Subject: How to diagnose an "apt-get instal"l problem

From: Richard Owlett <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 2016 10:18:22 -0500

I was experimenting with a custom minimal install.
[ALL installs are from purchased DVDs as I have minimal 
connectivity.]
I installed Jessie (8.0.0) using expert mode on a machine set 
aside for experiments.
I explicitly chose no desktop environment. The install proceeded 
normally.

 From the Description in Packages.gz, 
mate-desktop-environment-core appeared to be appropriate for my 
needs.

As root I attempted to do
   apt-get install mate-desktop-environment-core
It began normally but terminated with a file not found message 
before coming to the confirm installation step.

To narrow down the problem source(s) I attempted to install a 
different program. It proceeded normally to the confirm install 
question.

Suspecting a damaged/defective DVD I then attempted a fresh 
install to the same partition. This time I chose the lxde 
desktop. Installation proceeded to a fully functioning install.

I then used Synaptic to install mate-desktop-environment-core.
It apparently completed normally. [I've not researched what I 
have to do to switch desktops.]

How can I diagnose what went wrong when I attempted "apt-get 
install"?

TIA

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From: Richard Owlett <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2016 09:50:15 -0500

> How can I diagnose what went wrong when I attempted "apt-get

Made multiple further tries installing various packages. Got 
inconsistent results. The pattern leads me to believe the drive 
is becoming flaky. I will create an ISO from the DVD for use on a 
flash drive. 50+ years of trouble shooting in diverse 
environments is educational ;/

---

From: Richard Owlett <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 11 Sep 2016 06:05:33 -0500

On 9/10/2016 9:50 AM, Richard Owlett wrote:
>[snip]

Actual problem was intermittent typos in package name.
I mentally pronounce en-viron-ment as en-viro-ment.
I.E. PBKAC ;/

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From: Felix Miata <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2016 11:17:28 -0400

> environments is educational ;/

Flaky SATA behavior could be a bad cable. Is your DVD drive connected via a 
red cable? If so, try replacing it.

https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2016/02/msg00321.html
https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2016/02/msg00372.html
http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.linux.ide/54404
-- 
"The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant
words are persuasive." Proverbs 16:21 (New Living Translation)

  Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks!

Felix Miata  ***  http://fm.no-ip.com/

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From: Gene Heskett <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2016 13:33:45 -0400

On Saturday 10 September 2016 11:17:28 Felix Miata wrote:

> Flaky SATA behavior could be a bad cable. Is your DVD drive connected
> via a red cable? If so, try replacing it.
>
With any color but that "hot" red, that dye in the plastic is poison to 
the cable over time.

> http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.linux.ide/54404

Cheers, Gene Heskett
-- 
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
 soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>

---

From: Richard Owlett <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2016 11:01:08 -0500

On 9/10/2016 10:17 AM, Felix Miata wrote:
> Flaky SATA behavior could be a bad cable. Is your DVD drive
> connected via a red cable? If so, try replacing it.
>

In this case I don't think so. The machine in this case is a 
lenovo R61 laptop purchased used a few years ago. The machines 
mentioned in those post all appear to be desktop machines. IIRC 
the cdrom drive is driven by an internal USB port. I know the 
hard disk is.

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From: Greg Wooledge <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 2016 12:19:34 -0400

> before coming to the confirm installation step.

And the error message said...?

> different program.

Instead of reading the error.  *sigh*

> How can I diagnose what went wrong when I attempted "apt-get 

By reading the error.

There is not enough information here to tell whether it was trying to
install a package that isn't physically included on your DVD, or
installing a package that exists but has an error in it, etc.