Thread: Pls help repair broken upgrade (8.04 -> 10.04)

hi,

i've searched high , low on tubes solution many problems arising upgrade between hardy , lucid (32bit). i've tried of apt-get -f install 's , liberal helpings of dpkg --configure -a 's universally recommended. while i'm considerably closer when started, i'm not quite there yet.

give bit of (likely unimportant) background, system has been running little on 3 years, survived upgrade 7.10 8.04 , conversion physical vmwware (currently running on esxi4). there's alot (of junk) spread around system , if decommission in favour of clean install potentially take me long time square 1 has accumulated many small tasks on years i'm not sure effects apparent me. it's pretty indispensible part of network and, suffice say, i'd rather resurrect wipe slate.

problem, ones, began fault. crucially, forgot snapshot vm prior commencing upgrade. @ root of problem, new version of python installed quite along time ago (and forgot about) caused mass incompatibilities during upgrade, , significant number of packages failed.

after determining cause , restoring old python took me couple of days in 7th circle of dependency hell coaxing packages in system.

i'm @ point apt thinks hunky dory, there crucial packages missing. gdm, example, not installed , after reinstalling have login screen again, no desktop appear after logging in.

i'm little embarrased i've pretty reached knowledge limit of linux's engine room don't know what's missing finish installation. don't know how ask packaging system how tell me what's missing (ie: master list of packages desktop system) can compare , check off. i'm not above doing hand if need be.

i'm reasonably there's missing xserver system, know little sure, or how determine it. running old dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg recovery shell results in no output. is, drops next line.

if try logging in under x11vnc session old grey , white checker background x cursor, or black screen if try nx server login.

if xserver part of problem, don't know how find out else missing , fix it. i'm sure answers out here on net, don't know correct questions ask. i've done apt-get install for ubuntu-desktop installed heap more packages, didn't fix everything.

on quest appreciated.

thanks

sk

(ps: can run synaptic on ssh machine if helps)
(pps: it's on 1 partition, no separate /home or others)

Forum The Ubuntu Forum Community Ubuntu Official Flavours Support Installation & Upgrades [ubuntu] Pls help repair broken upgrade (8.04 -> 10.04)

Ubuntu