Questions tagged [package-management]
Questions about the management of software packages, in particular the APT and dpkg systems. Use this tag for general questions about package management, and also for questions that cover or compare different packaging systems. For specific package tools, use their own specific tag (like apt, dpkg, snap etc.).
10,493
questions
65
votes
5
answers
73k
views
Can I purge configuration files after I've removed the package?
I was doing a package removal with apt-get remove but then realized I should have done a --purge along with it to remove the configuration files.
Can I remove the packages configuration files easily ...
65
votes
6
answers
83k
views
Is `sudo pip install` still a broken practice?
I'm new to Ubuntu, so please bear with me. I installed pip using this command: sudo apt-get -y install python-pip. Then I installed NLTK using the command on their website, which was: sudo pip install ...
65
votes
5
answers
267k
views
How can I find out if a specific program is installed? [duplicate]
I want to find out if a program - Chromium for example - is installed on Ubuntu or not. Manually or as a package.
How do I know if a program is installed via command line?
64
votes
10
answers
11k
views
Why can't I update applications without upgrading the whole OS?
In Ubuntu, once a release is out the software one has installed receives security updates only. In Windows, I can get new versions of programs with new features. How can Windows do this and why can't ...
63
votes
3
answers
320k
views
How do I enable the "multiverse" repository?
I keep seeing places refer to the "multiverse" repository as a place I can get software, how can I enable this repository? Please specify how to do this graphically and via command line.
61
votes
1
answer
19k
views
How to create a meta-package that automatically installs other packages?
I'd like to be able to create a package that doesnt contain any code or programs itself, but instead installs other packages that exist in the repositories onto a computer, sort of how the ubuntu-...
60
votes
1
answer
53k
views
What is the 'popularity-contest' package for?
I'm installing ubuntu server at the moment, and noticed it in the configuration phase.
What does this package do, what is it for?
59
votes
6
answers
63k
views
Is it possible to view the contents of a debian package? [duplicate]
I want to see the contents of a debian package, especially if the package is properly cleaning up whatever it installs.
I want to also see how it goes about installing the software, what directories ...
59
votes
9
answers
12k
views
How can I check if a package is installed (no superuser privileges)?
At our university we can get almost any ubuntu package installed we want, but we are not superusers ourselves (we need to request packages being installed).
With some libraries it is not always easy ...
59
votes
3
answers
147k
views
Installing multiple packages at the same time
How do I install multiple packages?
For example, I want to install both package X and Package Y, I know that this is not possible by default but is there any alternate way of doing this or Can I ...
59
votes
6
answers
55k
views
How to install only the dependencies of a package?
Running sudo apt-get install <PACKAGE> will install the package, its dependencies, and any other recommended packages.
However, there does not seem to be a way to install only the dependencies ...
58
votes
8
answers
102k
views
Getting 'Release is not valid yet' while updating ubuntu docker container
I am trying to update a ubuntu container with a dockerfile.
RUN apt-get update -y
But I am getting the below error.
E: Release file for http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/bionic-security/...
58
votes
3
answers
368k
views
Install gcc on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
When I try to install gcc on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Server with apt-get install gcc, I get the following error:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
gcc : Depends: cpp (>= 4:4.6.1-2ubuntu5) ...
58
votes
7
answers
128k
views
How do I enable the "partner" repository?
I keep seeing places refer to the "partner" repository as a place I can get software, how can I enable this repository? Please specify how to do this graphically and via command line.
58
votes
3
answers
129k
views
Is it safe to use the command apt-get autoremove in this particular scenario?
The last time I used sudo apt-get autoremove, nearly every important display driver or parts got deleted. This made me very squeamish about using the command again. However, each time I install ...
57
votes
3
answers
279k
views
how to install packages with apt-get on a system connected via proxy?
I've got an Ubuntu 11.10 system connected via a proxy to the internet, and I would like to install packages via apt-get. When I try to do that I get this error message:
sudo apt-get install libboost-...
