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I'm using Kubuntu 14.04. I lost my desktop and got error unable to launch "/usr/bin/startkde" X sesssion - "/usr/bin/startkde" not found; falling back to default session. I found a possible fix in a post and I followed the instruction by entering the terminal using Ctrl+Alt+F1:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -f
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop

The last command results unmet dependencies problem and I got stuck.

enter image description here

[UPDATE]

The result of apt-cache policy kubuntu-desktop kde-workspace plasma-desktop plasma-netbook looks like

enter image description here

I encountered the similar problem before that I could successfully install the desktop, but I think this case is little different from it.

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Sithu
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    Can you add the output of apt-cache policy kubuntu-desktop kde-workspace plasma-desktop plasma-netbook (you could add more of the listed packages to the command, but that should be enough as a start) to your question, please? Plain, code-formatted text is preferred over screen photos though, if possible. – Byte Commander Dec 19 '16 at 17:12
  • @ByteCommander Please check the update for apt-cache in the question. I can't copy and paste the texts as I can't use mouse in the terminal without desktop. The screens had to be taken by mobile camera. – Sithu Dec 20 '16 at 02:27
  • Have you tried installing the missing packages ? – Liso Dec 20 '16 at 03:24

2 Answers2

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It seems you was upgrading kubuntu, but then somehow lost connection in the middle of process.

The plausible fix is to reinstalling kubuntu-desktop package, although the command you run is right. Have you tried manually installing the missing packages that listed on it is not going to be installed?

sudo apt-get install kde-workspace plasma-desktop plasma-netbook software-properties-kde kadressbook apturl-kde apport-kde akregator kde-telepathy kdepim-kresources kdepim-runtime kmail knotes kontact korganizer muon-discover muon-notifier plasma-runner-telepathy-contact plasma-widgets-addons usb-creator-kde
Liso
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Figuring out the unmet dependencies drilling down one by one solved the problem.

apt-get install kubuntu-desktop
apt-get install kubuntu-workspace
apt-get install kubuntu-workspace-bin
apt-get install plasma-desktop
apt-get install plasma-dataengines-workspace
apt-get install kdepim-runtime
apt-get install akonadi-server
apt-get install akonadi-backend-mysql

When I tried the above commands one-by-one, the dependency requirements stopped at akonadi-backend-mysql. I noticed mysql 5.6 was removed during akonadi-backend-mysql installation. Just before my desktop lost, I upgraded mysql 5.5 to 5.6. Probably it made the desktop broken.

Finally I successfully got my desktop back by running these commands, but I lost mysql 5.6.

apt-get install kubuntu-desktop
apt-get install kubuntu-desktop --fix-missing
Sithu
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