Linux Lite Forums

Hi there!

Every time I boot my software updater tells me I have updates avail for Thunderbird Mail and Chromium Browser. As far as I know I have neither of these installed nor do I want them. I am getting annoyed that I have to uncheck those boxes every single time I boot. Is there a way to tell LL to stop asking me about these unwanted updates?

Have a happy!
TT

There is no automatic software updater in Linux Lite...yet.  Not sure how you're getting this upon boot.  You can update your programs using the Install Updates utility found at Menu > Favorites > Install Updates.

You can remove Chromium via Lite Software (Menu > System > Lite Software).

I wouldn't recommend removing Thunderbird Mail, but you can do so using Install/Remove Software (Menu > System > Install/Remove Software).  Search for "thunderbird," right click on it and Mark it for Removal.

By the way, if you're really on Linux Lite 2.4, I would recommend using Lite Upgrade (Menu > Settings > Lite Upgrade) to advance to version 2.6.  You'll get the Lite Control Center and Systemback as part of the upgrade.

yes i am really on lite 2.4 and it's fine for my needs but thankyou for your suggestion.
yes i really have the software updater, it's an ubuntu thing.
the only browser i have installed is firefox which is why i find the demand for updating chromium to be annoying.
why would you not recommend removing thunderbird? i have no use for it.

TT

You must have installed the Ubuntu updater, then.  It's not part of the Linux Lite 2.4 build.

Chromium is not part of the Linux Lite default build, either.  It can be installed after the fact using Lite Software. 

As someone who offers aid to users on this forum, people who try removing default programs sometimes run into problems.  And if you don't have Systemback installed, reverting back after a problem can be more challenging.  I don't currently use Thunderbird, either.  But, to me, it's not worth the potential trouble of removing, even though I do have recent Systemback restore points. 

No Linux Lite program takes up that much space.  But if you really want to, you can just remove the program from showing up in your Whisker Menu by using the Main Menu utility.

@tigertye,

Just so you know, using the Ubuntu updater is not recommended as it may pull-in things that mess-up LL at some point.  Best to just use the LL Updater.

If you choose to keep using Ubuntu updater, place a hold on packages that you don't want to see updates for.  Here's link for doing that: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Pinnin...g_Packages.

Getting rid of T-Bird won't cause any problems, so feel free to do that if you want to.

@torreydale:

if chromium is not part of the build and I don't have it installed then why is LL insisting on updating it? seems like unnecessary bloating to me.

hmm, I have no idea what systemback is, I'll ask my husband. I got fed up after the 6th install and let him set up my LL however he chose. I don't really care if it's there or not I just don't want to waste space updating something I don't use.

Yes, my husband claims the same thing but I have already had to expand my partition once because of LL's growth rate. I don't want to have to do that again. I've only been using LL for the past 6 months or so and don't know all the correct terms yet. What is whisker menu?

@gold_finger:

I have yet to have an issue with the updater but will keep that in mind.

I will follow that link as soon as I have had some coffee as placing a hold sounds like what I want to do. Thanks heaps!

Glad to know. I will probably do that in the very near future.

Have a happy!
TT

It sounds like Chromium is installed, and perhaps your husband installed it.  Either way, you can uninstall both Chromium and Thunderbird Mail if you like.

The system really doesn't just grow on its own, which is why this updater sounds like a problem, to me.  I'd prefer you have that removed and instead use the Install Updates tool provided by Linux Lite. 

I would encourage you to use Lite Tweaks to see if there are some things you can clean out to create some space.

Whisker is the official name of your main menu button.  The people who created it named it Whisker.

If you've had to build your PC a few times, then it sounds like Systemback could be your hero.

No, chromium is not installed, as I stated previously. My husband is not rude enough to install software on my pc without asking me first.

Upon checking, yes I have the whisker version of the menu. I just call it the menu.

When I say I built a new pc I mean that. Your comment implies you think I just formatted and did a new os install. While I did do a new os install, first I had to build a new pc as I blew both my mb & vid card. It turned out to be much easier and cheaper just to build a new one rather than attempt to replace the damaged parts. My pc's tend to last about 10 years or so before I blow them up.

TT

(01-30-2016, 04:11 PM)tigertye link Wrote: [ -> ]No, chromium is not installed, as I stated previously. My husband is not rude enough to install software on my pc without asking me first.