57
votes
1
answer
92k
views
Unable to find expected entry 'main/binary-i386/Packages - Chrome [duplicate]
I recently noticed while installing some packages and using the command apt-get update that I ran into the following error:
Failed to fetch http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/dists/stable/Release ...
56
votes
6
answers
48k
views
apt-get remove with wildcard removed way more than expected. why?
Last night I was trying to burn CDs. Being annoyed with k3b and choosing to use brasero instead, I went to remove k3b.
I typed in:
sudo apt-get remove k3b
I hit tab twice and saw that I had both ...
56
votes
8
answers
28k
views
How to see packages installed on a given date using 'aptitude'?
Does anyone know if there's an easy way to find a list of packages installed, sorted by date, when using aptitude (or apt-get)?
I installed a bunch of packages to try something new, but it didn't ...
56
votes
5
answers
72k
views
How to set up an APT repository?
I would like to set up an APT repository on a server that will provide a couple of packages.
Is there a way to set one up without installing any software on the server?
How do the files have to be ...
56
votes
10
answers
47k
views
How can I strip down Ubuntu?
I'm trying to fix what I consider a bloated install of Ubuntu. When I install Ubuntu on a machine, I get things that I don't want - web browsers, office applications, media players, accessibility ...
55
votes
6
answers
130k
views
Fix half-installed package
I am getting error while using sudo apt-get upgrade stating:
dpkg: error processing libgfortran3:amd64 (--configure):
package libgfortran3:amd64 is not ready for configuration
cannot configure (...
55
votes
1
answer
31k
views
Invalid signature from repo.skype.com: how can I clear this? [duplicate]
Today I did sudo apt upgrade and then, as a double-check, did sudo apt update. The latter terminated with:
Hit:5 http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb stable InRelease ...
54
votes
2
answers
300k
views
Can't install php5 on Ubuntu 16.04
so I've recently installed my first Ubuntu, to be precise, a daily build of 16.04, on my new laptop since the hardware was to new for 15.10. Now I'm in the process of setting it up and I want to ...
54
votes
1
answer
23k
views
What exact purpose do transitional packages have?
What are transitional packages and what exact purpose do they have?
53
votes
6
answers
147k
views
How to remove an uninstalled package's dependencies?
I want to install a package (DigiKam), but it has a lot of dependencies. If I decide I no longer need this software and uninstall it, will the now unnessary dependencies be removed?
If not, how can I ...
52
votes
5
answers
127k
views
Unable to locate package lib32bz2-1.0
I am trying to install Simplicity studio on Ubuntu 15.04 (64-bit) and I get this error
E: Unable to locate package lib32bz2-1.0
E: Couldn't find any package by regex 'lib32bz2-1.0'
I tried to ...
51
votes
4
answers
192k
views
16.04 Cannot install anything from Ubuntu Software center [duplicate]
Whenever I double click a deb file, it'd be opened in software center. However, when I click "install" button, it'd change to "installing" for a second but then turn back to "install" and nothing ...
51
votes
1
answer
26k
views
Should I use tasksel, tasks in APT or install regular metapackages?
Tasksel or plain Apt?
In the past I've always used tasksel to install so-called "tasks". It seems, however, that this has been integrated in APT:
apt-cache dumpavail | grep ^Task
[...] snip
Task: ...
50
votes
6
answers
70k
views
How to disable multiarch support?
I don't want to install any i386 package.
Is there any way to disable functionality?
50
votes
4
answers
103k
views
What package do I need to build a Qt 5 & CMake application?
I'm trying to build sdrangelove, which wants Qt 5 and uses CMake for its build system, on Ubuntu 13.10. What package do I need to install to give it the file it's asking for here?
There are a lot of *...
50
votes
4
answers
315k
views
Where are my installed applications? [duplicate]
I have installed Skype in Ubuntu, but I do not know where to start the installed the Skype application .Similarly I have installed Netbeans and other applications but their icons are not appearing in ...
50
votes
4
answers
57k
views
What is nss-myhostname? And why is it not installable?
dmesg shows the line
systemd-hostnamed[3964]: Warning: nss-myhostname is not installed.
Changing the local hostname might make it unresolveable. Please install nss-myhostname!
