Ubuntu
synaptic package

Deleted Network Manager

Asked by MikeLJ

Using Jaunty with intel processor.

Yesterday, my connection to the internet (wireless) suddenly disappeared. I could not get it to connect again so I (very stupidly) un-installed Network Manager from the applications, thinking that I could re-install it and that would solve the problem.

I have since discovered that the problem was that the wireless card was dis-activated since the button was stupidly placed on the keyboard on the F2 button and I accidentally hit it at some point.

Now that I have that issue resolved, I now have no means of connecting to the internet and can therefore not install Network Manager again.

I then downloaded the Network Manager .deb package onto another computer and transfered it. However, when I attempted to install the package (onto the computer without internet), It said that two more packages were needed and the computer could not connect to the internet to retrieve them (obviously).

So now I'm stuck. Is there a way to recover software bundled with ubuntu? Or if I have to manually install the packages, which ones do I have to install? I tried the one from the Network Manager website and the message about needing the other two packages appeared.

Thanks.

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Best Tom (tom6) said : 		#1

Hi :)

The easiest way is to use Synaptic Package Manager as normal except that once you have selected "network-manager" don't click on "Apply". Instead of "Apply" go up to the the "File" menu and choose "Generate download script". Then get that script onto the other machine but put it in a folder because when you double-click on it then all the packages selected will download into the same folder as the script! First time i tried this was for a new install and included tons of stuff and i ended up with hordes of icons over-running the desktop of the other machine! Contained within a folder it's all quite safe :) The file-sizes are usually quite small so getting the folder back onto the Ubuntu machine should be reasonably easy. Then it's just back into Synaptic's "File" menu to "Add downloaded packages"
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticHowto

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

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Tom (tom6) said : 		#2

Err, Synaptic deals with all the dependencies that a package will depend on in order to work. I have tried downloading one package at a time and chasing the dependencies myself but it can be a real nightmare. Much better to let synaptic do all the hard work for this!

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MikeLJ (michelj) said : 		#3

Thanks Tom, that seems like a most logical solution and I'm 89% of the way there:

For simplicity, lets call the working computer "computer A" and the one with no network manager "computer B"

OK. Luckily both computers A & B have ubuntu jaunty so I created the script etc on computer A. I double clicked the script, overlooking what you said about the folder, and it downloaded the packages. Luckily there were only two (network-manager and network-manager-gnome) so my desktop is still nice and tidy :). So then I transfered them onto computer B and opened the package manager and clicked on "add downloaded packages". Opened up the desktop (where I put the packages) and.... Nothing..... No packages appear to be selected even though they are clearly on the desktop.

Agh so close! :(

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MikeLJ (michelj) said : 		#4

1

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MikeLJ (michelj) said : 		#5

Ahh I just installed the packages directly from my desktop. network-manager first then network-manager-gnome. Both installed successfully :). The Network Manager didn't appear in the notification area, so I rebooted. Then it appeared!! And a connection was established!! :D

Thanks Tom

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MikeLJ (michelj) said : 		#6

Thanks Tom, that solved my question.

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Tom (tom6) said : 		#7

Brilliant. Sorry about the glitch at the end but glad to see you worked around it :)) I have tried that script on a Windows machine and it still worked. For a while i was even considering keeping a certain machine updated using that technique but never got around to testing that final part that glitched on you. Hopefully i will be able to test that last part later, if i remember. Something i'm curious about is whether that script can be used to download the packages using a Mac but i guess it's always going to be easier to find a Windows or Linux machine than a Mac.

Anyway, nicely done :)
Congrats and regards from
Tom :)