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#1 2026-03-21 17:30:18

Ron
Member
Registered: 2018-04-22
Posts: 605  

Trying to install Refracta Snapshot, says it will delete Mate

I installed Devuan Freia on a spare computer I have and have started setting up the system the way I want it. When I'm done, I was planning on using Refracta snapshot to make an .iso, then burn it to a DVD so I can install it on my main computer. However, when I try to install Refracta snapshot (in Synaptic) I get a message saying that the whole DE Mate is going to be removed. Why? How can I get Refracta snapshot installed without removing anything? Thanks.

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#2 2026-03-21 17:34:02

greenjeans
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Registered: 2017-04-07
Posts: 1,567  
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Re: Trying to install Refracta Snapshot, says it will delete Mate

This may be one of the few times I would use the terminal instead of Synaptic. You can download the Snapshot package itself, then use apt-get install in terminal, and it will usually give you some details as to why something like this would happen, i.e. if there's conflicts between packages it will list them and then ask if you want proceed (obviously NO in this case, lol).


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#3 2026-03-21 18:30:39

Ron
Member
Registered: 2018-04-22
Posts: 605  

Re: Trying to install Refracta Snapshot, says it will delete Mate

This is what I got from the terminal. It looks like it still wants to get rid of Mate.

ron@ron:~$ sudo apt install refractasnapshot-base
[sudo] password for ron: 
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  clearlooks-phenix-sapphire-theme  lightdm-gtk-greeter
  deepsea-icon-theme                p11-kit
  dmz-cursor-theme                  p11-kit-modules
  gnome-accessibility-themes        tiny-initramfs-core
  gnome-extra-icons                 xcvt
  gnome-themes-extra                xfonts-base
  gnome-themes-extra-data           xserver-common
  gparted                           xserver-xorg
  gparted-common                    xserver-xorg-core
  gtk2-engines                      xserver-xorg-input-all
  gtk2-engines-pixbuf               xserver-xorg-input-libinput
  gtk3-nocsd                        xserver-xorg-input-wacom
  gtk3-nooverlayscrollbar           xserver-xorg-legacy
  libdrm-nouveau2                   xserver-xorg-video-all
  libdrm-radeon1                    xserver-xorg-video-amdgpu
  libgtk3-nocsd0                    xserver-xorg-video-ati
  liblightdm-gobject-1-0            xserver-xorg-video-fbdev
  libparted-fs-resize0t64           xserver-xorg-video-intel
  libseat1                          xserver-xorg-video-nouveau
  libunwind8                        xserver-xorg-video-qxl
  libxcb-dri2-0                     xserver-xorg-video-radeon
  libxcvt0                          xserver-xorg-video-vesa
  libxfont2                         yad
  libxvmc1
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.

Installing:
  refractasnapshot-base

Installing dependencies:
  dracut-install        libisofs6t64               live-config-sysvinit
  dummy-logind          libjte2                    live-tools
  initramfs-tools       libklibc                   mtools
  initramfs-tools-bin   libsystemd0                squashfs-tools
  initramfs-tools-core  live-boot                  syslinux
  isolinux              live-boot-doc              syslinux-common
  klibc-utils           live-boot-initramfs-tools  user-setup
  libburn4t64           live-config                uuid-runtime
  libisoburn1t64        live-config-doc            xorriso

Suggested packages:
  curlftpfs  debian-installer-launcher  xorriso-tcltk  cdck
  httpfs2    floppyd                    jigit

REMOVING:
  desktop-base       libpam-elogind  task-mate-desktop
  libelogind-compat  task-desktop    tiny-initramfs

Summary:
  Upgrading: 0, Installing: 28, Removing: 6, Not Upgrading: 0
  Download size: 4,256 kB
  Freed space: 2,015 kB

Last edited by Ron (2026-03-21 18:59:12)

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#4 Yesterday 01:56:43

dzz
Member
From: Exmouth, South West England
Registered: 2016-12-01
Posts: 114  

Re: Trying to install Refracta Snapshot, says it will delete Mate

REMOVING:
  desktop-base       libpam-elogind  task-mate-desktop
  libelogind-compat  task-desktop    tiny-initramfs

says task-mate-desktop not mate-desktop-environment. Not actually needed (and probably not the others) but for sure there's an issue with auto installed packages to sort manually.

apt-mark manual mate-desktop-environment

might help, see how you get on. Welcome to the moving target of testing/unstable...

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#5 Yesterday 03:32:31

Ron
Member
Registered: 2018-04-22
Posts: 605  

Re: Trying to install Refracta Snapshot, says it will delete Mate

dzz wrote:

says task-mate-desktop not mate-desktop-environment

Yeah, that's the terminal output. From Synaptic it was going to remove Mate period.

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#6 Yesterday 09:58:26

Camtaf
Member
Registered: 2019-11-19
Posts: 538  

Re: Trying to install Refracta Snapshot, says it will delete Mate

Why not/maybe just go ahead, & after installing refracta snapshot, just reinstall mate(?).

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#7 Yesterday 12:48:19

dzz
Member
From: Exmouth, South West England
Registered: 2016-12-01
Posts: 114  

Re: Trying to install Refracta Snapshot, says it will delete Mate

I don't use mate but was interested in this post because libelogind-compat (provides libsystemd0) is involved. I can't install that here in freia but can in ceres.

Is libelogind-compat or something related broken in freia and awaits updating? I would either wait or enable ceres temporarily. Mind how you go and don't use synaptic!

I would still apt-mark manual mate-desktop-environment (maybe others) and carefully purge the tasksel stuff.

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#8 Yesterday 22:56:43

Ron
Member
Registered: 2018-04-22
Posts: 605  

Re: Trying to install Refracta Snapshot, says it will delete Mate

I just went ahead and did a net install onto my main computer. Played around with it all day, then took it off. There were a few things not quite ready yet (of course since it's testing), but the biggest thing was that gtk2 apps wouldn't run on it. I had no idea Debian 14 removed gtk2 support. I think I'll be on Excalibur till the bitter end, but will keep Freia on my spare computer. Hopefully in a couple of months the rough edges will be smoothed out. If I try to install the snapshot tool (if I ever feel adventurous one day) I'll come back here and report how it went.

Last edited by Ron (Yesterday 22:59:10)

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