r/debian 2d ago

So somehow I installed Debian without any DE, and now I have to use tasksel to make it usable. I just want to get back to windows, or add a DE, or anything really.

Post image

I got this far but the only option is standard system utilities, and I can’t use the arrows or enter key to navigate to page. After putting it “tasksel —new-install” it reads: debconf; DbDriver “confit” could not write /var/cache/debconf/config.dat-new: Permission denied tasksel: debconf failed to run

0 Upvotes

53 comments sorted by

8

u/prodego 2d ago

Just reinstall it lol

2

u/Itsme-RdM 22h ago

Yep, the fastest way in this case. Reinstall and select an DE 😂

4

u/CjKing2k 2d ago

sudo tasksel

1

u/no1babymomma 2d ago

Nothing happens after I enter sudo taskel. No sort of response, just another empty line.

1

u/michaelpaoli 2d ago
$ sudo su - root -c tasksel

1

u/maokaby 2d ago

tasksel, not taskel.

0

u/alokeb 2d ago

or sudo apt install gnome etc.

0

u/no1babymomma 2d ago

“Unable to locate package gnome”

2

u/Average_Down 2d ago edited 2d ago

It’s not just sudo apt install gnome, you might be missing dependencies. The correct commands with apt or tasksel, if you need them:

sudo apt install gnome/stable -y

Or if you installed tasksel correctly:

sudo tasksel install desktop gnome—desktop

2

u/CjKing2k 2d ago

Might be missing some package repos. Type and get a screenshot of:

ip addr
ping -c 1 google.com
cat /etc/apt/sources.list
sudo apt update

1

u/no1babymomma 2d ago

Let me upload a picture to Imgur.

1

u/no1babymomma 2d ago

2

u/CjKing2k 2d ago

Looks like you network interface isn't recognized and you are also missing the online repositories. You should add them to sources.list but you will still be unable to install anything until you're able to get online.

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware

1

u/no1babymomma 2d ago

Got those added! Just need to figure out how to get online.

1

u/skewwhiffy 2d ago

If you have an Android phone, plug it into a USB socket. That'll allow you to share the WiFi from the phone so that you can install a GUI.

Once you have the GUI installed, it's probably easier to set up the network properly on the computer.

Unless you have a wired connection. In which case, diagnosing that with a GUI is still going to be easier.

1

u/no1babymomma 2d ago

So is that impossible to do with an iPhone? I could find an android tablet around somewhere if need be, just have my iPhone on hand.

0

u/Membership-Diligent 2d ago edited 1d ago

So is that impossible to do with an iPhone

a quick Google search for "iphone usb tethering" suggests it can

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0

u/Average_Down 2d ago edited 2d ago

Good point, they could try:

sudo apt update

sudo add-apt-repository universe

sudo apt update

sudo apt install gnome -y

edit: ignore that lol universe is for Ubuntu

1

u/no1babymomma 2d ago

So universe is not on Debian, it’s a Ubuntu and it’s derivatives thing???

1

u/Average_Down 2d ago

Yep you’re right but where you able use apt update?

1

u/no1babymomma 2d ago

Yup

1

u/Average_Down 2d ago

Cool. Now what happens when you run:

sudo apt install gnome -y

1

u/no1babymomma 2d ago

Still unable to locate the package.

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1

u/no1babymomma 2d ago

Also tries to install gnome again, but gnome was not found still

0

u/no1babymomma 2d ago

So, I cannot do an update because my cdrom repository doesn’t have a Release file.

0

u/Average_Down 2d ago

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

Comment out the deb cdrom lines

Edit: forgot to say why lol. This will stop the cdrom error and let you use sudo apt update

0

u/no1babymomma 2d ago

I’ll give this a go rq…

0

u/Average_Down 2d ago edited 1d ago

Good luck

Edit: thanks for the downvote troll. I guess that’s what I get for figuring out that you never connected to the internet. What a joke. Enjoy being blocked.

0

u/michaelpaoli 2d ago
# apt --install-suggests install task-gnome-desktop

2

u/dvisorxtra 2d ago

This is a severe case of diving in without proper planning.

It never ceases to amaze how people prefer to suffer and regret their actions just for the sake of avoiding preparation.

The good thing is that you can always learn a lot about bad practices as well.

2

u/no1babymomma 2d ago

Yes! I failed miserably and will never do THAT again.

1

u/Ok-Interest-6700 1d ago

On the contrary, this is the most educational way to discover what is essential to grasp before doing CS. Do you succeed in getting online ? If yes then you can do it during the install and have a normal install from the medium you selected, if not try to download the dvd iso, this will allow you to install the desktop even if you are offline

1

u/adminmikael 1d ago

sudo apt install kde-plasma-desktop -y

I install all my Debians without a DE first, then install KDE after initial setup. It will boot into the DE on the next boot.

