[SOLVED] Orphans that are not orphans

t0m5k1 · 2023-03-10 11:25:57

Hi All,

I'm trying to remove my obsolete packages however when I run:

sudo pacman -R $(pacman -Qdtq)

I'm getting a huge list of packages that I'm actually still using!

The List:

alsa-tools-1.2.5-1 appstream-glib-0.8.2-1 asciidoc-10.2.0-2 awesome-freedesktop-git-1:r118.c82ad29-1 bc-1.07.1-4 blueprint-compiler-0.6.0-1 bluez-utils-5.66-1 boost-1.81.0-3
brltty-6.5-3 chrpath-0.16-4 coffeescript-2.7.0-1 cppunit-1.15.1-3 cracklib-2.9.8-1 crypto++-8.7.0-1 cunit-2.1.3-3 cups-pdf-3.0.1-7 db-6.2.32-1 dejagnu-1.6.3-5 docbook2x-0.8.8-18
doxygen-1.9.6-1 eminent-git-2016.06.15.g42ee276-1 exfat-utils-1.4.0-1 extra-cmake-modules-5.103.0-1 fcgi-2.4.2-2 fcitx-qt5-1.2.7-8 fortune-mod-3.14.1-2 gambas3-dev-tools-3.18.1-1
gconfmm-2.28.3-7 gendesk-1.0.9-3 geocode-glib-3.26.4-3 ghostpcl-10.0.0-6 ghostxps-10.0.0-6 giblib-1.2.4-9 glibmm-docs-2.66.5-1 gnome-common-3.18.0-4 gnome-icon-theme-3.12.0-7
gobject-introspection-1.74.0-1 gperf-3.1-4 gst-plugin-gtk-1.22.1-2 gtest-1.13.0-1 gtkmm-4.0-4.8.0-1 jbigkit-2.1-6 jq-1.6-4 js78-78.15.0-4 junit-4.13.2-1 kactivities-5.103.0-1
kinit-5.103.0-1 lcms-1.19-7 lib32-attr-2.5.1-1 lib32-faudio-23.03-1 lib32-jansson-2.14-1 lib32-lcms2-2.15-1 lib32-libidn-1.41-1 lib32-libwrap-7.6.31-4 lib32-lz4-1.9.4-1
lib32-pcre-8.45-3 lib32-readline-8.2.001-2 lib32-smpeg-2.0.0-1 libappindicator-gtk2-12.10.0.r298-1 libcmis-0.5.2-13 libcroco-0.6.13-2 libftdi-compat-0.20-8 libglademm-2.6.7-5
libirman-0.5.2-4 libmp4v2-1:2.1.1-1 libnautilus-extension-43.2-1 liboauth-1:1.0.3+r16+gc26f038-1 libofa-0.9.3-9 librabbitmq-c-0.11.0-2 libunique-1.1.6-10 linux-headers-6.2.2.arch1-1
lua-filesystem-1.8.0-3 lxdm-themes-1-9 man-db-2.11.2-1 man-pages-6.03-1 mbedtls-2.28.2-1 mercurial-6.3.3-1 meson-1.0.1-1 mozilla-common-1.4-6 mypaint-brushes-2.0.2-1
nano-syntax-highlighting-git-2020.10.10.r10.g1aa64a8-1 nasm-2.15.05-1 nawk-20220912-1 netcdf-4.9.1-1 netcf-0.2.8-8 optipng-0.7.7-2 os-prober-1.81-1 oxygen-icons-1:5.103.0-1
packagekit-1.2.6-1 pastebinit-1.5.1-1 perl-extutils-depends-0.8001-3 perl-extutils-pkgconfig-1.16-10 perl-file-basedir-0.09-2 perl-xml-libxml-2.0208-1 pidgin-window_merge-0.3-1
purple-plugin-pack-2.8.0-1 python-asn1crypto-1.5.1-1 python-beaker-1.12.0-1 python-casttube-0.2.1-4 python-cherrypy-18.8.0-2 python-clikit-0.6.2-8 python-contextlib2-21.6.0-1
