[EdLUG] Kubuntu Desktop broken after 'apt-get dist-upgrade'

[Alistair]

I am still struggling to understand how to recover the desktop in a refined manner.

Some of the sites I have found discuss re-installing the display manager and/or window manager and/or the desktop environment, but non of them mention kde plasma explicitly.
(I see the kde plasma logo and spinning cog wheel when I issue the 'startx' command. It just stops at a black screen.)

Taking a "blunderbuss" approach, I have looked at simply re-installing the kubuntu desktop. 
Is this an acceptable approach? Or are there further questions I can ask to establish the system state and what needs fixing?

Using the simulation option of apt-get, I can compare what will be installed / re-installed on the system compared to another working setup:
Broken T480:
'sudo apt-get install -s --reinstall kubuntu-desktop

Reading package lists...
Building dependency tree...
Reading state information...
The following additional packages will be installed:
  fonts-noto-unhinted haveged ibus-data kde-style-oxygen-qt5 kgamma5
  kubuntu-settings-desktop libhavege2 libibus-1.0-5 liboxygenstyle5-5
  liboxygenstyleconfig5-5 libscim8v5 libxcb-record0 plasma-desktop
  plasma-desktop-data plasma-thunderbolt plasma-widgets-addons sddm
  sddm-theme-breeze
Suggested packages:
  ibus quota
The following NEW packages will be installed
  fonts-noto-unhinted haveged ibus-data kde-style-oxygen-qt5 kgamma5
  kubuntu-desktop kubuntu-settings-desktop libhavege2 libibus-1.0-5
  liboxygenstyle5-5 liboxygenstyleconfig5-5 libscim8v5 libxcb-record0
  plasma-desktop plasma-desktop-data plasma-thunderbolt plasma-widgets-addons
  sddm sddm-theme-breeze
0 to upgrade, 19 to newly install, 0 to remove and 67 not to upgrade.'

Working T450:
'sudo apt-get install -s --reinstall kubuntu-desktop

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 0 not to upgrade.
Inst kubuntu-desktop [1.398] (1.398 Ubuntu:20.04/focal [amd64])
Conf kubuntu-desktop (1.398 Ubuntu:20.04/focal [amd64])'

Regards,
Alistair

On Tuesday, 13 September 2022 21:10:09 BST Ken Robson wrote:
> OK my bad .Xauthority is right one.
> 
> ⁣Ken
> 
> Get BlueMail for Android ​
> 
> On 13 Sep 2022, 19:11, at 19:11, Alistair <alistair at archerry.plus.com> wrote:
> >Ken,
> >Thanks for the suggestion.
> >I cannot find a file called .xauth.
> >In the /home/alistair/ folder are the files:
> >.Xauthority and .xsession-errors.
> >I have 'rsync' these, and the output of 'dmesg' to another box so that
> >I may view them more easily.
> >What clues should I look for in these, or other files ?
> >
> >Regards,
> >Alistair
> >
> >On Tuesday, 13 September 2022 18:15:05 BST Ken Robson wrote:
> >> I had a similar issue a few years ago. 
> >> Try renaming the ~/.xauth file (sudo mv ~/.xauth ~/xauth) and see if
> >x will load then.
> >> 
> >> ⁣Ken
> >> 
> >> Get BlueMail for Android ​
> >> 
> >> On 13 Sep 2022, 17:56, at 17:56, Alistair
> ><alistair at archerry.plus.com> wrote:
> >> >azmodie,
> >> >
> >> >Thanks for the prompt reply.
> >> >
> >> >"sudo dpkg --configure -a"
> >> >Reports no actions.
> >> >
> >> >"sudo apt-get update", followed by 
> >> >"sudo apt-get dist-upgrade" or "sudo apt-get install -f":
> >> >Both Reports
> >> >"0 to upgrade 0 to newly install 0 to remove and 13 not to upgrade"
> >> >
> >> >So I need to dig deeper...
> >> >
> >> >Regards,
> >> >
> >> >Alistair
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >On Tuesday, 13 September 2022 15:26:18 BST azmodie wrote:
> >> >> Hi Alistar,
> >> >> 
> >> >> I'd try the usual recovery commands.
> >> >> 
> >> >> sudo apt-get update
> >> >> sudo apt-get upgrade
> >> >> 
> >> >> You may need to run
> >> >> 
> >> >> sudo dpkg --configure -a
> >> >> 
> >> >> or
> >> >> 
> >> >> sudo apt-get install -f
> >> >> 
> >> >> Regards,
> >> >> azmodie
> >> >> 
> >> >> 
> >> >> --
> >> >> http://gplus.to/azmodie
> >> >> "Since light travels faster than sound, people appear bright until
> >> >you hear
> >> >> them speak."  -- some bright spark
> >> >> 
> >> >> 
> >> >> On Tue, 13 Sept 2022 at 14:23, Alistair
> ><alistair at archerry.plus.com>
> >> >wrote:
> >> >> 
> >> >> > Last week I updated my Thinkpad T480 (running Kubuntu 22.04)
> >using
> >> >the
> >> >> > command line. During the process the laptop crashed, and I am no
> >> >longer
> >> >> > able to access the desktop.
> >> >> > I can login to console after boot up, but when I try to start
> >the
> >> >desktop
> >> >> > with 'startx' I get a black screen. To get there it asks for a
> >> >Kwallet
> >> >> > password - (never previously used) and a wireless network
> >password.
> >> >The
> >> >> > mouse pointer is a black arrow  with a white outline, which does
> >> >follow
> >> >> > movements of the trackpad but does not respond to right or left
> >> >buttons.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > I tried  'apt-get dist-upgrade' with the '-f' option to no
> >avail.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > I think it stated that several packages would be held back
> >before
> >> >the
> >> >> > update. I booted into recovery mode, ran 'fsck', 'clean',
> >enabled
> >> >network,
> >> >> > then ran 'dpkg' which updated 41 packages, but still no proper
> >> >desktop.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > How do I confirm the current state of the system, and then
> >recover
> >> >/
> >> >> > repair the Kubuntu desktop?
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Regards,
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Alistair
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> > --
> >> >> > EdLUG mailing list
> >> >> > EdLUG at mailman.lug.org.uk
> >> >> > https://lists.edlug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/edlug
> >> >> >
> >> >> 
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