Accidentally deleted MATE-desktop, can't login now

[frankyemei]

Hi All,

I accidentally deleted the MATE-desktop and can't login now. I don't even have a terminal to "sudo apt-get install Mate-desktop". Anyone can help?

thanks ahead,
Frank

[tdockery97]

Reboot your system. At the Grub screen select to boot in the recovery mode. It should bring you to a login prompt in what looks like a full screen terminal. You can login there, and if you have ethernet connection you can run sudo apt-get install mate-desktop.

[frankyemei]

Reboot your system. At the Grub screen select to boot in the recovery mode. It should bring you to a login prompt in what looks like a full screen terminal. You can login there, and if you have ethernet connection you can run sudo apt-get install mate-desktop.

Hi tdockery97,

Thank you for the reply.

I went to the safe mode and the root shell. However, when i tired "apt-get update", the terminal shows "can't fetch http://.... It seems there is not internet connect.

When I tried "apt-get install mate-desktop" it shows
"W:Not using locking for read onlly lock file /var/lib/dpkg/lock
E:Unable to write to /var/cache/apt/
E:The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened"

How to get connected to the internet in this safe mode?

Can I install the mate-desktop package from the Mint-Mate installation DVD, without using internet? How to do that?

thanks,
Frank

[xenopeek]

I think the root console may mount your root partition read-only, hence giving the errors about not being able to write. You can remount the root partition for read-write access with the following command:

Code: Select all

mount -o remount,rw /

[frankyemei]

I think the root console may mount your root partition read-only, hence giving the errors about not being able to write. You can remount the root partition for read-write access with the following command:

Code: Select all

mount -o remount,rw /

I tried
"mount -o remount,rw", but still not working.
it shows "..., For many more details, say man 8 mount"

Thanks,
Frank

[xenopeek]

Did you forget the final / (forward slash)? That is the directory you want to remount.

[frankyemei]

Did you forget the final / (forward slash)? That is the directory you want to remount.

the mount commond works now with the slash sign. but apt-get install mate-desktop shows the packages is already new, and no new packages is installed. but, the normal login screen shows mate is not there. Then,I tried to apt-get install kde-standard,but it shows failed to fetch "http://archives. ubuntu.....". it seems it cannot get the internet connection, but I am sue Ethernet is well connected.
thanks

[frankyemei]

I guess there is no internet connection in the safe mode. So, I am thinking about two other ways to solve the problem 1.Recovery from liveCD, like https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCdRecovery
2. stop mint from loading the login window, and stay at the terminal.