Can I Remove GUI From Debian?
I just did my first install of any Linux OS, and I accidentally selected «Desktop GUI» in the install, but I want to build everything myself. Is there any way by which I can remove the GUI environment without re-installing OS?
From what I’ve seen, there are always many GUI packages missed by the uninstall methods (one can see them with dpkg —get-selections as per @daniel-bank’s comment). If using the method of removing base packages, then autoremoving the rest, it’s easy to lose desired packages that were installed as dependencies. apt-mark can set them as explicitly installed, preventing automatic removal, but the end result is never as clean as a fresh install would have been.
3 Answers 3
Debian uses tasksel for installing software for a specific system. The command gives you some information:
> tasksel --list-tasks i desktop Graphical desktop environment u web-server Web server u print-server Print server u dns-server DNS server u file-server File server u mail-server Mail server u database-server SQL database u ssh-server SSH server u laptop Laptop u manual manual package selection The command above lists all tasks known to tasksel . The line desktop should print an i in front. If that is the case you can have a look at all packages which this task usually installs:
> tasksel --task-packages desktop twm eject openoffice.org xserver-xorg-video-all cups-client … On my system the command outputs 36 packages. You can uninstall them with the following command:
> apt-get purge $(tasksel --task-packages desktop) This takes the list of packages (output of tasksel ) and feeds it into the purge command of apt-get . Now apt-get tells you what it wants to uninstall from the system. If you confirm it everything will be purged from your system.
How to remove GNOME Shell from Ubuntu 20.04 LTS to install other desktop environment from scratch?
I have just installed the final version of Ubuntu 20.04 LTS desktop system from ubuntu-20.04-desktop-amd64.iso.
After two days of testing I completely do not like its graphical interface — the GNOME Shell.
Even installation of GNOME Flashback does not help either. So I want to completely remove the GNOME Shell with all its trails from my system without re-installation.
Just want to start from scratch like it was approximately if I have installed Ubuntu from minimal network boot ISO.
Best NOT to try and uninstall GNOME Shell, as you’ll probably break your system. Just install a different DE, and choose it at your login screen.
@heynnema the solution below is tested on clean VM, and it is proven to work as expected. Tested all paths by myself before posting an answer 🙂
I didn’t notice that the OP was you 🙂 Your answer may be proven, but if somebody else tries it, and has even ONE typo, or misplaced «\», it’ll break the system, hence my comment. I’d recommend just doing the 2nd half of your answer. Much safer. Plus, if you spend just a tad more time with GNOME Shell, you might find that it’s workable, even if you have to add a couple of GNOME Shell extensions to make it work better for you. That’ll take more than two days of testing it. A new car never drives the same as the old car 🙂
I removed gnome and installed kde (kubuntu-desktop) on my system and it works fine. I wanted to use the desktop installer for the zfs option. I forgot how I did it which is why I’m back here. One thing I do remember is the gnome-shell snap also has to be removed.
Why not start with Ubuntu Server instead, and then just install whatever desktop environment you want? Seems like what you’re describing is installing Ubuntu Desktop, only to reduce it to Ubuntu Server — or am I missing something?
