As someone thats new to the debian world (a small visit a couple of years ago but....) how do I get round this?

Whenever I try to either install something, or do apt-get dist-upgrade I'm getting this

I should point out, that thats the response after apt-get dist-upgrade, while the top part of the error changes some, the second section referring to "files list file for package libgtk1.2-common is missing final newline" remains.

It even showed it when I tried to install Opera, so how do I get round that one?

Also, for reasons that I don't follow, my screen res won't go any higher than 1152x864, previously to installing the debian I could use 1280x1024 or 1600x1200. I thought that this might have something to do with not using the nvidia driver yet.

Ha, cosmic! So how do I do that??? I tried the "normal" way, but it just told me stuff about missing files (though if kernel sources are installed by default, how can there be missing files - I thought that debian was "supposed" to be one of the benchmark systems???) and have got no where!

Any ideas about that please ????

regards

John

The first part of the error says that there is a problem removing package vdr-kbd because the package vdr depends on it. You could try removing vdr first (apt-get remove vdr). Then apt-get remove vdr-kbd. I'm not sure if that will fix things. If that doesn't do anything, you can try forcing the issue: dpkg -P --force-all vdr-kbd

The second question about display settings can be fixed with: dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86 and answering questions about your video card and monitor. There is a sticky post by Macondo that has some suggestions there.

The last part about installing the Nvidia driver is something that I have also had trouble with. What I found that works is to first recompile the kernel before installing the Nvidia driver. You can take your existing kernel configuration and use it and just recompile. Boot into the new kernel and install Nvidia using the source directly from nvidia.com (It is a script run with "sh NVIDIA*). The Nvidia driver will then be compiled for your kernel without problem. Recompiling your kernel makes it possible to install any other drivers you might need from source.

Thanks for the reply m_yates,

I found out how to get round the first problem. Part of the error was that the first file said that it had a "missing final newline". I didn't have a clue what that meant.

I found out that some of the list files must either be very badly maintained, or they had been copied from the disc and been corrupted on the way.

I had to open the file list in VI and then add a carriage return, but then backspace it, so that the stuff in the list had a blue ~ sign at the end (apparently, if it doesn't have that, the system thinks that its missing something). It turned out that I had to do that for about 10 different files and then the system would finish the apt-get dist-upgrade.

As for the screen resolution problem, well if I look at the XF86Config-4, it shows that I should be able to get a screen res of 1280x1024 (or 1600x1200 for that matter), but for reasons that I don't follow, it won't allow me to select that (or refresh rate above 60hz either). So I can't fathom that one out.

As for the nvidia driver, No, theres no good reason why I should have to recompile a kernel (not that I know how to do that properly anyway). The whole point of having the kernel sources is so that you're able to use the cross distro Nvidia installer, so that it makes the kernel module for you, rather than messing about. It seems that while this install of mine has support for my graphics card, it doesn't want to play as regards making the kernel module.

Strange really, I haven't had that problem with any other distro where I've installed the nvidia driver (mandrake, gentoo, SuSE). Debian does seem to do some stuff in a curious way. Unfortunately I'm loosing patience with this, I've already downloaded the install discs for gentoo, I'd rather not have wasted the effort of trying to have another go at learning debian stuff, but it's proving more confusing than I'd hoped.

I have some stuff that I need to do with some urgency, and I need to be able to have a good screen res to do that, so it looks like it'll be "bye bye" debian.

I dunno, maybe I'm searching for the wrong stuff, but I found some instructions for the nvidia driver, but it just errored out at the makefile stage! and I'll be blowed if I can sus that one!

Oh well!

Again, thanks for your reply, it's much appreciated.

regards

John

The best instructions I've found for installing the nvidia drivers are right here.

No, I did not recompile my kernel. Just follow the instructions carefully and you should be good to go. I did have to go into my x config file and manually enter the horizontal and vert rates for my monitor, but that was no biggie.

Hopefully this will get you on the right track .