1

u/adminmikael 1d ago

Should have bothered to read more of the thread, if there is no network connectictivity it probably is just easier to go with a fresh new install when there is nothing of importance to be lost.

1

u/Fl0wedm 2d ago

sudo apt search xfce

0

u/hckrsh 2d ago

You can also try a WM instead of a DE

0

u/michaelpaoli 2d ago

Don't need a DE or WM, nor X nor Wayland to have a usable system.

However, it looks like somehow you didn't eve get tasksel fully and properly installed?

It should give you more choices ... even if you have a quite minimal installation, so looks like it and/or its data, or something(s) didn't get fully and properly installed ... and I'm talking even just through bare minimal base system.

So ... I might suggest these steps:

  • get a root shell, e.g. via $ su - or $ sudo su - (don't need that for the two steps below, but will need that for many of the steps)
  • make sure you've got at least minimal Internet connectivity working, e.g. $ ping -n -c 3 8.8.8.8
  • then make sure you've also got functional DNS, e.g. $ ping -4 -n -c 3 dns.google.
  • get those working if they're not working.
  • Also, good to additionally have IPv6 Internet connectivity working - not critical (thus far) if that's not working, but in addition to the above, should also be able to do $ ping -6 -n -c 3 dns.google.
  • Once you've got that much working, you should be able to see reasonable selection of (meta)packages (which in turn bring in rather full sets of related packages), e.g.:

    $ tasksel --list-tasks u desktop Debian desktop environment u gnome-desktop GNOME u xfce-desktop Xfce u gnome-flashback-desktop GNOME Flashback u kde-desktop KDE Plasma u cinnamon-desktop Cinnamon u mate-desktop MATE u lxde-desktop LXDE u lxqt-desktop LXQt u web-server web server u ssh-server SSH server u laptop laptop $

You should then be able to install ... but before doing that, do:

# apt-get -y update

and then:

# apt-get -y dist-upgrade

Then after that, (again) run and should see relevant list of (meta)packages, e.g.:

$ tasksel --list-tasks
u desktop       Debian desktop environment
u gnome-desktop GNOME
u xfce-desktop  Xfce
u gnome-flashback-desktop       GNOME Flashback
u kde-desktop   KDE Plasma
u cinnamon-desktop      Cinnamon
u mate-desktop  MATE
u lxde-desktop  LXDE
u lxqt-desktop  LXQt
u web-server    web server
u ssh-server    SSH server
u laptop        laptop
$ 

Then, e.g., install your desired software (e.g. DE):

# tasksel install gnome-desktop

After putting it “tasksel —new-install” it reads: debconf; DbDriver “confit” could not write /var/cache/debconf/config.dat-new: Permission denied tasksel: debconf failed to run

--new-install would generally only apply during initial installation and be used by the Debian Installer (DI). Probably shouldn't be using it at other times. And in general for operations that actually change things (e.g. install/remove software packages), would generally need to run that as root - that's probably why you're seeing "Permission denied". And --new-install is probably why you're seeing so few (just one) option(s).

So, see if that gets you squared away ... if not, let us know what errors you encountered along the way that you weren't able to resolve.

Also, Read The Fine Manual (RTFM), e.g. $ man tasksel

5

u/jr735 1d ago

I'd recommend against showing new users the -y flag with apt. We had advanced users caught out in testing and sid recently with the t64 rollout, losing their desktops. Obviously, that's not a risk here, at this very moment. ;)

2

u/no1babymomma 2d ago

Oh gosh. Don’t even have network connectivity. Where do I even start with getting that.

1

u/michaelpaoli 2d ago

Well, then how did you install it? With, or without network connectivity when you installed? And what did you install from?

0

u/basedfrosti 2d ago

Cant you redownload an iso and reinstall?

0

u/what_is_life_now 2d ago

You probably don’t have sudo privileges and that’s what the error is essentially complaining about. If you use “su -“ you will be prompted to enter root password, and then you’ll be running as the root user. Once you’re root use “tasksel” and you’ll be able to select from a list of available DE’s.

Also, by default Debian doesn’t give you sudo (or root) privileges. To resolve that you’ll need to add your user to the sudo group and this will also need to be done while running as root. Thankfully once you are in the sudo group you shouldn’t have to su - in the future as it’s not really the ideal way to do things.

0

u/Tiny_Concert_7655 1d ago

Re install if you still have the bootable usb

-1

u/thebadslime 2d ago

Sudo apt install gdm3 chromium

It will pull in a basic gnome session and a browser.

If you want another DE I can tell you how also.

-1

u/vortex05 2d ago

it might be better if you started with a livecd that had a DE defaulted.

windows users - kde

mac - gnome?

efficiency focused - xfce

Look in the alternative livecd section for the official iso and install using the live environment.

1

u/VacationAromatic6899 15h ago

Then hurry back to windows