python-entrypoints-0.4-2 python-flask-restful-0.3.9-4 python-google-api-python-client-2.79.0-1 python-isodate-0.6.1-2 python-mock-3.0.5-9 python-nose-1.3.7-14 python-nspektr-0.4.0-2
python-pkgconfig-1.5.5-3 python-progress-1.6-5 python-prometheus_client-0.15.0-2 python-py-1.11.0-2 python-pycodestyle-2.10.0-1 python-pyhamcrest-2.0.4-2 python-pylint-2.16.3-1
python-pytest-cov-4.0.0-1 python-pytoml-0.1.21-7 python-retrying-1.3.3-15 python-scikit-learn-1.2.0-1 python-xmlsec-1.3.13-1 qemu-guest-agent-7.2.0-3 qt5-webkit-5.212.0alpha4-18
rabbitmq-3.11.9-1 rapidjson-1.1.0-5 rarian-0.8.1-7 rest-0.8.1+r4+ge5ee6ef-1 roccat-tools-kova2016-5.9.0-2 sassc-3.6.2-3 setconf-0.7.7-2 simde-0.7.2-1 sox-14.4.2+r182+g42b3557e-3
spacefm-dropbox-plugin-0.0.9-3 squashfs-tools-4.5.1-2 swig-4.0.2-5 telepathy-glib-0.24.2-2 thunar-dropbox-0.3.1-1 tmux-resurrect-4.0.0-1 uthash-2.3.0-1 vala-0.56.4-1 valgrind-3.20.0-1
vim-nerdtree-6.10.16-1 virt-manager-4.1.0-1 wimlib-1.13.6-2 xf86-input-evdev-2.10.6-3 xfce4-appfinder-4.18.0-1 xfce4-artwork-0.1.1a_git20110420-6 xfce4-battery-plugin-1.1.4-1
xfce4-clipman-plugin-1.6.2-1 xfce4-cpufreq-plugin-1.2.8-1 xfce4-cpugraph-plugin-1.2.7-1 xfce4-datetime-plugin-0.8.3-1 xfce4-dev-tools-4.18.0-1 xfce4-dict-0.8.4-1
xfce4-diskperf-plugin-2.7.0-1 xfce4-eyes-plugin-4.6.0-1 xfce4-fsguard-plugin-1.1.2-1 xfce4-genmon-plugin-4.1.1-1 xfce4-mailwatch-plugin-1.3.0-1 xfce4-mount-plugin-1.1.5-1
xfce4-mpc-plugin-0.5.2-2 xfce4-netload-plugin-1.4.0-1 xfce4-notes-plugin-1.9.0-1 xfce4-power-manager-4.18.1-1 xfce4-pulseaudio-plugin-0.4.5-1 xfce4-screenshooter-1.10.3-1
xfce4-sensors-plugin-1.4.4-1 xfce4-session-4.18.1-1 xfce4-settings-4.18.2-1 xfce4-smartbookmark-plugin-0.5.2-1 xfce4-systemload-plugin-1.3.2-1 xfce4-taskmanager-1.5.5-1
xfce4-terminal-1.0.4-1 xfce4-time-out-plugin-1.1.2-1 xfce4-timer-plugin-1.7.1-1 xfce4-verve-plugin-2.0.1-1 xfce4-wavelan-plugin-0.6.3-1 xfce4-weather-plugin-0.11.0-1
xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin-2.7.2-1 xfce4-xkb-plugin-0.8.3-1 xfwm4-themes-4.10.0-4 xmlstarlet-1.6.1-3 xmlto-0.0.28-4 xorg-fonts-misc-1.0.4-1 xorg-xkill-1.0.6-1 xorg-xlsfonts-1.0.7-1
yaml-cpp-0.7.0-2 yarn-1.22.19-1 yasm-1.3.0-6 zita-alsa-pcmi-0.6.1-1 zita-resampler-1.10.1-1 zsh-completions-git-0.34.0.r228.g98ea8e6-1

