![[SOLVED] I seem to have nuked my Debian DE (Gnome)... Could someone help me with this?](https://files.catbox.moe/a7hvs8.jpg){kind=link}
The messages here are mostly in German, but I’ll try to translate mist of it:
**dpkg:** Error when editing the package linux-image-6.9.7+bpo-amd64 (--configure): <<Installed posts installation script of the package linux-headers-6.9.7+bpo-amd64<<-subprocess returned error code 1 **dpgk:** dependency error hinders configuration of <that Linux header package>: linux-headers-6.9.7+bpo-amd64 depends on linux-image-6.9.7+bpo-amd64 (= 6.9.7-1~bpo12+1) | linux-image-6.9.7+bpo-amd64 -unsigned (= 6.9.7-1~bpo12+1); but: Package linux-image-6.9.7+bpo-amd64 is not configured yet. Package linux-image-6.9.7+bpo-amd64-unsigned is not installed. **dpgk:** Error while editing the Package linux-headers-6.9.7+bpo-amd64 (--configure): Dependency problem - remains unconfigured **dpkg:** Dependency problem hinder configuration of linux-headers-amd64: linux-headers-amd64 depends on linux-headers-6.9.7+bpo-amd64 (= 6.9.7-1~bpo12+1); but: Package linux-headers-6.9.7+bpo-amd64is not configured yet. **dpkg:** Errow while editing package linux-headers-amd64 (--configure): Dependency problem - remains in configured Errors occurred while editing these: linux-image-6.9.7+bpo-amd64 linux-headers-6.9.7+bpo-amd64 linux-headers-amd64
I really hope someone can help me out here…
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:
SOLUTION
- Uninstall your current nvidia driver (for example using sudo apt remove nvidia-driver on Debian)
- Install the headers for your kernel. your kernel you can check rather easily by running neofetch
- Install the headers required for your kernel. Do that by listing all packages with your kernel name in it. For example like this:
apt list *6.9.7+bpo* - reboot, install your nvidia driver again and rovoot again. Should be done.
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?
You speak of apt fix, what is that?
Your screenshot you posted first. The top command is:
That means you did something first and then found your way to that command
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.
Oh. Wow.
Yeah, when asking for help start with what you did.
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…
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.You left out the NVIDIA card part. This is super important. So you have two kernels in a bad state and the NVIDIA driver is probably not building out.
You’ve got a chicken and egg issue.
This isn’t a technical answer but simply a generalization of what probably needs to happen.
I would start over on whatever kernel situation you have going.
First uninstall the NVIDIA driver.
Then remove that unsigned kernel and its headers. Use the force option if necessary.
Ensure dkms, the base kernel and its headers are installed.
Reboot using standard kernel and then install nvidia-dkms package. Reboot.
It’s tough to tell you exactly what needs to be done because I’m not really sure what kind of damage you did or what the full extent of the errors are. You might need some force options or whatever but generally that’s all that needs to happen. YOU do not have a NVIDIA driver built for whatever kernel you’re using.
You were entirely correct. Thank you very much for your response, I really was missing the header files for the kernel so the driver couldn’t interact with the system (as far as I can tell). The nouveau driver automatically kicked in on first reboot after installing the header files and I’m now downloading the dkms package again (using Gnome).
Great!
If you do fix it, go ahead and update the post with the solution. Help out the next guy.
https://wiki.debian.org/DontBreakDebian#Don.27t_make_a_FrankenDebian
Fair. I was trying to install some latest versions if Dev packages because Debian seemed to lack behind (some gtk-4 package was out of date). I need it for building this FOSS VR software called “envision”.
https://gitlab.com/gabmus/envision