Bug#1119668: apt wants to install a lot of Recommends packages when doing full-upgrade
Thanks Julian. Running with Debug::APT::Solver=3 does seem to highlight the
actual problem. The issue appears to be caused by Thunar recommending the
policykit-1-gnome or polkit-1-auth-agent virtual packages which apt to try
installing Cinnamon as the default ("try it") first choice :
[411] Install:thunar:amd64 ()
-- snip --
Found dependency critical thunar:amd64 -> policykit-1-gnome:amd64
Adding work to item thunar:amd64 -> policykit-1-gnome:amd64=0.105-8+b1
Adding work to item thunar:amd64 -> xfce-polkit:amd64=0.3+v20220621-3
Adding work to item thunar:amd64 -> ukui-polkit:amd64=1.2.2.2-1.1+b1
Adding work to item thunar:amd64 -> polkit-kde-agent-1:amd64=4:6.5.0-1
Adding work to item thunar:amd64 -> phosh:amd64=0.49.0-1
Adding work to item thunar:amd64 -> mate-polkit:amd64=1.26.1-5
Adding work to item thunar:amd64 -> lxpolkit:amd64=0.5.6-2
Adding work to item thunar:amd64 -> lxqt-policykit:amd64=2.2.0-1
Adding work to item thunar:amd64 -> gnome-shell:amd64=48.5-3
Adding work to item thunar:amd64 -> gnome-flashback:amd64=3.58.0-1
Adding work to item thunar:amd64 -> cinnamon:amd64=6.4.13-1
Promoting previously satisfied clause to hard dependency: thunar:amd64
Recommends policykit-1-gnome | polkit-1-auth-agent
-- snip --
Item (12@411) thunar:amd64 -> | cinnamon:amd64=6.4.13-1 |
gnome-flashback:amd64=3.58.0-1 | gnome-shell:amd64=48.5-3 |
lxpolkit:amd64=0.5.6
-2 | lxqt-policykit:amd64=2.2.0-1 | mate-polkit:amd64=1.26.1-5 |
phosh:amd64=0.49.0-1 | polkit-kde-agent-1:amd64=4:6.5.0-1 |
ukui-polkit:am
d64=1.2.2.2-1.1+b1 | xfce-polkit:amd64=0.3+v20220621-3 |
policykit-1-gnome:amd64 | policykit-1-gnome:amd64=0.105-8+b1
Trying choice for Item (12@411) thunar:amd64 -> |
cinnamon:amd64=6.4.13-1 | gnome-flashback:amd64=3.58.0-1 |
gnome-shell:amd64=48.5-3 | lx
polkit:amd64=0.5.6-2 | lxqt-policykit:amd64=2.2.0-1 |
mate-polkit:amd64=1.26.1-5 | phosh:amd64=0.49.0-1 |
polkit-kde-agent-1:amd64=4:6.5.0-
1 | ukui-polkit:amd64=1.2.2.2-1.1+b1 |
xfce-polkit:amd64=0.3+v20220621-3 | policykit-1-gnome:amd64 |
policykit-1-gnome:amd64=0.105-8+b1
(try it: cinnamon:amd64=6.4.13-1)
[469] Install:cinnamon:amd64=6.4.13-1 (thunar:amd64)
Which then triggers all the packages needed by Cinnamon.
In case you want to test this yourself, I could reproduce the very same
situation in the forky Docker image. Just apt update/upgrade to get it to
apt 3.1.11, and then do "apt install thunar". You'll see a very similar list of
packages that I'm getting.
Let me know if there's anything more I can do.
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