I seem to have nuked my Debian DE (Gnome)... Could someone help me with this?

lemmyreader , 30 minutes ago

EDIT: I kinda forgot to actually mention my problem. When booting nornall, I get stuck at a lonely white blinking cursor on a black screen, so startx seems to make some problems. I enter a TTY and run startx and this is what I get when running startx:

output of startx

What was the output ? It is not visible for me here.

• Were you using startx successfully before ?
• Or are you reverting to trying startx and you did use some graphical display manager like gdm, sddm or lightdm before ?
• Could it be a disk space problem ? If you run out of space trouble can happen with various applications.
• Can you boot from a previous kernel (At the GRUB or systemd boot menu) and see what happens ?

gencha , 46 minutes ago

Double-check that your APT sources are exactly what you expect them to be.

Clean your APT cache. Then update it.

Try to fix broken packages again with apt install.

If the problem persists, look at every single package mentioned in the error. Go to the Debian packages website and look up what the current version for your release is. If there are any mismatches, try to resolve them by uninstalling these packages until apt install completes without error again. Make sure to reinstall the right version of your packages again.

Given your other comments about manipulating post installation scripts for some time, if the above doesn’t work for you, consider backing up your data and reinstalling a fresh setup.

zelifcam , 4 hours ago (edited 4 hours ago)

Wow. The terms “nuked” and “bricked” seem to have lost the meaning I grew up with. What you provided is just a simple error.

It says dependency problem. Have you installed the dependency? It says:

Package linux-image-6.9.7+bpo-amd64-unsigned is not installed. … linux-headers-6.9.7+bpo-amd64 depends on linux-image-6.9.7+bpo-amd64 (= 6.9.7-1bpo12+1) | linux-image-6.9.7+bpo-amd64 -unsigned (= 6.9.7-1bpo12+1);

Maybe you’re doing too much at once. What happens when you just install the one kernel?

<span style="color:#323232;">sudo apt install linux-image-6.9.7+bpo-amd64
</span>

Or maybe try to uninstall the new kernel and its headers. Make sure you have dkms installed and run the apt fix again.

Smorty OP , 4 hours ago (edited 4 hours ago)

When trying to install the one kernel I get exactly the same message as the first image in the post. The first error hints at an error in a posts installation script, which I have had issues with before. I used to delete these script to get over errors aaand that worked fine for some time. In case there has been some change in the error I’m getting, I haven’t picked up on it yet. Either way, here’s the output

https://files.catbox.moe/shx70q.jpg

EDIT: At the top of the message it says " Newest version already installed" so it seems to be blocking itself? Like I’m trying to install a package and it’s like -But I need that package to build this one-

zelifcam , 4 hours ago (edited 3 hours ago)

I used to delete these script to get over errors aaand that worked fine for some time.

I can’t think of one time that I’ve done that in 20 years outside of repackaging applications for work because of crappy vendor supplied packages.

And you’re sure dkms and the headers are installed?

In situations like this, if bad enough I would usually temporarily remove mentioned packages until the apt fix works cleanly again and then reinstall whatever I was trying to do. But you’re saying you have removed post install scripts and manipulated packages? Hmm that seems like trouble.

I’m positive if I was infront of the terminal I could help you out, but I’m starting work for the day. Maybe someone else has a better idea. Sorry bro. But on a positive note, your system is certainly not beyond repair. This seems trivial with a little work and maybe someone who sees the issue better than I right now.

For others taking a look…. What was the command run before the apt fix?

Smorty OP , 3 hours ago

You speak of apt fix, what is that?

zelifcam , 3 hours ago (edited 3 hours ago)

Your screenshot you posted first. The top command is:

<span style="color:#323232;">sudo apt install —fix-broken
</span>

That means you did something first and then found your way to that command

Smorty OP , 3 hours ago

Fair. The first thing I did was yesterday where I tried to add testing, experimental and unstable packages to apt. That didn’t quite work sonI reverted my changes my removing the .list files and recovering the previous default sources.list file. Then today In started up my PC and this was what I got, a black screen with a blinking white cursor. The apt-fix-broken is just something I picked up on during my many times I had to fix my distro… So that was one of the first things i tried after trying the startxcommand.

zelifcam , 3 hours ago

Oh. Wow.

Yeah, when asking for help start with what you did.

Smorty OP , 1 hour ago

OK so when installing the the unsigned kernel, I get an error that the normal version isn’t installed. But when I try to install the normal version, it complains that the unsigned version isn’t installed…

Smorty OP , 1 hour ago

I have now taken a look at the Xorg log files and they seem to be complaining about it not finding the nvidia kernel module, even though I just installed the nvidia-driver package. This is the complete file content

