1. I upgraded pipewire from stable to backports (I want to know if this is related to my problem why essential packages were removed)
Start-Date: 2024-09-18  14:59:02
Commandline: apt install libpipewire-0.3-0/bookworm-backports
Requested-By: dullbananas (1000)
Install: libpulsedsp:amd64 (16.1+dfsg1-2+b1, automatic), pulseaudio:amd64 (16.1+dfsg1-2+b1, automatic), pulseaudio-utils:amd64 (16.1+dfsg1-2+b1, automatic), libasound2-plugins:amd64 (1.2.7.1-1, automatic), policykit-1-gnome:amd64 (0.105-8, automatic), pulseaudio-module-bluetooth:amd64 (16.1+dfsg1-2+b1, automatic), libspeexdsp1:amd64 (1.2.1-1, automatic)
Upgrade: libspa-0.2-modules:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1, 1.2.3-1~bpo12+1), libpipewire-0.3-0:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1, 1.2.3-1~bpo12+1)
Remove: pipewire-pulse:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1), pipewire-audio-client-libraries:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1), t2-apple-audio-dsp-speakers161:amd64 (0.2.0-1), gnome:amd64 (1:43+1), gnome-remote-desktop:amd64 (43.3-1), pipewire:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1), gnome-shell-extensions:amd64 (43.1-1), gnome-shell:amd64 (43.9-0+deb12u2), pipewire-tests:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1), gdm3:amd64 (43.0-3), libspa-0.2-jack:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1), libspa-0.2-bluetooth:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1), pipewire-jack:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1), gstreamer1.0-pipewire:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1), t2-apple-audio-dsp-mic:amd64 (0.4.0-1), pipewire-audio:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1), pipewire-bin:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1), chrome-gnome-shell:amd64 (42.1-3), task-gnome-desktop:amd64 (3.73), gnome-session:amd64 (43.0-1+deb12u1), gnome-browser-connector:amd64 (42.1-3), gnome-core:amd64 (1:43+1), libpipewire-0.3-modules:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1), wireplumber:amd64 (0.4.13-1), gnome-shell-extension-prefs:amd64 (43.9-0+deb12u2), pipewire-alsa:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1)
End-Date: 2024-09-18  14:59:35

Start-Date: 2024-09-18  14:59:43
Commandline: apt install libpipewire-0.3-modules/bookworm-backports
Requested-By: dullbananas (1000)
Install: libconfig++9v5:amd64 (1.5-0.4, automatic), libxml++2.6-2v5:amd64 (2.40.1-3, automatic), libpipewire-0.3-modules:amd64 (1.2.3-1~bpo12+1), libffado2:amd64 (2.4.7-1, automatic)
End-Date: 2024-09-18  14:59:48

Start-Date: 2024-09-18  14:59:57
Commandline: apt install pipewire/bookworm-backports
Requested-By: dullbananas (1000)
Install: pipewire:amd64 (1.2.3-1~bpo12+1), pipewire-bin:amd64 (1.2.3-1~bpo12+1, automatic), wireplumber:amd64 (0.4.13-1, automatic)
End-Date: 2024-09-18  15:00:02
  1. I suspended the computer, and after resume, the lock screen was broken:
  • When I clicked on the password field, the text cursor only appeared for a split second, and I could not type in it
  • Clicking on the user switch button on the bottom right corner did nothing
  • A few times, the text “Authentication error” randomly appeared for a split second, probably for 1 frame
  • No way to reboot the normal way, because I could only use the power menu on the lock screen, which only has suspend
  1. I used the power button to reboot, and instead of GNOME, there was darkness
Debian GNU/Linux 12 dullbananas-macbookpro161 tty1

