Score:-1

Undo KDE install on Ubuntu

us flag

I recently did this: sudo tasksel install kubuntu-desktop

Since then I have come to regret the choice, as many of my default apps have changed, and I can't actually seem to boot to the KDE desktop anyway.

I'm looking for a painless way to undo what I did, basically!

Is there a script or something?

Ob Paying Attention:

I did try: sudo apt-get remove kubuntu-desktop

And that changed nothing useful.

And also: sudo tasksel remove kubuntu-desktop

failed as well.

Any suggestions welcomed!

guiverc avatar
cn flag
You haven't provided OS & release details (*the effects on secondary desktops can vary on release, but you gave no specifics*). The effect of adding a second desktop is you can select it at login (ie. you added another option to the DM used by your release; but you didn't state what was so it may have been `gdm3` but adjust for your base OS/flavor/release). Plymouth screens are just a wallpaper (installed when you install a desktop) so will remain, but just switch your system to the one you prefer etc.. You could have purged instead of remove (to remove configs) but a bit late now.
Nmath avatar
ng flag
*"looking for a painless way to undo what I did"* - After you've deleted the KDE packages, It's possible that you can create a new user and get rid of the old one. A new user will start with newly generated configs. If that doesn't work, reinstalling the OS is an option. Otherwise, you'll need to seek out and remedy all of the little conflicts that are causing whatever problems that you're experiencing. Changing the DE on an installed system can get messy -this is why Ubuntu has releases in several different [flavours](https://ubuntu.com/download/flavours)
Bytebro avatar
us flag
Hi. Specifically with the second (and very thoughtful) comment my point is kind of, if I can now select a desktop environment at the point of login, what I would hope and expect would be that I get KDE apps and defaults if I choose that, or Gnome apps and defaults if I choose that. That is not what happened. I now have KDE apps and defaults (file manger, torrent client, and many more) regardless of which desktop I choose at the point of login. Just make it properly switchable, is all I'm asking.
guiverc avatar
cn flag
If you install GNOME apps on a KDE system, users will expect they can run them in their KDE; the same applies with KDE apps on a GNOME system, so if you have both KDE & GNOME apps; they'll both be available for both sessions; that makes the most sense to me. Your OS treats each equally; as they've both been installed; and no *favorites* are done, as that is what users expect; as most do not install multiple DEs. I like the way the existing system works; as a lover of multiple DEs; I can setup & have my Lubuntu (LXQt), Xubuntu (Xfce) & Ubuntu-MATE(MATE) work identically; alas GNOME is gnome...
Bytebro avatar
us flag
OK, is there a way (without necessarily doing a re-install, which is obvs what I'm trying to avoid!) that I can re-install the Gnome desktop, and have it, if you like, re-take-over those defaults?
guiverc avatar
cn flag
As already stated; the effects of what you've done can vary on release; and you didn't provide any release details as I said earlier. You could always `sudo apt install --reinstall ubuntu-desktop` but the effects will vary as stated in first comment on *unstated* OS/release details, and what you actually did. You can re-install Ubuntu desktop systems (inc. *flavors*) without losing any data, or config changes; the config changes do however mean some settings you've changed in what you've already done, may survive a re-install (unless it's a *clean* re-install)
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