I use awesomeWM and xfce along with spacemanfm, zsh, bluez and many others that use whats provided above.

I'm at a loss as to how I can move forwards because even linux-headers is in this list and I'll be damned if that is an actual orphan.

Any helps on this would be much appreaciated.

Thanks for your time.

Last edited by t0m5k1 (2023-03-10 14:44:57)

spctrl · 2023-03-10 11:40:58

-d, --deps list packages installed as dependencies [filter]
so that's not an option you want to include as it does the totally opposite of what you want.

t0m5k1 · 2023-03-10 11:45:37

spctrl wrote:

-d, --deps list packages installed as dependencies [filter]
so that's not an option you want to include as it does the totally opposite of what you want.

So running:

sudo pacman -R $(pacman -Qtq)

Results in an even bigger list that still contains things I'm using

Did I misunderstand what you was trying to tell me?

Lone_Wolf · 2023-03-10 11:52:15

The "orphans" on that list were installed as a dependency for something else, but that something else is no longer installed.

linux-headers is an optdepend for dkms & bcc but nothing else has a runtime dependency on it .

Maybe you removed a high level package ? Post /var/log/pacman.log please.

EDIT : combining -d with -t in -Qdt is a special case, check man pacman for details.

Last edited by Lone_Wolf (2023-03-10 11:53:57)

t0m5k1 · 2023-03-10 11:55:31

Here is the pacman.log:

http://sprunge.us/Yey3vf

Lone_Wolf · 2023-03-10 12:11:13

That log shows many lines with --asdeps and with -U . I also see references to pacaur and trizen .

Have you run pacman -Qdt before ?
What aur helpers have you been using since you installed this system in 2015 ?

Last edited by Lone_Wolf (2023-03-10 12:11:47)

t0m5k1 · 2023-03-10 12:16:57

Lone_Wolf wrote:

Have you run pacman -Qdt before ?
What aur helpers have you been using since you installed this system in 2015 ?

Since Install I've used pacaur then moved to trizen.
I also did try aura at one point but sropped it and went back to trizen.

In 2021 I tried to mark the xfce additions as dependencies in an effort to get them out of the orphans list but that clearly didn't work.

Is using --asdeps bad ?

seth · 2023-03-10 13:41:31

Is using --asdeps bad ?

It will tag the package as installed because something else required it, not because you explcitily wanted it.
Since there's no actual package dependent on it, you just installed an "orphan".
Is that bad?

t0m5k1 · 2023-03-10 13:46:13

Decided to just copy installed packages from /var/cache/pkg/pacman/ to a new folder that are in this list that I know are not dependencies and are being used and then just re-install that whole folder with --asexplicit in an attempt to whittle this list down to true orphans.

If this is bad/wrong/dumb oh well, This is the only way I can think of dealing with this.

Thanks for the responses.

Last edited by t0m5k1 (2023-03-10 13:46:49)

Scimmia · 2023-03-10 13:55:27

all you had to do was use -D --asexplicit <package> on the packages you wanted installed as explicit.

t0m5k1 · 2023-03-10 14:09:44

Scimmia wrote:

all you had to do was use -D --asexplicit <package> on the packages you wanted installed as explicit.

And that is what I'm doing but to a whole folder in one go rather than 1 at a time.

There may well be some fancy cluster of commands I could run to make this even faster but that's well above my knowledge level.

Trilby · 2023-03-10 14:15:43

You don't need to copy package files, that's the point. Just get a list of the packages, and edit that list:

pacman -Qdtq > list
$EDITOR list # and remove any packages you don't explicitly need
pacman -D --asexplicit - < list
pacman -Qdtq | pacman -Rsn -

You're taking the extra steps of moving package files about and deleting them or selectively copying them rather than just using a single list.

Last edited by Trilby (2023-03-10 14:17:19)

t0m5k1 · 2023-03-10 14:44:37

Trilby wrote:

You don't need to copy package files, that's the point. Just get a list of the packages, and edit that list:
pacman -Qdtq > list
$EDITOR list # and remove any packages you don't explicitly need
pacman -D --asexplicit - < list
pacman -Qdtq | pacman -Rsn -
You're taking the extra steps of moving package files about and deleting them or selectively copying them rather than just using a single list.

Thanks Trilby, sorted

Arch Linux

#1 2023-03-10 11:25:57

[SOLVED] Orphans that are not orphans

#2 2023-03-10 11:40:58

Re: [SOLVED] Orphans that are not orphans

#3 2023-03-10 11:45:37

Re: [SOLVED] Orphans that are not orphans

#4 2023-03-10 11:52:15

Re: [SOLVED] Orphans that are not orphans

#5 2023-03-10 11:55:31

Re: [SOLVED] Orphans that are not orphans

#6 2023-03-10 12:11:13

Re: [SOLVED] Orphans that are not orphans

#7 2023-03-10 12:16:57

Re: [SOLVED] Orphans that are not orphans

#8 2023-03-10 13:41:31

Re: [SOLVED] Orphans that are not orphans

#9 2023-03-10 13:46:13

Re: [SOLVED] Orphans that are not orphans

#10 2023-03-10 13:55:27

Re: [SOLVED] Orphans that are not orphans

#11 2023-03-10 14:09:44

Re: [SOLVED] Orphans that are not orphans

#12 2023-03-10 14:15:43

Re: [SOLVED] Orphans that are not orphans

#13 2023-03-10 14:44:37

Re: [SOLVED] Orphans that are not orphans

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