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Recently I realized that the 5 year support that comes with each LTS release is actually only limited to main and restricted components while universe and multiverse are community maintained which may or may not receive updates.

Is it possible to get Ubuntu LTS (Default Desktop - GNOME) installed without universe and multiverse enabled and also without any pakage from these branches? So that a user can be rest assured that their installation is 100% supported for 5 years.

Kratos
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2 Answers2

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Universe / Multiverse

  • When installing, at the Updates and other software window, do not check Install third-party software ...

  • Open Software and Updates

  • Click Ubuntu Software

  • Confirm that Community-maintained ... (universe) is not checked.

  • Confirm that Software restricted ... (multiverse) is not checked.

  • Close and reload.

C.S.Cameron
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  • Looks like I might be misinformed that the default Desktop installation also installs packages out of 'main' by default. I know there is an option to include drivers/codecs in the installer that installs them from restricted. Can you confirm this? That unless not installed explicitly. the installer only installs packages from the 'main' component. – Kratos May 18 '21 at 12:51
  • I have always had to install Universe repository before installing items such as P7Zip, mkusb, etc from it. – C.S.Cameron May 18 '21 at 12:56
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For sure it is possible. All packages constituting the default Ubuntu desktop, including anything to run the Gnome Shell desktop, are all included in the Canonical "main" repository. That also includes default applications such as LibreOffice. This repository is maintained directly by Canonical for the life span of the edition.

Proceed with a default installation, but do not check the option to install multimedia support. Right after installation, disable the universe and multiverse repositories, which are enabled by default.

vanadium
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  • Thanks for the answer. How shall I proceed to achieve that? Shall I use the mini.iso? Or install the Ubuntu LTS Server first and then proceed with the Desktop Environment installation? The Server install only includes the 'main' component. – Kratos May 18 '21 at 12:44
  • I would not be surprised if a normal default Ubuntu desktop install only installed packages from Main, provided you uncheck Media codecs and proprietary drivers. It is then up to you to disable other repo's right after installation. – vanadium May 18 '21 at 12:47
  • Does the default Desktop install only installs packages from 'main' component? – Kratos May 18 '21 at 12:49
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    @Kratos already addressed in the second sentence of this answer. This answer is correct. To learn what goes into Main, Universe, and Multiverse pockets, see: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu – user535733 May 18 '21 at 13:01
  • Thank you so much. I was very much misinformed earlier. But now everything is clear. – Kratos May 18 '21 at 13:08
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    @vanadium snapd comes installed out of the box. snapd as a package coming from the 'main' component will thus be supported for support period of an LTS release. But, what about the snap packages? The "Ubuntu Software" store also comes integrated with snap packages. Are they also supported for 5 years? – Kratos May 18 '21 at 15:32
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    The snap packages are maintained by their individual maintainers, not by Canonical. – vanadium May 18 '21 at 16:32
  • @vanadium Got it. Thanks again for the clarity. – Kratos May 19 '21 at 04:54