Score:0

Installing then immediately uninstalling "python" breaks Ubuntu 23.04 Desktop

uy flag

I completely broke my 2-month-old 23.04 installation today.

Steps:

  1. Needed python for something so python -> Command 'python' not found...
  2. Installed python sudo apt install python
  3. Noticed it installed python 2.7 instead of python3 sudo apt remove python

Then the system crashed, flashed on the screen of the fs being corrupted and completely failed to post for ~30 minutes.

Now my Ubuntu boots into a terminal, no desktop, no networking, usb works though.

I'm not sure how any of this is even possible because:

  • python has no installation candidate on any of my other systems (all fresh installs), I'm not sure how it installed in the first place
  • should uninstalling freshly installed python affect Ubuntu desktop, especially since /usr/bin/python is no longer installed by default
  • python3.11.4 is still installed on the system which is the default

Could I be looking at a hardware issue or might this be an Ubuntu thing?

Everything works fine on a live Ubuntu boot image.

guiverc avatar
cn flag
`python3` runs python 3; where `python` runs the earlier python2 as the Python specs still default to (*written long ago & unchanged*). You should **not** remove the default python3 on a Ubuntu Desktop system; did you want `python2` or just want to use the already installed `python3` system?
guiverc avatar
cn flag
Does this answer your question? [How to make 'python' program command execute Python 3?](https://askubuntu.com/questions/320996/how-to-make-python-program-command-execute-python-3)
Organic Marble avatar
us flag
In regards to "how is this possible" - You destroyed your system by messing about with Python. Your first error was thinking it wasn't installed (it is a key component of Ubuntu) then your second was trying to fix this.
bherbruck avatar
uy flag
If you run `sudo apt uninstall python` on a fresh 23.04, it says it cannot find python. I know the difference python and python3. The point is, Ubuntu no longer supports installing Python2.7 as `apt install python`. Maybe you didn't read my whole question. Python3 is still on my system, didn't touch it. The base `python` (2.7 presumably) was never in any of my `*/bin` directories until I installed it, then immediately uninstalled it. Even weirder, `python` has no installation candidate. Just very strange all around.
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