2 Answers 2
The set of long commands below for GNOME Shell removal is below
sudo apt update sudo apt purge adwaita-icon-theme gedit-common gir1.2-gdm-1.0 \ gir1.2-gnomebluetooth-1.0 gir1.2-gnomedesktop-3.0 gir1.2-goa-1.0 \ gnome-accessibility-themes gnome-bluetooth gnome-calculator gnome-calendar \ gnome-characters gnome-control-center gnome-control-center-data \ gnome-control-center-faces gnome-desktop3-data \ gnome-font-viewer \ gnome-initial-setup gnome-keyring gnome-keyring-pkcs11 gnome-logs \ gnome-mahjongg gnome-menus gnome-mines gnome-online-accounts \ gnome-power-manager gnome-screenshot gnome-session-bin gnome-session-canberra \ gnome-session-common gnome-settings-daemon gnome-settings-daemon-common \ gnome-shell gnome-shell-common gnome-shell-extension-appindicator \ gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons gnome-shell-extension-ubuntu-dock \ gnome-startup-applications gnome-sudoku gnome-system-monitor gnome-terminal \ gnome-terminal-data gnome-themes-extra gnome-themes-extra-data gnome-todo \ gnome-todo-common gnome-user-docs gnome-user-docs-ru gnome-video-effects \ language-pack-gnome-en language-pack-gnome-en-base language-pack-gnome-ru \ language-pack-gnome-ru-base language-selector-gnome libgail18 libgail18 \ libgail-common libgail-common libgnome-autoar-0-0 libgnome-bluetooth13 \ libgnome-desktop-3-19 libgnome-games-support-1-3 libgnome-games-support-common \ libgnomekbd8 libgnomekbd-common libgnome-menu-3-0 libgnome-todo libgoa-1.0-0b \ libgoa-1.0-common libpam-gnome-keyring libsoup-gnome2.4-1 libsoup-gnome2.4-1 \ nautilus-extension-gnome-terminal pinentry-gnome3 yaru-theme-gnome-shell sudo apt purge gnome-getting-started-docs gnome-getting-started-docs-ru # 21.04 and 21.10 specifics sudo apt purge libreoffice-style-yaru yaru-theme-icon yaru-theme-sound # 21.10 specifics sudo apt purge libgdm1 libgjs0g rygel librygel-core-2.6-2 librygel-db-2.6-2 librygel-renderer-2.6-2 librygel-server-2.6-2 \ plymouth-theme-spinner plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text branding-ubuntu sudo apt autopurge Note: if one have previously installed Vanilla GNOME desktop manually by sudo apt install vanilla-gnome-desktop and/or Ubuntu GNOME desktop by sudo apt install ubuntu-gnome-desktop and/or GNOME FlashBack by sudo apt install gnome-flashback gnome-panel and/or full GNOME by sudo apt install gnome — one have to execute extra removal commands below:
sudo apt purge adwaita-icon-theme geogebra-gnome gir1.2-gtd-1.0 \ gnome-accessibility-profiles gnome-applets-data gnome-audio gnome-backgrounds \ gnome-cards-data gnome-common gnome-desktop-testing gnome-dvb-daemon \ gnome-extra-icons gnome-flashback-common \ gnome-humility-icon-theme gnome-hwp-support gnome-icon-theme \ gnome-icon-theme-gartoon gnome-icon-theme-gartoon-redux \ gnome-icon-theme-gperfection2 gnome-icon-theme-nuovo gnome-icon-theme-suede \ gnome-icon-theme-yasis gnome-mime-data gnome-nds-thumbnailer \ gnome-packagekit-data gnome-panel-control gnome-panel-data \ gnome-pkg-tools gnome-recipes-data gnome-remote-desktop gnome-settings-daemon-dev \ gnome-shell-pomodoro-data gnome-software-common gnome-software-doc \ gnome-theme-gilouche gnome-video-effects-extra gnome-video-effects-frei0r \ guile-gnome2-dev guile-gnome2-glib libgnome-autoar-doc libgnomecanvas2-common \ libgnomecanvas2-doc libgnomecanvasmm-2.6-doc libgnome-panel-doc libgnome-todo-dev \ libopenrawgnome7:amd64 libopenrawgnome-dev libreoffice-gnome libxine2-gnome:amd64 \ nautilus-sendto pidgin-gnome-keyring plymouth-theme-ubuntu-gnome-logo \ plymouth-theme-ubuntu-gnome-text ubuntu-gnome-wallpapers \ ubuntu-gnome-wallpapers-trusty ubuntu-gnome-wallpapers-utopic \ ubuntu-gnome-wallpapers-xenial ubuntu-gnome-wallpapers-yakkety sudo apt purge gnome-exe-thumbnailer sudo apt purge slim openbox geoclue-2.0 sudo apt autopurge Then one can install any desktop environment of interest with commands like:
- Cinnamon — sudo apt install cinnamon-desktop-environment
- KDE as in Kubuntu — sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop^
- MATE as in Ubuntu MATE — sudo apt install ubuntu-mate-desktop^
- Unity — sudo apt install ubuntu-unity-desktop
- Xfce as in Xubuntu — sudo apt install xubuntu-desktop^
then reboot, select newly installed desktop session and login to it.
Note: this method is applicable for Ubuntu 21.04 and 21.10 too.