Re: dpkg --clear-selections seems to empty most of the packages on my system ugh

[Zenaan Harkness <zen@freedbms.net>]

On 4/1/13, Mitchell Laks <mlaks@post.harvard.edu> wrote:
> Hi

Gday :)

> I am setting up a server. I have done it in the past using
>
> dpkg --set-selections <server_install_list
> apt-get dselect-upgrade
...
> dpkg --get-selections > server_install_list
>
> many years ago
> and I didn't care to limit what
> junk was there long ago when I did that.
> )
>
> Now I also got messages like
> dpkg: warning: package not in database at line 1: gpm
> but clearly there still is a packages gpm.
>
> So I googled around and found this page
> http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=79006
> and so I installed the
>
> dselect
> package, which seems to be a new thing.
..
> Now, I was playing around and I did
>
> dpkg --clear-selections
> then
> dpkg --set-selections <fixed_server_install_list
> then apt-get dselect_upgrade
> took out much of my system. That was quite unpleasant.

:)   I'm sure..

> I saved the kernal :)

I'd probably have just reinstalled.

> So then to rescue myself I installed tasksel and I installed the desktop
> system again.
>
> Ok what is the approved method  to add a bunch of packages to the system
> without getting munged??

Well .. .. Step 1) as I (YMMV) would consider it, is, to _choose_ a
bunch of packages.

By using a set of system-default packages from XX years ago, it is
likely you will face the types of problems you have faced above.

In the last month or so, there has been at least one debian-user email
thread about doing a minimal install. I recommend reading that thread.
It is how many of us install servers (and some like I, install
everything, such as my laptop for example).

So, 1) minimal install.

Then 2) add packages. And here's where for you, by the sound of it,
it's been a few years, it might take a few hours of trying to run the
things you want on your server, and discovering what you have to
install to do that.

Keep that list of names of things you've installed.

Now you have _your_ personal-server-minimum-install (pretty much).

Not sure how else you're going to get there ... otherwise if you're
happy with task-sel, install ssh-server, http server, etc tasks, and
be done with it. As long as you've got a spare gig of disk, you should
be fine...

Good luck
Zenaan