apt-get remove does not uninstall package

[smartin35]

I have installed 3.1r4 with Gnome and am trying to uninstall Gnome so I can try out KDE. When I run apt-get remove gnome, I get a message asking me to confirm uninstall. I answer yes, the system pretends to uninstall it and then it continues to run like nothing every happened. If I run apt-get remove gnome again I get a message stating "Package gnome is not installed, so not removed". Yet as I said, it continues to run.

2 questions.....1) How can I uninstall the package? 2) Is there a way to switch between the two interfaces if both are installed?

Thanks

[antidrugue]

1) How can I uninstall the package?

Uninstalling the Gnome package won't do much, as its only purpose is to install other packages that contains the Gnome Desktop environment. Take a look at :

apt-cache show gnome

and you'll see that the Gnome package is about 44k in size.

2) Is there a way to switch between the two interfaces if both are installed?

Yes of course. There is absolutely no need to uninstall Gnome. You can have as many desktop environments installed at the same time as you wish.

They will all appear in your login manager (where you enter username and password before login into Gnome).

[smartin35]

Ok....I get what you're saying I think. In order to get rid of the gui I would have to remove all of the modules associated with it, not just the gnome package itself.

I used the apt-cache command as you suggested and that was helpful.

Now then...I did an apt-get install kde.....and at the login there is not choice of interface. Is there something else I need to install or configure to have the choice of interfaces? I still come up in gnome by default.

[smartin35]

I should add that I can start kde from a terminal window.

[antidrugue]

In your login manager, you should have a menu called "session" : there you can choose KDE instead of GNOME.

[smartin35]

When you say login manager I am assuming this is screen after booting where you first enter in a user ID and password. If that is correct, there are no menus or options to choose from, only a space for ID and password.

Sorry....obviously I am just starting out here so I am not quite up to par with the lingo yet. I do appreciate the help.

[antidrugue]

Well, doesn't your login screen looks like that ?

You should have a button called "session" or "options".

[smartin35]

Afraid not. I would send you a screen shot, but I am not sure how to get one and then paste it into something since I am not logged it.

There is a grey box in the middle of the screen and it has the following wording:

Debian GNU/Linux (machine name)

Login:

Password:

That's it, nothing else.

[Vergil83]

Does it look like http://www.ellak.gr/pub/OpenGuides/D...chap07/xdm.png
try logging in and instaling either kdm or gdm (your choice) and removing xdm.

apt-get remove xdm
apt-get install kdm

[smartin35]

Yes! That's it exactly. I have it working now. I figured I had missed something, I just wasn't sure what to ask for. Thanks to both antidrugue and Virgil83 for all your help.