How to restore after accidentally apt-get remove python

Question

Yeah. I've done this. It was stupid.

I did not know it's going to take its dependencies with itself, only wanted to install python 2 and 3 from scratch (because of this problem: https://askubuntu.com/questions/897355/how-to-change-default-idle-for-python).

Now, I can still use my terminal, checked these answers:

https://askubuntu.com/questions/741265/apt-get-remove-python-150mb-apt-get-install-python-687kb

https://askubuntu.com/questions/437644/i-accidentaly-did-sudo-apt-get-remove-python

However after running sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop I get these errors:

Setting up python-ldb (2:1.1.24-1ubuntu3) ...
/var/lib/dpkg/info/python-ldb.postinst: 6: /var/lib/dpkg/info/python-ldb.postinst: pycompile: not found
dpkg: error processing package python-ldb (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
                                                              Setting up python-tdb (1.3.8-2) ...
/var/lib/dpkg/info/python-tdb.postinst: 6: /var/lib/dpkg/info/python-tdb.postinst: pycompile: not found
dpkg: error processing package python-tdb (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
                                                              dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of python-samba:
 python-samba depends on python-crypto; however:
  Package python-crypto is not configured yet.
 python-samba depends on python-ldb (>= 1.1.2~); however:
  Package python-ldb is not configured yet.
 python-samba depends on python-tdb; however:
  Package python-tdb is not configured yet.

dpkg: error processing package python-samba (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
                                                              Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.23-0ubuntu7) ...

Errors were encountered while processing:
 mercurial-common
 python-crypto
 python-dnspython
 python-ldb
 python-tdb
 python-samba
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Every apt-get install command throws this.

Is there a way to restore these dependencies?

Dusty

Try using "apt-get install -f" It might fix the broken dependencies – Rayleigh

@Abhimanyusingh No, sadly it throws the same :( – Dusty

Answer 1

Hallelujah.

sudo apt-get install --reinstall python python-chardet python-colorama python-distlib python-django python-django-tables2 python-six python-html5lib python-lxml python-minimal python-pkg-resources python-setuptools python-urllib3 python-requests python-pip python-virtualenv

sudo apt-get install --reinstall python-dnspython

sudo apt autoremove

sudo apt-get -f install

After a whole day of adventures in the deepest pits of internet, these commands worked for me.

python-dnspython and samba was still missing after the first command, --reinstall python-dnspython pulled samba in as well. Autoremove removed the needless dependencies.

Naturally some of these could be quite redundant but I was just following some long lost forum posts all over the place and what matters is that it worked.

Dusty

After a few hours of digging, this post saved my sanity and my PC. Thank you so much. – Rocher

Answer 2

I did the following and was able to recover my system fully:

1) sudo apt-get update

2) Ran the 4 commands given above by MattSom (thanks to him):

sudo apt-get install --reinstall python python-chardet python-colorama python-distlib python-django python-django-tables2 python-six python-html5lib python-lxml python-minimal python-pkg-resources python-setuptools python-urllib3 python-requests python-pip python-virtualenv

sudo apt-get install --reinstall python-dnspython

sudo apt autoremove

sudo apt-get -f install

But GUI was still not available. I run below to recover that as well:

3) sudo apt-get install --reinstall ubuntu-desktop

Stature

Answer 3

You can restore everything again by just running:

sudo apt install gnome

Even if you're left with just the kernel only.

Simplex

Thank you so much, the answer above didn't work and I got scared, but this solved it. – Therron

Answer 4

For me this

sudo apt-get install --reinstall python3 python3-chardet python3-colorama python3-distlib python3-django python3-django-tables2 python3-six python3-html5lib python3-lxml python3-minimal python3-pkg-resources python3-setuptools python3-urllib3 python3-requests python3-pip python3-virtualenv

sudo apt-get install --reinstall python-dnspython // this was needed 

sudo apt autoremove // there was nothing to autoremove

sudo apt-get -f install // there was nothing dependences. 

wasn't enough. I had to run first this line, because my internet connection was broken

sudo dhclient -r;sudo dhclient

Then run previous block and then this

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-minimal ubuntu-desktop

And after all this I had to reinstall my NVIDIA drivers.

Dripps

Answer 5

Try this of Ubuntu 20.04+ versions:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install --reinstall python3 python3-chardet python3-colorama python3-distlib python3-django python3-django-tables2 python3-six python3-html5lib python3-lxml python3-minimal python-pkg-resources python-setuptools python3-urllib3 python3-requests python3-pip python3-virtualenv

sudo apt-get install --reinstall python3-dnspython

sudo apt autoremove

sudo apt-get -f install

sudo apt-get install --reinstall ubuntu-desktop

reboot

If your ubuntu is stuck on login screen with no response from Keyboard or Mouse, then try this:

Reboot -> Advanced Options for Ubuntu -> recovery mode -> network -> Yes -> again recovery options will come now select root -> terminal will get started

Run the above commands and it will work.

Resurrectionism

Answer 6

https://askubuntu.com/questions/187227/i-run-sudo-apt-get-remove-python2-7-can-i-restore-my-ubuntu-now

To do this, manually download the python2.7 package (and its dependencies), and manually install them using dpkg (bypassing APT, which requires Python). Once that's installed, apt should work again, and so apt-get install ubuntu-desktop will restore your system. (If apt-get still doesn't work, you might also need to download and install any missing dependencies.)

Dose that work?

(dpkg) - https://help.ubuntu.com/lts/serverguide/dpkg.html

Jemimah

Yep, this is what I'm trying, find this one as well: askubuntu.com/questions/565438/… Gonna report the results today. – Dusty

Answer 7

For me what worked was to find and fix the Broken Packages on my PC

sudo apt --fix-missing update

sudo apt update

sudo apt install -f

Unprovided