If you have things to do in a hurry, gentoo is definitely not the way to go

It is possible to install the Nvidia drivers without recompiling the kernel. However, I just find it easier to recompile the kernel first to make compiling drivers for the kernel later. You misunderstood what I said above. You can install the Nvidia drivers striaght from Nvidia. However, if you try it without recompiling the kernel, it will throw up errors about kernel sources, even if the are there. If you recompile the kernel first, you will see no errors.

Your display problem is a configuration problem in /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 Probably it is setting the refresh rates lower than what your monitor is actually capable of. Therfore, you cannot increase the resolution. If you try "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86" and it doesn't work properly, you can run "xf86config" and follow the instructions here: http://www.bitbenderforums.com/vb22/...?postid=313121 or you can edit the configuration manually.

If you want Debian without wasting time configuring, I recommend buying Libranet 3.0 or downloading Mepis. Good luck!

thanks for the tips.

Its now academic, as I've managed to mess it up (again). So rather than go through the relative trauma of trying to re-install the debian (well, it was a hard disc install of knoppix that I was "converting"), I've just said "sod it" for the moment and put the mandrake 10 powerpack that I used to use before I started with gentoo about 9 months or so ago.

I'm not going to bother putting it back either. It just wasn't to my liking. I didn't like the way it looked (from a default point of view), apt is very good, but so much of it seems to be "non-standard" i.e. the debian way, even though I understood that it's supposed to be one of the "serious" systems, often quoted as a benchmark.

Generally, I didn't find it very satisfactory. I'm sure it's probably very good, but for someone else, not me!

Thanks for the tips and suggestions anyway.

regards

John

Aha!! Your main problem there was trying to convert Knoppix to Debian. I've tried that.. a couple times. It just makes a mess. It's nothing like going with a true Debian install. I've heard a couple of people have done it successfully (though I have no idea of their Debian experience and if they really know what they're talking about or if they just finally ended up with something that worked halfway decent and said "Tada!"), but I certainly wouldn't waste any more time messing with it. Please don't make the mistake of confusing a hd install of Knoppix with Debian proper, which is what you led everyone in this thread to believe you were using. You weren't, and *that's* why you were having problems. Not really fair to place blame on Debian when it was most certainly NOT it's fault. For instance, you said "I found out that some of the list files must either be very badly maintained, or they had been copied from the disc and been corrupted on the way." implying that Debian included files which were "very badly maintained" when those files were likely Knoppix specific. If they were straight from the Debian repository, then it's likely they were simply not compatible with some part of your hacked Knoppix, either way, not Debian's fault.

[edit] BTW, I notice the link I posted further up was borked.. dunno how I did that, but it's fixed now... and the way I do it, as in that link, you have no need to compile drivers, I use module-assistant.

Debian *IS* a benchmark quality system. Knoppix is not. Knoppix hacked is even less so.

Thanks for the pointer Deeze,

I'll try debian proper next time (well ok, it might be via Ubuntu first, but I'll still be changing the apt sources list to proper debian ones). I don't know how close to "proper" that'll be.

the only reason why I tried a derivative, is because I'm no techie, and last time I tried debian proper I couldn't get the slippery little beggar to install completely. i found out why though, a friend (who happens to be on the developers list) id'd that I was trying the stable version (woody), which due to it's age (long release periods related I know!), didn't like my graphics card at all. Whereas the hardware detection from knoppix is excellent.

Plus I'm not comfortable, or experienced enough to do a proper manual install - In truth, the only reason that I had gentoo before, was because their install docs are of a considerably higher standard than most that I've come across (Ha! even an idiot like me can manage it ).

Though I think it's better for me to wait until I've got my system back up and running and everythings working OK!

Again, TVM for the assistance. It's much appreciated.

regards

John

Glad to help. Hey, do yourself a favor. Go here.. and get the Sarge net install disk. Just give it a try, the installer is almost identical to Ubuntu (Ubuntu uses that installer, but removes just a couple choices from the install, really not much.. when in doubt, pick the default answer) and you'll start off right with the real thing . Ubuntu with changed repo list will likely give you troubles also, as just enough is changed to break stuff in a mixed environment.

On the above given page, choose "netinst CD image, with Debian base".
It will give you a base install and a chance to download and install what you need over the internet right after.

Good luck.