dullbananas-macbookpro161 login:
  1. I downgraded pipewire to stable
Start-Date: 2024-09-18  15:20:16
Commandline: apt install pipewire/stable
Requested-By: dullbananas (1000)
Downgrade: pipewire:amd64 (1.2.3-1~bpo12+1, 0.3.65-3+deb12u1), pipewire-bin:amd64 (1.2.3-1~bpo12+1, 0.3.65-3+deb12u1), libspa-0.2-modules:amd64 (1.2.3-1~bpo12+1, 0.3.65-3+deb12u1), libpipewire-0.3-modules:amd64 (1.2.3-1~bpo12+1, 0.3.65-3+deb12u1), libpipewire-0.3-0:amd64 (1.2.3-1~bpo12+1, 0.3.65-3+deb12u1)
End-Date: 2024-09-18  15:20:26
  1. I ran dpkg --verify and got this output
??5??????   /lib/modules/6.10.9-1-t2-bookworm/modules.alias
??5??????   /lib/modules/6.10.9-1-t2-bookworm/modules.alias.bin
??5??????   /lib/modules/6.10.9-1-t2-bookworm/modules.dep
??5??????   /lib/modules/6.10.9-1-t2-bookworm/modules.dep.bin
missing     /usr/share/dbus-1/services/io.snapcraft.Prompt.service
??5?????? c /etc/systemd/logind.conf
??5?????? c /etc/tlp.conf
??5??????   /lib/modules/6.10.8-1-t2-bookworm/modules.alias
??5??????   /lib/modules/6.10.8-1-t2-bookworm/modules.alias.bin
??5??????   /lib/modules/6.10.8-1-t2-bookworm/modules.dep
??5??????   /lib/modules/6.10.8-1-t2-bookworm/modules.dep.bin
??5?????? c /etc/gdm3/daemon.conf
missing     /etc/os-release.debootstrap
??5??????   /lib/modules/6.10.7-1-t2-bookworm/modules.alias
??5??????   /lib/modules/6.10.7-1-t2-bookworm/modules.alias.bin
??5??????   /lib/modules/6.10.7-1-t2-bookworm/modules.dep
??5??????   /lib/modules/6.10.7-1-t2-bookworm/modules.dep.bin
  1. I reinstalled systemd (not sure if this made a difference)
Start-Date: 2024-09-18  15:48:58
Commandline: apt install --reinstall systemd
Requested-By: dullbananas (1000)
Reinstall: systemd:amd64 (252.30-1~deb12u2)
End-Date: 2024-09-18  15:49:02
  1. I reinstalled gdm3, and immediately without me doing anything else, there was GNOME instead of darkness
Start-Date: 2024-09-18  15:51:49
Commandline: apt install --reinstall gdm3
Requested-By: dullbananas (1000)
Install: gnome-remote-desktop:amd64 (43.3-1, automatic), gnome-shell:amd64 (43.9-0+deb12u2, automatic), power-profiles-daemon:amd64 (0.12-1+b1, automatic), gdm3:amd64 (43.0-3), gstreamer1.0-pipewire:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1, automatic), chrome-gnome-shell:amd64 (42.1-3, automatic), gnome-session:amd64 (43.0-1+deb12u1, automatic), gnome-browser-connector:amd64 (42.1-3, automatic), gnome-shell-extension-prefs:amd64 (43.9-0+deb12u2, automatic)
Remove: tlp:amd64 (1.5.0-2), tlp-rdw:amd64 (1.5.0-2)
End-Date: 2024-09-18  15:52:05
  1. End of class

  2. I reinstalled tlp because installing gdm3 removed it

  3. After selecting an app search result, instead of a new window opening, an existing window was focused, and this led to me discovering that my built-in extensions were gone

  4. While writing this post, I got the idea of using the list of removed packages in the apt history log output from apt install libpipewire-0.3-0/bookworm-backports to see what packages to install again, so I did that, then I also had to uninstall firefox-esr again

  5. I rebooted, and my built-in extensions and other stuff were resurrected, so now I have full redemption

  6. Another Window Session Manager restored my windows in a way that pissed me off

(Failed attempts of recovery are not listed)

Edit: actually I made the mistake 1 minute before the start of class

    • data1701d (He/Him)@startrek.website
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      7 months ago

      This is why I use Debian 12 with minimal backports on my main college laptop. (I just have backports kernel and firmware for the Wi-Fi card as well as backports smartctl due to a bugfix).

  • Avid Amoeba@lemmy.ca
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    7 months ago

    Good person! This is how you learn Linux and gain experience. Trying to understand why something happened and trying to fix it using that understanding. Not “just reinstall” or worse “you should use X distro instead.”

    • 0xD@infosec.pub
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      7 months ago

      And for the full Linux experience do it at the perfect moment, such as when you’re in a lecture or customer presentation!

    • Schmeckinger@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      This doesn’t feel like something that should happen. Like at all. I don’t want experience repairing stuff. I want stuff not breaking.

  • astrsk@fedia.io
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    7 months ago

    Eh, at least you can still take notes very easily and reinstall DE later.

  • filister@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    You should consider switching to some immutable distro like Silver Blue, uBlue, etc. for the peace of mind and the easiness to revert back to some stable system. I am currently using one in conjunction with Nix and it is truly a blessing.

    • Norah (pup/it/she)@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      7 months ago

      Okay, here me out, but the other day I accidentally rebased my nvidia Bazzite system to the testing version of the deck image. It would fuzz out before even the bios splash. So yeah, you can still mess it up lol

    • Krafty Kactus@sopuli.xyz
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      7 months ago

      That’s exactly what I was thinking lol. There are debian based immutable systems that would be great for this setup

    • Vincent@feddit.nl
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      7 months ago

      Yeah, I realise a comment like this is mostly unhelpful (switching distros is a pain, of course - even just the hassle of moving over your data), but it does remind me how glad I am that I did it at some point. Painless upgrades are amazing.

      (That said, it’s not entirely risk-free; although I never got an unworkable system, at some point upgrades were blocked until I did some manual work. Universal Blue had similar issues.)

  • bl_r@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    7 months ago

    That’s a fun mistake to make. I had a similar thing happen with Kubuntu uninstalling my GPU drivers. I could never figure out what caused it.

  • corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
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    7 months ago

    yum history undo last

    There’s a colossal amount of work that goes into making that command usable and reliable, and I’m glad to say the yum-adjacent distros are still putting in the effort. That may change, but so far it’s been there to save my bacon when I need it.

  • mvirts@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Congratulations 🎉 Nice work figuring it out.

    Gotta love the idea that when you uninstall a package all the packages that depend on it must be removed for consistency.

    Out of curiosity, what were you looking to gain from the pipewire upgrade?