Score:0

Will the removal of many packages (in order to accommodate installing a single package) cause my system to malfunction?

au flag

I am running Ubuntu 21.10/Gnome. I was browsing packages using Synaptic when I discovered libmp3splt. I selected to install it when I got a dialog showing me all the packages (e.g., alsa-base, linux-sound-base, ubuntu-desktop, ubuntu-desktop-minimal, and ubuntu-gnome-desktop) that will be removed in order to install it.

Reading the description of libmp3splt gives me no clue as to WHY these packages will be removed. Until now, I had thought that the package being installed provided alternatives to those being removed. But, removing ubuntu-* concerns me... I don't see how ubuntu-specific packages might also be in an mp3 package.

My question is: Will the removal of so many packages (in order to accommodate installing a single package) cause my system to malfunction?

us flag
Yes, it will certainly cause the system to malfunction. The [package](https://packages.ubuntu.com/impish/libmp3splt) does not have conflict with any other package. Can you first update your computer (`sudo apt update` and `sudo apt dist-upgrade`), and try again? If the issue persists, can you run `sudo apt install libmp3splt --simulate` and post the full output? Don't forget to add the `--simulate` flag, so that it would not harm the system.
user535733 avatar
cn flag
For example, when I run `apt install libmp3splt --simulate` on a 21.10 system, only two packages are installed and zero are removed. This suggests that something is *already* wrong with your system, and the proposed install merely exposed that existing problem.
TheGeeko61 avatar
au flag
Thanks! Yes, after doing an update/upgrade, I pulled Synaptic back up and selected libmp3splt... no package will be removed and only the libmp3splt package would be installed. Love the --simulate option; I was unaware of that and it'll be useful in the future.
Score:1
au flag

If you should run into a situation like this one, it's prudent to do a sudo apt update followed by a sudo apt upgrade (not really necessary when using Synaptic because, once you've pulled it up, you have an option to tell it to do upgrades in addition to installing the packages you choose).

Once you've pulled up Synaptic again (after the update/upgrade), verify by choosing the package of interest and inspecting what actions (i.e., install, remove) it reports.

In my case, once I ran the update/upgrade, it reported 1 install and no removals... So glad for this forum; I was on the verge of corrupting my system. Thanks to archisman-panigrahi and user535733 for sharing their wisdom and sparing me grief.

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