Aptitude Uninstalled All My Packages

Question

When I was using apititude to install something (I used aptitude because it installs all dependencies which was helpful) it decided to uninstall ALL my packages which happened to include my graphics drivers and other key programs installed. Now I am stuck trying to get back into my pc using

sudo apt-get install --reinstall ubuntu-desktop

this has come back with the error:

"ERR1: http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial InReleas
Temporary failure resovling 'gb.archive.ubuntu.com'

Aptitude did not ... you did ;-) regarding the error see: https://askubuntu.com/questions/91543/apt-get-update-fails-to-fetch-files-temporary-failure-resolving-error for tips and fixes. — Rinzwind, Dec 29 '17 at 21:01
I have been looking at this article and have been trying fixes... None have worked. @Rinzwind — KilianAlias, Dec 29 '17 at 21:02
@Kilian the @username should be written at the start of the comment for the other user to be notified. Regarding your problem why would you even try to do a reinstall of an entire like that after you removed it? Just use a usb or a cd. After all you're reinstalling everything, what difference would it make? Do a clean install — Lynob, Dec 29 '17 at 21:13
I am sorry you had this happen. Aptitude is no better or worse than any other and Ubuntu is migrating to apt. Usually this sort of thing happens when you either force something or use 3rd party repos. Please post your repos and try another mirror. — Panther, Dec 29 '17 at 21:13
@Lynob oops didn't realise. I cannot find a usb at the moment and it is really annoying as I have important reports to be typing that need to be ready. — KilianAlias, Dec 29 '17 at 21:19
Try another mirror and sudo apt install ubuntu-desktop. If you get errors post your repos and error message. https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+archivemirrors — Panther, Dec 29 '17 at 21:22
If you do not have networking reinstall WITHOUT FORMATTING that will preserve your data in home — Panther, Dec 29 '17 at 21:24
I have tried downloading it with mirrors. Same error. My sources are as follows: — KilianAlias, Dec 29 '17 at 21:36
deb http://ie.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial main deb-src http://ie.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial main — KilianAlias, Dec 29 '17 at 21:37
en3ps0 link encap: Ethernet HWaddr: d9:97:ba:83:XX:XX UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1 RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0 — KilianAlias, Dec 29 '17 at 21:47
sudo nano /etc/resolveconf add a line nameserver 8.8.8.8 save and re try installing ubuntu-desktop — Panther, Dec 29 '17 at 21:48
Its a directory not a file. (/etc/resolveconf) wait oops I did resolveconf not resolvconf — KilianAlias, Dec 29 '17 at 21:50
How? (I'm extremely sorry. I am a noob with linux and ubuntu) — KilianAlias, Dec 29 '17 at 21:53
@Panther I would like to say thank you! I figured it out by using: sudo dhclient en3ps0 — KilianAlias, Dec 29 '17 at 22:00
Does this answer your question? apt-get update fails to fetch files, “Temporary failure resolving …” error — karel, Jan 21 '20 at 09:14

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 30 '17 at 15:07

0

From the lengthy comments, the OP was able to resolve the problem by running :

sudo dhclient en3ps0
sudo install ubuntu-desktop

answered Dec 30 '17 at 15:07

Panther

102,067

I know its been a few years, and I just came across this again. Although I am a good bit more educated on Ubuntu now, this answer still helped me when I was a noob. – KilianAlias Jul 16 '20 at 12:20

Aptitude Uninstalled All My Packages

1 Answers1