@TT

Typically when using the  Updates and Software package (synaptic) prepackaged with Linux Lite you will not be prompted for updates to applications that are not installed or do not have components of that application installed..
If your being prompted to update there maybe something that was inadvertently installed, not maliciously by person or OS... You're running a separate additional package installer, as mentioned this is advised against. You have LL and Ubuntu applications trying to do the same, each is different. Similarly how its ill-advised to run multiple anti-virus programs in Windows..

As mentioned:
Confirm in Lite Software = that Chromium is not in the 'Remove' list or showing 'not installed' from the install list.
Confirm in in Lite Software = Chromium or component(s) are not installed
Finally check the Ubuntu Updater for the same - Chromium or component(s) are not installed

If you confirm that Chromium is not installed - perhaps post a screen-shot of the error/message?? There is instruction on the forums how to do this, but the short version -- take a screen-shot - upload to imgur.com - copy the BBC code into the forum reply..

Additionally you had mentioned needing to expand your disk? I've ran LL on a 30gb partition for a couple versions; the OS itself with applications doesn't use much space... My root..

Wondering if you maybe feeling some ill effects from the Ubuntu Updater = packages being downloaded but not installed??

Good Luck and welcome!!

(01-30-2016, 02:29 PM)tigertye link Wrote: [ -> ]@gold_finger:

I have yet to have an issue with the updater but will keep that in mind.

You may not be aware of an issue caused by the updater, but if I had to guess the following is an example of one:

(01-30-2016, 02:29 PM)tigertye link Wrote: [ -> ]if chromium is not part of the build and I don't have it installed then why is LL insisting on updating it? seems like unnecessary bloating to me.

As both torreydale and firenice03 have been saying, normal behaviour of LL updates is NOT to include updates for things that are not installed.  So, in their defence, it makes sense to wonder if the chromium package may be installed without you knowing it, or that some other miscellaneous thing got installed that is trying to pull-in chromium as a dependency for some reason.

Even though I believe you're probably right and chromium is not installed, you can run this command to double-check.  If it returns nothing, chromium is not installed.  If something gets listed, copy/paste it back here for us to see.

In all likelihood, the Ubuntu updater is causing the problem.  Although LL is based on Ubuntu, that doesn't mean that utilities built specifically for the Ubuntu operating system will work seamlessly for distros that use Ubuntu as their base.  Ubuntu updater is built specifically for Ubuntu; Mint Updater is built specifically for Mint (even though it's also based on Ubuntu); LL updater is built specifically for LL; etc.

A couple of years ago I tested out using Ubuntu Software Center (which pulls in the updater), Lubuntu Software Center, and one or two others on LL to see what would happen and possibly be able to recommend one of them to new users who wanted to use something like that vs. the default choices in LL.  Conclusion was that Ubuntu Software Center and updater inevitably pulled-in packages that caused conflicts and erratic behaviour in LL.  Only one that seemed to work without major problems was the Lubuntu Software Center, but even that was not a "perfect" solution.

(01-30-2016, 04:11 PM)tigertye link Wrote: [ -> ]When I say I built a new pc I mean that. Your comment implies you think I just formatted and did a new os install. While I did do a new os install, first I had to build a new pc as I blew both my mb & vid card.

I can't speak for torreydale, but when you said you got fed up after 6 installs I assumed you didn't built a new pc for each install; but just formatted and re-installed.  Right?

(01-30-2016, 02:29 PM)tigertye link Wrote: [ -> ]I got fed up after the 6th install and let him set up my LL however he chose.

Please understand that people here are not trying to argue with you.  They're simply trying to confirm some basic facts (whether or not chromium is actually installed) because "normal" system behaviour is not to update things that are not installed.


Regarding problem of having to expand LL partition over time -- that may or may not have anything to do with the Ubuntu updater.  Root system file growth is not normally something to worry about, even when you have many, many extra programs installed to the system.  If you don't have a separate partition to hold personal data files, then those are the most likely cause of space problems.  [General guideline:  20GB for Root ("/") -- Swap = RAM -- Rest of space available for Home partition ("/home").]

Bottom Line:  although you may not want to here this, I'd recommend you do one last re-install of LL.  This time set-up a separate Root and Home partition (if you didn't the last time), and DO NOT install the Ubuntu updater.  This way you start fresh with a system that has no left over miscellaneous bits pulled-in by the updater and you won't have to worry about something strange happening in the future because of them.  Also, if you haven't already done so, take a few minutes to read through the Help Manual.  Think you'll find some of the info there to be helpful.

P.s.
We can help with more specific info on doing another re-install if you'd like.  Just ask.