I can't remove firefox?

[mashroom]

If I remove Firefox, a program called A Web Browser installs itself. If I remove A Web Browser, Firefox reinstalls itself. I have Chromium, so I'm not uninstalling my only web browser. Why won't it let me remove either of them without installing the other under the table?

[grey1960envoy]

I understand you must be using mint 10 Julia as well?

[mashroom]

I may have found the answer...

Details after Firefox is removed:

Code: Select all

dpkg: firefox-branding: dependency problems, but removing anyway as you requested:
 firefox depends on firefox-branding | abrowser-branding; however:
  Package firefox-branding is to be removed.
  Package abrowser-branding is not installed.
  Package firefox-branding which provides abrowser-branding is to be removed.
 firefox depends on firefox-branding | abrowser-branding; however:
  Package firefox-branding is to be removed.
  Package abrowser-branding is not installed.
  Package firefox-branding which provides abrowser-branding is to be removed.
(Reading database ... 115035 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing firefox-branding ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils ...
Processing triggers for python-gmenu ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/desktop.en_US.utf8.cache...
Processing triggers for python-support ...
Selecting previously deselected package abrowser-branding.
(Reading database ... 115019 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking abrowser-branding (from .../abrowser-branding_3.6.1dpkg: firefox-branding: dependency problems, but removing anyway as you requested:
 firefox depends on firefox-branding | abrowser-branding; however:
  Package firefox-branding is to be removed.
  Package abrowser-branding is not installed.
  Package firefox-branding which provides abrowser-branding is to be removed.
 firefox depends on firefox-branding | abrowser-branding; however:
  Package firefox-branding is to be removed.
  Package abrowser-branding is not installed.
  Package firefox-branding which provides abrowser-branding is to be removed.
(Reading database ... 115035 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing firefox-branding ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils ...
Processing triggers for python-gmenu ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/desktop.en_US.utf8.cache...
Processing triggers for python-support ...
Selecting previously deselected package abrowser-branding.
(Reading database ... 115019 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking abrowser-branding (from .../abrowser-branding_3.6.12+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.10.1_i386.deb) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils ...
Processing triggers for python-gmenu ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/desktop.en_US.utf8.cache...
Processing triggers for python-support ...
Setting up abrowser-branding (3.6.12+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.10.1) ...
Selecting previously deselected package abrowser.
(Reading database ... 115037 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking abrowser (from .../abrowser_3.6.12+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.10.1_all.deb) ...
Setting up abrowser (3.6.12+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.10.1) ...

2+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.10.1_i386.deb) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils ...
Processing triggers for python-gmenu ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/desktop.en_US.utf8.cache...
Processing triggers for python-support ...
Setting up abrowser-branding (3.6.12+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.10.1) ...
Selecting previously deselected package abrowser.
(Reading database ... 115037 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking abrowser (from .../abrowser_3.6.12+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.10.1_all.deb) ...
Setting up abrowser (3.6.12+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.10.1) ...

Details after A Web Browser is removed:

Code: Select all

(Reading database ... 115039 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing abrowser ...
dpkg: abrowser-branding: dependency problems, but removing anyway as you requested:
 firefox depends on firefox-branding | abrowser-branding; however:
  Package firefox-branding is not installed.
  Package abrowser-branding which provides firefox-branding is to be removed.
  Package abrowser-branding is to be removed.
 firefox depends on firefox-branding | abrowser-branding; however:
  Package firefox-branding is not installed.
  Package abrowser-branding which provides firefox-branding is to be removed.
  Package abrowser-branding is to be removed.
Removing abrowser-branding ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils ...
Processing triggers for python-gmenu ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/desktop.en_US.utf8.cache...
Processing triggers for python-support ...
Selecting previously deselected package firefox-branding.
(Reading database ... 115019 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking firefox-branding (from .../firefox-branding_3.6.12+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.10.1_i386.deb) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils ...
Processing triggers for python-gmenu ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/desktop.en_US.utf8.cache...
Processing triggers for python-support ...
Setting up firefox-branding (3.6.12+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.10.10.1) ...

How do I stop this from happening?

[mashroom]

I understand you must be using mint 10 Julia as well?

Yes, I am. Look at my other post, though, I found the exact problem.