But
sudo apt-get ...
49
votes
6
answers
40k
views
Finding out what package a command came from [duplicate]
Is there a generalised way to find out what package caused the installation of a command?
49
votes
7
answers
32k
views
How do I list installed software with the installed size?
I would like to have a list of the installed software on my machine, with the disk space consumed by them alongside. I would prefer to be able to order by largest/smallest, but that is not a necessity....
48
votes
3
answers
149k
views
How can I find Boost version?
I just want to know how I can find the version of boost installed in my ubuntu 12.04? I am having trouble with the current precise and thinking of reverting back to 8.04. What is the boost version in ...
48
votes
3
answers
97k
views
How do I enable the "backports" repository?
How to enable the backports repository so I can get newer versions of software?
47
votes
2
answers
72k
views
How to remove package in bad state, software center freezes, no synaptic
When 'Update Manager' starts running, it tells me that I need to do a 'Partial Upgrade', when I start doing the upgrade, it tells me
Remove package in bad state
The package 'linux-headers-3.0.0-19'...
46
votes
6
answers
77k
views
How to remove all i386 packages from Ubuntu 64bit?
Over the time I installed many i386 packages, which I no longer need. How can I clean up the system and stay only with the amd64 packages?
46
votes
5
answers
45k
views
How to purge previously only removed packages? [duplicate]
I have a list of packages on my system, that were installed and removed again, but not purged, i.e. there are still a lot of conffiles etc. laying around.
The output of dpkg --get-selections | grep ...
46
votes
9
answers
300k
views
Ubuntu boots on terminal only, how do I recover the GUI desktop?
Where is my Ubuntu desktop? Its booting and going always default to terminal screen, if i press Ctrl+Alt+F7 still in terminal Ctrl+Alt+F1 still in terminal.
No GUI, how do I recover it?
EDIT:
sun@...
46
votes
5
answers
57k
views
Find (and reinstall) packages with corrupted files (without breaking anything)
I usually prefer to fix a Linux system than to reinstall from scratch. My computers have seen many distribution upgrades and a list of PPAs or third-party repositories. APT usually makes sure that ...
46
votes
4
answers
40k
views
Can't clean a full /boot because of unmet dependencies
I got an error message explaining my /boot is full. trying to clean up old image files always seems to fail because of disk full errors or dependency errors. Could someone explain where I’m going ...
46
votes
3
answers
6k
views
I installed a program by getting its source code, and then running `sudo make install`; how to make `apt-get` know about it?
I installed program (call it, for example,progA) by building it from source code, and then finally calling sudo make install and sudo ldconfig.
However, it seems apt-get hasn't gotten the memo, ...
46
votes
5
answers
77k
views
curl is not working on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
I can't fetch content from the web using `curl. I tried to install it and got the output below:
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or ...
46
votes
2
answers
17k
views
How can I stop apt from installing snap packages?
sudo apt-get install chromium-browser for some reason installs not a proper apt-get package but is installing the chromium snap.
I am aware that blocking such installs will not magically establish a ...
46
votes
1
answer
3k
views
What is Ubuntu's policy on keeping old kernels
I've just run out of disk space on /. Looking into the situation I realised that since first installing 12.04, Ubuntu has upgraded the kernel ~23 times and has kept every old kernel, binaries and ...
46
votes
2
answers
13k
views
list.save and list.distUpgrade
This is more of a curiosity question as I try to get a better understanding of apt and package management.
I'm seeing that in my /etc/apt/ and /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ folders I have very or ...
45
votes
2
answers
31k
views
Restoring all data and dependencies from dpkg --set-selections '*'
So I can run on one machine:
dpkg --get-selections '*' > selection.txt
On another machine:
dpkg --set-selections < selection.txt
... followed by either of the following:
aptitude install
...
44
votes
10
answers
146k
views
Apt-get fails on 16.04 or 18.04 installing mongodb
When I attempt to install mongodb using the instructions on https://docs.mongodb.com/getting-started/shell/tutorial/install-mongodb-on-ubuntu/ on 16.04 I get the following result on the install step:
...