[SOLVED] apt-get cannot install gnome or anything else

[coolcatco888]

Hi,
I am new to debian but I wanted to try out another distro of linux since I am a big fan of Ubuntu. I've only been using Ubuntu for a year now but still kinda new to true linux distros.

Anyways my problem is actually concerning Xebian, a modified stripped down customized version of Debian for the original xbox. It is basically Debian but configured differently and repackaged, it still uses Debian.org repos.

More info found on:

xbox-linux.org/wiki/Xebian_HOWTO

After successfully installing Xebian to my xbox, I wanted to change the current desktop (not really sure what it is but it lacks a gui file explorer) to Gnome.

I run as root:

apt-get install gnome

It takes about 2hrs to install but then as its doing it it removes vital packages such as x11-common, Xfree86, xorg-server. Then it cannot install anything else and whenever I try to run another apt-get install command to install say gdm, it says it depends on some of these packages but it is not going to install it. Also I find that gnome is not installed. So basically it removes vital packages, screws up the system and doesn't install what I wanted.

So I reboot but then it cannot boot again into any gui desktop. I try apt-get but I cannot install anything like before. I need apt-get to really start using my computer/xbox.

I found something that fixes the error that says I am unable to connect to non-us.debian.org when I run an apt-get update but I can't find the page:

Anyways that doesn't work, I've also found these links that seem promising which I will try tomorrow:

forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=680973
xbox-linux.org/wiki/MythTV_on_Xebian_HOWTO#Package_Sources_Configuration
gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/359081

Some may be outdated and xebian seems to be built on a seemingly old build of Debian (as it uses firefox 1.0 by default) any suggestions or some explanation of how to use/configure apt-get properly in order to install new software?

[jledhead]

apt-get update
apt-get upgrade

post the output of that

and yes, I think xebian is built off of sarge, so a bit old.

[devils casper]

Post the contents of /etc/apt/sources.list file too.

[coolcatco888]

Hi,

Actually found the solution to the problem in one of the links I posted:

forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=680973

can't post contents of my sources.list because I don't have enough posts to post urls.

then I did a

apt-get update

and I was able to install synaptic.
I will not do a distro upgrade because it is on an xbox not on a computer and would need a patched kernel to run properly (described in the xbox-linux how to link).

But yeah guys thanks for your help.