another issue!). Could it be that the machine is, in fact, hibernating and not acting upon the new sources.list file? I am unsure about this, as changes to samba.conf were acted upon after the reboot.

All advice gratefully received....

[Tynach]

Re: "Add/Remove Programs" programs grayed out

Don't use Add/Remove programs. Use Adept. It's under K > System > Adept. press the refresh (or reload, one of the two) button, and then search for the files. That might also fix Add/Remove programs.

Why did you reboot? Linux doesn't need to reboot on stupid things like that.

[robc02]

Re: "Add/Remove Programs" programs grayed out

I rebooted out of desperation - just in case! Using Adept has done the trick , though - thanks :