Why is mate-desktop being kept back?

These 3 packages are being held back:

mate-desktop
mate-desktop-common
gir1.2-matedesktop-2.0

aptitude shows (in red):

mate-desktop-environment (UNSATISFIED)
libmate-desktop-2-17t64 (>= 1.10.0) (UNSATISFIED)
mate-desktop-common (= 1.26.2-1.1) (UNSATISFIED)

I did a sudo apt install mate-desktop, got a big bright-pink screen. In the center were "gdm3" and "lightdm", with a prompt to choose one.

"lightdm" was already highlighted so I hit "OK" and re-booted, Now my entire interface/environment was hosed, so (with difficulty) I restored from backup to get back to normal.

In /etc/apt/sources.list.d I have spvkgn-ubuntu-mate-updates-jammy.list.

mate-desktop was updated on this launchpad PPA on 3 March 2025 (but with "no signer" - not sure of the significance of "no signer" or why it isn't signed).

If I have unmet dependencies, I don't know what command would show what they are.

I'm running Ubuntu MATE 22.04.5 LTS.

Anyone know what initial steps I should take to upgrade these packages? Thanks.

The apt-get install -f or apt --fix-broken install should resolve any unmet dependencies.

1 Like

Well, sudo apt --fix-broken install mate-desktop did the same thing as not using --fix-broken, and I already did a 'sudo apt-get install`. I'm not about to force it with the "f" flag & have a repeat of a hosed interface. But thank you for the response.

Hi, @watchpocket :slight_smile:

You wrote:

That is a file with a very weird name :confused: Could you please show us the output of the following command:

cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/spvkgn-ubuntu-mate-updates-jammy.list
1 Like

That's not the name of a file. It's what you see on his launchpad PPA at
MATE Desktop updated packages : Pavel :

mate-desktop 1.26.2-1.1 no signer (2025-03-03)


cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/spvkgn-ubuntu-mate-updates-jammy.list

deb https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/spvkgn/mate-updates/ubuntu/ jammy main #MATE DESKTOP updated packages

Thanks for the clarification, @watchpocket :slight_smile:

I've never tried to install "mate-desktop" related packages in "Ubuntu MATE" from that "spvkgn" PPA or from any other PPA for that matter, because I consider those packages to be too "crucial" to "Ubuntu MATE" to load them from a PPA. So, I'm afraid that I can't help you. Sorry about that :frowning: Maybe @OldStrummer and/or other people here may help you further.

5 Likes

Well, I've had some baffling issues with PPAs, so I'm probably not the best to address this. But here's a checklist of things you might try:

When using aptitude, if you see a package listed as "(Unsatisfied)" after attempting to install it, this indicates that the package has unmet dependencies or that one or more of its required dependencies could not be installed or resolved. This situation is commonly referred to as an "unmet dependency" error.

Causes of "(Unsatisfied)" Status

Missing Dependencies: The package you tried to install requires other packages that are not available in your repositories or cannot be installed due to version conflicts.

Broken or Held Packages: Some packages on your system may be held at specific versions or are broken, preventing the installation or upgrade of dependencies needed by the new package.

Repository Issues: If your software sources (repositories) are outdated, misconfigured, or missing, required packages may not be found, leading to unsatisfied dependencies.

Mixing Releases or PPAs: Installing packages from different distributions or third-party repositories can result in dependency mismatches, making it impossible to satisfy all requirements.

How to Diagnose and Fix

Check Dependency Details: Use aptitude's interactive mode or the command line to review which dependencies are unsatisfied. Try running:

sudo aptitude install package-name

aptitude will often suggest solutions or highlight which dependencies are missing or conflicting.

Try to Install Dependencies Manually: Attempt to install the dependencies individually to see which one is causing the issue. This can help pinpoint the root cause.

Fix Broken Packages: Use the following commands to attempt to fix broken dependencies:

sudo apt-get install -f
sudo dpkg --configure -a

These commands try to fix broken installs and configure any unpacked but unconfigured packages.

Update Repositories: Ensure your package lists are up to date:

sudo apt-get update

If necessary, check your /etc/apt/sources.list for correctness.

Clear Package Cache: Sometimes, cleaning the cache can help resolve issues:

sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get autoclean

This removes old or corrupt package files that might be interfering with installations.

If you continue to see "(Unsatisfied)" after trying these solutions, review the specific error messages provided by aptitude for more details on which dependencies are causing the problem and consider seeking help with those specific packages.

5 Likes

I would file a bug or contact the owner of the PPA: Pavel in Launchpad

Is there a reason you are using the PPA to get the mate desktop package? Why not the official Ubuntu repositories?

4 Likes

But here's a checklist of things you might try:

Thanks for that detailed post. I ran the suggested commands, though I already know that chaos ensues if I do this:

sudo aptitude install mate-desktop

The following packages will be upgraded: 
  mate-desktop{b} mate-desktop-common 
2 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 1 not upgraded.
Need to get 624 kB of archives. After unpacking 37.9 kB will be used.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 mate-desktop : Depends: libmate-desktop-2-17t64 (>= 1.10.0) but it is not going to be installed
The following actions will resolve these dependencies:

      Remove the following packages:                                              
1)      caja [1.26.1-1 (jammy, now)]                                              
2)      caja-admin [0.0.5-1 (jammy, now)]                                         
3)      caja-mediainfo [1.0.4+repack1-1 (jammy, now)]                             
4)      caja-open-terminal [1.26.1-1.2ubuntu1~22.04 (jammy, now)]                 
5)      caja-rename [21.11.24-1 (jammy, now)]                                     
6)      caja-seahorse [1.18.5-1 (jammy, now)]                                     
7)      eom [1.26.1-0ubuntu1~22.04 (jammy, now)]                                  
8)      libmate-desktop-2-17 [1.26.1-0ubuntu1~22.04 (jammy, now)]                 
9)      libmate-slab0 [1.26.1-0ubuntu1~22.04 (jammy, now)]                        
10)     libmate-window-settings1 [1.26.1-0ubuntu1~22.04 (jammy, now)]             
11)     mate-applet-brisk-menu [0.6.2-1ubuntu0 (jammy, now)]                      
12)     mate-applets [1.26.0-1 (jammy, now)]                                      
13)     mate-control-center [1.26.1-0ubuntu1~22.04 (jammy, now)]                  
14)     mate-indicator-applet [1.26.0-1 (jammy, now)]                             
15)     mate-media [1.26.1-0ubuntu1~22.04 (jammy, now)]                           
16)     mate-notification-daemon [1.26.1-0ubuntu1~22.04 (jammy, now)]             
17)     mate-panel [1.26.3-0ubuntu1~22.04 (jammy, now)]                           
18)     mate-screensaver [1.26.2-0ubuntu1~22.04 (jammy, now)]                     
19)     mate-settings-daemon [1.26.1-0ubuntu1~22.04 (jammy, now)]                 
20)     mate-tweak [22.04.8-0ubuntu3 (jammy, now)]                                
21)     mate-window-buttons-applet [21.04.0-1 (jammy, now)]                       
22)     mate-window-menu-applet [21.04.0-1 (jammy, now)]                          
23)     mate-window-title-applet [21.04.0-1 (jammy, now)]                         

      Install the following packages:                                             
24)     libmate-desktop-2-17t64 [1.26.2-1.1 (jammy)]                              
25)     libxfce4panel-2.0-4 [4.16.3-1 (jammy)]                                    
26)     libxfce4ui-2-0 [4.16.1-1 (jammy)]                                         
27)     libxfce4ui-common [4.16.1-1 (jammy)]                                      
28)     mako-notifier [1.6-2 (jammy)]                                             
29)     xfce4-indicator-plugin [2.4.1-1 (jammy)]                                  

      Upgrade the following packages:                                             
30)     gir1.2-matedesktop-2.0 [1.26.1-0ubuntu1~22.04 (now) -> 1.26.2-1.1 (jammy)]

      Leave the following dependencies unresolved:                                
31)     caja-eiciel recommends caja                                               
32)     mate-applets recommends mate-media                                        
33)     mate-tweak recommends mate-indicator-applet (>= 1.18.0)                   
34)     mozo recommends mate-panel                                                
35)     mate-session-manager recommends caja                                      
36)     mate-session-manager recommends mate-panel                                
37)     mate-session-manager recommends mate-settings-daemon                      


Accept this solution? [Y/n/q/?] q

I think my solution for now is to disable that particular PPA and stick with the mate-desktop version I currently have, which is working fine.

3 Likes

> I would file a bug or contact the owner of the PPA

I did contact the PPA owner about this issue and am waiting to hear back.

My reason for using PPAs generally is to get newer versions of packages far sooner than I would from the repositories.

Also, packages from PPAs install pre-compiled. I can compile the programs I use, and do so when needed but I find as often as not there's one or more gotchas when compiling, various unexpected hoops to jump through.

In this case, I don't actually need version 1.26.2-1.1 of mate-desktop, since the version I'm currently using - 1.26.1-0ubuntu1~22.04 - is working fine, so for now I've disabled this PPA, at least until I hear back from its maintainer.

2 Likes

Probably the best choice.

4 Likes

That makes sense in terms of getting (probably non-critical) bug-fixes, but you do realise that even that PPA is not all that 'up to date'? MATE 1.26.2 is a bug-fix for a release from about 4 years ago now. Meanwhile, MATE 1.28 has been around since 03/2024 and has had two bug-fix releases, so I'd say it's solid.

You probably know this, but using a rolling release distribution might be an option if you really want up-to-date packages. EndeavourOS (or just about anything that uses AUR), for example, offers MATE 1.28 out of the box. There can be some hassle when building the packages, but there's solid community support.

2 Likes

Thanks for this info. If MATE 1.28 functions optimally on Ubuntu MATE OS version 22.04 (and isn't specifically for newer Ubuntu MATE OS releases), and if I can get it easily without having to compile it, feel free to share a link to the best place to download it, and I'll update my mate-desktop version 1.26.1 to 1.28.

I don't think I need it badly enough to compile it (what I have now isn't broken) and I don't need super-super up-to-date stuff, and i certainly don't want rolling OS releases.

I basically go for the convenience of some PPAs, though I know one needs to keep an eye on them, as they can occasionally become a ghost PPA and just stop being maintained. Yes, a lot of folks don't trust them, etc, I know.

If I can get away with it I'm going to skip installing and setting up Ubuntu MATE 24.04, and fresh install 26.04 LTS once a first point-release of it comes out (in other words I'll move directly from 22.04 to 26.04) because when I move to a new OS version it takes me about a month to set up the customized working environment & look & feel that I use.

I'm not quite as hands-on as I used to be with the building and fixing of software packages and setup & the gotchas that pop up. Too often when I want to get work done I have to stop to play with software problems.

mate-desktop just popped up in daily upgrades as something that wouldn't update, which drew my attention to it.

2 Likes