On 1/10/15, Bob Proulx <b...@proulx.com> wrote: > > If you are an apt-get command line person (like I am) instead of the > aptitude methods already mentioned then you can use apt-show-versions > to show you what is installed but no longer has an install candidate. > > apt-show-versions | grep -v uptodate > > Packages that match what are in the archive say "uptodate". The grep > -v removes those lines. What are left are all of the other > interesting packages. I will include a list from a system of mine for > an example. (And I guess I have some cleaning to do on my system.) > > With the list in hand you can then use judgement and purge them off.
Just finished running this one AGAIN, and decided to give it its 15 seconds of subject line fame for new users to see. Bob suggested this to another Debian-User member not too long ago. It IMMEDIATELY became a permanent part of my own Top 5 programs. One easy daily to-do list check off for me these days is: $ apt-get update $ apt-show-versions -u Example output from that run a few minutes ago under Sid is: "dbus:amd64/sid 1.8.14-2 upgradeable to 1.8.16-1 dbus-x11:amd64/sid 1.8.14-2 upgradeable to 1.8.16-1 libdbus-1-3:amd64/sid 1.8.14-2 upgradeable to 1.8.16-1 libldap-2.4-2:amd64/sid 2.4.40-3 upgradeable to 2.4.40-4 libmp3lame0:amd64/sid 3.99.5+repack1-5 upgradeable to 3.99.5+repack1-6" With each new output, I then hand pick what updates to control what gets updated when. The necessary reason for that is because I'm running at the speed of dialup. You have to control what happens when.. :) Thanks to apt-show-versions, my laptop now runs consistently with: 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. k/t to Bob one more time for that great lead. It might have been years, if ever, that I stumbled upon it otherwise. It's been a *perfect*, very *_cognitively friendly_* tool for keeping my computer 100% up to date under my particular set of computing circumstances.... Hope highlighting this helps someone else near as much as it has helped me.. Happy Debian'ing out there.. :) Cindy :) -- Cindy-Sue Causey Talking Rock, Pickens County, Georgia, USA * runs with plastic sporks * ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bob Proulx <b...@proulx.com> Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 15:40:14 -0700 Subject: Re: help in purging old packages To: debian-user@lists.debian.org Comer Duncan wrote: > I have a situation in which I am running wheezy 7.7 and for various reasons > now want to purge all packages which for some reason are still present from > etch, lenny, and squeeze. What I would like to know is how can I purge all > such packages using dpkg? I can not seem to find how to select just those > old packages for purging. Can those who know about this please help? If you are an apt-get command line person (like I am) instead of the aptitude methods already mentioned then you can use apt-show-versions to show you what is installed but no longer has an install candidate. apt-show-versions | grep -v uptodate Packages that match what are in the archive say "uptodate". The grep -v removes those lines. What are left are all of the other interesting packages. I will include a list from a system of mine for an example. (And I guess I have some cleaning to do on my system.) With the list in hand you can then use judgement and purge them off. Bob Example: $ apt-show-versions | grep -v -e uptodate -e bpo7 ddrescue 1.14-1 installed: No available version in archive doc-linux-text 2008.08-1 installed: No available version in archive foomatic-filters-ppds 1:4.0.4-3 installed: No available version in archive kerneloops 0.12+git20090217-1 installed: No available version in archive libarchive1 2.8.4.forreal-1+squeeze2 installed: No available version in archive libdb4.8 4.8.30-2 installed: No available version in archive liblzma2 5.0.0-2 installed: No available version in archive libmozjs10d 10.0.12esr-1 installed: No available version in archive libnotify1 0.5.0-2 installed: No available version in archive libssl0.9.8 0.9.8o-4squeeze14 installed: No available version in archive linux-image-2.6.32-5-686 2.6.32-48squeeze3 installed: No available version in archive powernowd 1.00-1.1 installed: No available version in archive python2.5 2.5.5-11 installed: No available version in archive python2.5-minimal 2.5.5-11 installed: No available version in archive python3-dvdvideo 0.1 installed: No available version in archive python3.1 3.1.3-1 installed: No available version in archive python3.1-minimal 3.1.3-1 installed: No available version in archive sun-java6-bin 6.26-0squeeze1 installed: No available version in archive sun-java6-jre 6.26-0squeeze1 installed: No available version in archive -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: https://lists.debian.org/CAO1P-kDi6GMU1uhwtNZFkheq2zNTaDL0=mgekq1d-sjdd6m...@mail.gmail.com