/var/logs/Xorg.0.log[ 271.351] X.Org X Server 1.21.1.11 X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0 [ 271.351] Current Operating System: Linux Marty-PC 6.9.7+bpo-amd64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Debian 6.9.7-1~bpo12+1 (2024-07-03) x86_64 [ 271.351] Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.9.7+bpo-amd64 root=UUID=d4a79dc4-42f3-4ca3-a115-9e7fede5ab33 ro quiet splash nvidia-drm.modeset=1 [ 271.351] xorg-server 2:21.1.12-1 (https://www.debian.org/support) [ 271.351] Current version of pixman: 0.42.2 [ 271.351] Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org to make sure that you have the latest version. [ 271.351] Markers: (–) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting, (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational, (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown. [ 271.351] (==) Log file: “/var/log/Xorg.0.log”, Time: Thu Jul 18 20:00:51 2024 [ 271.351] (==) Using config file: “/etc/X11/xorg.conf” [ 271.351] (==) Using config directory: “/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d” [ 271.351] (==) Using system config directory “/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d” [ 271.352] (==) ServerLayout “Layout0” [ 271.352] (**) |–>Screen “Screen0” (0) [ 271.352] (**) | |–>Monitor “Monitor0” [ 271.352] (**) | |–>Device “Device0” [ 271.352] (**) | |–>GPUDevice “Device0” [ 271.352] (**) |–>Input Device “Keyboard0” [ 271.352] (**) |–>Input Device “Mouse0” [ 271.352] (**) Option “Xinerama” “0” [ 271.352] (**) Allowing byte-swapped clients [ 271.352] (==) Automatically adding devices [ 271.352] (==) Automatically enabling devices [ 271.352] (==) Automatically adding GPU devices [ 271.352] (==) Automatically binding GPU devices [ 271.352] (==) Max clients allowed: 256, resource mask: 0x1fffff [ 271.352] (WW) The directory “/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic” does not exist. [ 271.352] Entry deleted from font path. [ 271.352] (==) FontPath set to: /usr/share/fonts/X11/misc, /usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled, /usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled, /usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1, /usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi, /usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi, built-ins [ 271.352] (==) ModulePath set to “/usr/lib/xorg/modules” [ 271.352] (WW) Hotplugging is on, devices using drivers ‘kbd’, ‘mouse’ or ‘vmmouse’ will be disabled. [ 271.352] (WW) Disabling Keyboard0 [ 271.352] (WW) Disabling Mouse0 [ 271.352] (II) Loader magic: 0x559f2898ff00 [ 271.352] (II) Module ABI versions: [ 271.352] X.Org ANSI C Emulation: 0.4 [ 271.352] X.Org Video Driver: 25.2 [ 271.352] X.Org XInput driver : 24.4 [ 271.352] X.Org Server Extension : 10.0 [ 271.353] (++) using VT number 2 [ 271.355] (II) systemd-logind: took control of session /org/freedesktop/login1/session/_32 [ 271.357] (–) PCI:*(1@0:0:0) 10de:1b83:10de:1b83 rev 161, Mem @ 0xd2000000/16777216, 0xc0000000/268435456, 0xd0000000/33554432, I/O @ 0x00003000/128, BIOS @ 0x???/131072 [ 271.357] (II) LoadModule: “glx” [ 271.357] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libglx.so [ 271.357] (II) Module glx: vendor=“X.Org Foundation” [ 271.357] compiled for 1.21.1.11, module version = 1.0.0 [ 271.357] ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 10.0 [ 271.357] (II) LoadModule: “nvidia” [ 271.358] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/nvidia_drv.so [ 271.358] (II) Module nvidia: vendor=“NVIDIA Corporation” [ 271.358] compiled for 1.6.99.901, module version = 1.0.0 [ 271.358] Module class: X.Org Video Driver [ 271.358] (II) NVIDIA dlloader X Driver 535.183.01 Sun May 12 19:35:37 UTC 2024 [ 271.358] (II) NVIDIA Unified Driver for all Supported NVIDIA GPUs [ 271.358] (II) Loading sub module “fb” [ 271.358] (II) LoadModule: “fb” [ 271.358] (II) Module “fb” already built-in [ 271.358] (II) Loading sub module “wfb” [ 271.358] (II) LoadModule: “wfb” [ 271.358] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libwfb.so [ 271.358] (II) Module wfb: vendor=“X.Org Foundation” [ 271.358] compiled for 1.21.1.11, module version = 1.0.0 [ 271.358] ABI class: X.Org ANSI C Emulation, version 0.4 [ 271.363] (EE) NVIDIA: Failed to initialize the NVIDIA kernel module. Please see the [ 271.363] (EE) NVIDIA: system’s kernel log for additional error messages and [ 271.363] (EE) NVIDIA: consult the NVIDIA README for details. [ 271.368] (EE) NVIDIA: Failed to initialize the NVIDIA kernel module. Please see the [ 271.368] (EE) NVIDIA: system’s kernel log for additional error messages and [ 271.368] (EE) NVIDIA: consult the NVIDIA README for details. [ 271.368] (EE) No devices detected. [ 271.369] (EE) Fatal server error: [ 271.369] (EE) no screens found(EE) [ 271.369] (EE) Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support at http://wiki.x.org for help. [ 271.369] (EE) Please also check the log file at “/var/log/Xorg.0.log” for additional information. [ 271.369] (EE) [ 271.371] (EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.

NeoNachtwaechter , 4 hours ago

a posts installation script, which I have had issues with before. I used to delete these script to get over errors aaand that worked fine for some time.

You da hero!

Please tell me that you also tinker with used cars.

TimeSquirrel , 3 hours ago

Have you tried:

sudo apt-get install -f

?

Edit: you have, I'm stupid

kbal , 4 hours ago

It appears that you're trying to install a kernel for which dkms can't build the version of the v4l2loopback kernel module that you have.

I don't see why this would affect Gnome, but if it's causing problems for the rest of the system maybe try uninstalling v4l2loopback-dkms until you can get a version that works, or else use an older kernel.

Alternately, if you're feeling brave and this is the same version that's in debian stable right now, you could edit /usr/src/v4l2loopback-0.12.7/v4l2loopback.c and replace strlcpy with strscpy in two places.