[hemimaniac]

well once firefox is stripped it takes away the mint-meta-package (at least it did in 9) so once that is removed you can rebuild by adding individual apps except the meta package and all should be fine, tho it will take some tweaking and blocking.

[mashroom]

well once firefox is stripped it takes away the mint-meta-package (at least it did in 9) so once that is removed you can rebuild by adding individual apps except the meta package and all should be fine, tho it will take some tweaking and blocking.

I'm using Julia, not Isadora.

[Aging Technogeek]

What is causing your problem is the fact that the OS will not let you operate without a functional web browser and Abrowser is the second default after Firefox.

Try installing Google Chrome, Chromium, Epiphany, or any other browser in the Software Manager then remove Firefox.

[mashroom]

What is causing your problem is the fact that the OS will not let you operate without a functional web browser and Abrowser is the second default after Firefox.

Try installing Google Chrome, Chromium, Epiphany, or any other browser in the Software Manager then remove Firefox.

I had Chromium installed already before this happened.

[jesica]

you are using LMDE, i dont knoiw why yet, but I had the same problem, it does not want to remove firefox alone, I installed Opera and it does not want to remove firefox,

[canci]

This is Windows all over again

[Silent Warrior]

What happens if you remove either firefox or abrowser, AND firefox-branding?

[jesica]

if you remove one, the other one keeps coming back

[mashroom]

you are using LMDE, i dont knoiw why yet, but I had the same problem, it does not want to remove firefox alone, I installed Opera and it does not want to remove firefox,

I'm not using LMDE, I'm using mint 10 Gnome.

[grey1960envoy]

same here Mint 10 Julia Gnome,for now however I just decided to install Google Chrome and ignore the Firefox.I kind of got tired of the merry -go -round LOL

[canci]

Here is the solution:


1. Install your browser of choice.


2. Tell system which browser to use. For this you have to use the console:

a.

Code: Select all

sudo update-alternatives --config gnome-www-browser

Choose your new browser from the list (by entering a number which denotes the browser).

b.

Go to the Mint Menu and choose Control Center. Then choose Preferred Applications.
Choose your new browser under Web Browser and close it.

3. Now comes the force remove magic of dpkg. We are going to remove all traces of Firefox:

Code: Select all

sudo dpkg -r --force-depends firefox mint-search-addon firefox-branding firefox-gnome-support mint-meta-gnome

4. Go to the update manager icon in the lower right (assuming your panel is down of course) and quit the update manager.

5. Go to the mint menu and type update till Update Manager appears as an option. Click on it. You will be asked
for your password and Update Manager will start.

6. Tap yourself on the shoulder!


WARNING: The reason this is done is probably because Linux Mint is collecting ad revenue through their custom
Google search. This money is used to, well, give those people who make Mint so wonderful a dime or two in order
to make a good living. Developers have to eat, too. So, since we are removing this, it would be nice of you to also
add the custom Mint Google search as your homepage. You don't have to, but I'm sure the devs would appreciate it.
The page is:

http://linuxmint.com/start/julia/

To change your search engine in Chromium / Chrome, click on the wrench symbol, choose Preferences and then
Basics. Under Default Search click Manage. Then click Add and paste the following values:

Name: (whatever you want) I chose Mint
Keyword: (again, whatever you want, except websites that already exist) I chose linuxmint. When I chose linuxmint.com, it wouldn't let me.
URL: http://www.google.com/cse?hl=en&domains ... t.com&q=%s

Now click on Save. Mark the newly created search engine and click on Make Default.


EDIT: Added some new optional steps.

EDIT: Fixed the missing mint-meta-gnome step.

[canci]

EDIT: I've added some optional steps to my solution.

I've read that some of you couldn't get it to work this way. Could you please paste what the errors were, if any?

[canci]

EDIT: Ooops! I forgot one package. mint-meta-gnome must be removed as well, otherwise it complains about broken packages.
Sorry, I must've removed that before the first time I tried this. I edited the post above to reflect this. Sorry again.

[randomizer]

If you're still struggling after trying the above, try using aptitude instead of apt-get. apt-get isn't very good at handling intertwined dependencies and gets stuck in a never-ending cycle of removing one thing and installing its replacement. aptitude will usually propose one or more courses of action to resolve all of the issues (if possible), which will generally include removing and adding some packages. I had this exact same issue on LMDE and aptitude sorted it out.