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So I installed KDE with task-kde-desktop and ended up not liking it. I tried apt purge task-kde-desktop and noticed the small amount of packages being uninstalled compared to installing it. So I tried apt autoremove task-kde-desktop and it's still a small amount.

How do I uninstall everything task-kde-desktop installs?

I am also on Debian Stable 9

Edit:

Tried using aptitude like suggested bellow and even KDE is still installed. Didn't work. How can I remove kde and everything that it came with completely?

Liam O'Luachra
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  • AFAIK `apt autoremove` actually *should* deinstall everything pulled in by `task-kde-desktop`. That said, if you want to try a different way to remove everything pulled in via packages that are no more installed then try `apt-get install deborphan && deborphan` – Tomáš Pospíšek Nov 28 '17 at 21:47
  • @TomášPospíšek I thought so too, it normally does but I guess not here for some strange reason. I'll give deborphan a try. Do I just run `deborphan` or do I need to add the package name after it? **Edit:** – Liam O'Luachra Nov 28 '17 at 22:07
  • @TomášPospíšek Just tried using deborphan with just by running it and it didn;t work. It just listed `android-tools-adb` and that's it. Didn't uninstall anything, didn;t list anything related to kde. – Liam O'Luachra Nov 28 '17 at 22:13
  • Have a look at `man deborphan` or rather `deborphan --help`. It has various grades of aggressiveness of what it proposes to you to deinstall. So be warned. Usually I solve the problem you have with `deborphan` or in your exact case, I might run `aptitude` then select and open the `task-kde-desktop` package there and recursively purge all its dependencies (select-open-purge). Be also warned here: if you delete too much (say libc) then you'll trash your system. Use undo inside `aptitude` if you've selected to purge too much stuff. – Tomáš Pospíšek Nov 28 '17 at 22:22
  • @TomášPospíšek Honestly should just stop being lazy and backup on a hard drive with dd before doing this sort of stuff. Haha, I'll give aptitude a try, thanks. – Liam O'Luachra Nov 28 '17 at 22:25
  • Ah, doing these kinds of manipulations it not as harsh as that (and it's a good way to learn about the inner workings of your system once stuff breaks - so take it as an opportunity ;-). You should be able to recover from those situations unless you do something really rough (removing libc would be one such case ;-). – Tomáš Pospíšek Nov 28 '17 at 22:28
  • @TomášPospíšek Yeah, good point. I did switch to Debian 9 from Ubuntu to learn more about how the operating system works. Guess this is my first **big** lesson. Haha. – Liam O'Luachra Nov 28 '17 at 22:32
  • @TomášPospíšek How would one select and open a package *task-kde-desktop* with aptitude? I can see in the `--help` about purging packages but nothing to do with selecting and opening. Would I just run `aptitude purge task-kde-desktop` or is there something else I need to do first? – Liam O'Luachra Nov 28 '17 at 22:36
  • no, run aptitude interactively. `aptitude` without argument. Once started use `/` to search `[Enter]` to go inside (a package, a section etc.), `q` to go "out", `_` to purge, `-` to delete and `g` (aka "go") to execute the actions you've instructed `aptitude` to take (i.e. to actually purge stuff). `CTRL-C` aborts `aptitude` and leaves things as they were. `CTRL-u` undoes choices taken during the selection phase. – Tomáš Pospíšek Nov 28 '17 at 22:43
  • @TomášPospíšek So I am assuming I will want to go into a package and purge it from there? How would this be different from purging it from apt? Sorry, just didn't knowabout this aptitude feature. – Liam O'Luachra Nov 28 '17 at 22:47
  • because doing it interactively you can "descend" through a package *into* its dependencies by merely using the arrow keys and `[Enter]`. Which would involve a lot of typing and keeping track of where you are when using `apt`. – Tomáš Pospíšek Nov 28 '17 at 22:50
  • @TomášPospíšek When I look inside the `task-kde-desktop` package it lists only a small amount of "Depends". – Liam O'Luachra Nov 28 '17 at 22:50
  • @TomášPospíšek Ah I see. Maybe the fact that 'task-kde-desktop` only list a small list of dependencies and not the full list is my issue? – Liam O'Luachra Nov 28 '17 at 22:52
  • @TomášPospíšek I've clicked on one of the dependencies, it looks like it's opened it. I assume I've got to open all the dependencies and then it's dependencies until I've listed everything to purge and uninstall. – Liam O'Luachra Nov 28 '17 at 22:54
  • Just in case, you'd find any of these informations useful, you could flag them so. That would give me some points that would be useful for me. Or a thanks would also be useful. After all we're all humans and have motivational mechanics at work... – Tomáš Pospíšek Nov 28 '17 at 23:24
  • @TomášPospíšek Just finished trying to uninstall everything and everything is still there. It said it uninstalled but all the apps are installed and I can log in with KDE. – Liam O'Luachra Nov 28 '17 at 23:37
  • @TomášPospíšek Just tried `apt autoremove *kde*` and it worked. Thank you for your help though. – Liam O'Luachra Nov 28 '17 at 23:47
  • @River Rush `*kde*` really isn't the right way you should do this though. – jdwolf Nov 29 '17 at 00:35

1 Answers1

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The reason not everything is removed is because of the "task" type package. Debian makes packages that follow a set of alternative rules. "This package or that package" in the set of rules. If you have task-desktop installed then you must have at least one desktop to fulfill its dependencies and therefor it won't autoremove. Remove task-desktop to strip dependency on KDE OR install another one of the desktop tasks like task-gnome-desktop.

For example:

apt-get install task-gnome-desktop
apt-get purge task-kde-desktop
jdwolf
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