KDE Plasma Errors After Update Script on Lenovo V15 G3 IAP

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1

Hello KDE Neon community,

We are facing an issue where KDE Plasma becomes unusable after running an update script on multiple laptops. Specifically, after the update, we receive errors related to missing Plasma components, and the desktop theme fails to load.

Here are the error messages that appear after the scripted update:

Screenshot 2024-09-18 at 12.19.04
Screenshot 2024-09-18 at 12.19.041565×814 92.7 KB

We are using Lenovo V15 G3 IAP laptops with the following specifications:

• Model: Lenovo V15 G3 IAP - Type 82TT00EHGE

• Processor: Intel Core i3-1215U (12th Gen, 6 Cores)

• Graphics: Integrated Intel UHD Graphics

• RAM: 16 GB DDR4

• Storage: 512 GB SSD

• Display: 15.6” FHD (1920x1080)

• Operating System: KDE Neon (based on Ubuntu LTS)

After running our custom update script, which includes system updates via pkcon and synchronizing files from a remote server, the desktop becomes unresponsive with errors about missing KDE Plasma modules such as org.kde.plasma.extras, org.kde.plasma.components, and org.kde.plasma.core. This issue affects the system theme, and we’re prompted to select another theme, but the system remains unusable.

2

Perhaps better to restore a snapshot and run a regular update?

I’m not sure I’d recommend Neon as a production OS to be honest.

3

Have you talked to whomever created this script?
Something might be incorrectly set up, or it wasn’t well tested.

To be honest, for scripted updates, using apt-get directly instead of having pkcon run it is a better choice. You’d see better error messages, for one. Plus we have no idea what else is being synchronized.

Is this for regular system updates, or was this for updating to Plasma 6?
I think i have seen similar breakages from someone doing this some time after 6.0 came out, in February. I think waiting too long for doing this is not tested or supported.

If it is just normal daily or similar updates, I am sure this can be fixed, but having any error logs or messages seen, plus the contents of the script would be helpful.

The systems should be able to be logged in to, then Plasma started manually from a tty:

ctrl-alt-f2
Log in with username/password
then startplasma-x11 or startplasma-wayland, whichever is appropriate .

One could also log in to the system as a user with sudo privileges, either from the tty or Konsole if starting Plasma is successful, and try updating manually, to check for any errors or messages:

sudo apt update

sudo apt full-upgrade

( these are what pkcon calls apt with when updating that way)

But really, without more info to go by, rolling back to the last snapshot and investigating what happened with the scripting will be the best way forward.

4

I manually updated the system from the GUI, but I’m seeing the same results as with the script. This suggests that the problem lies with the update itself, not the script.

Post-update, the system becomes unusable. Even Ctrl+Alt+F2 doesn’t work. The mouse moves but nothing is clickable.

These laptops were set up a year ago, before Plasma 6, so maybe that’s causing the issue. Any suggestions on how to fix this? I’d prefer a scripted solution if possible.

5

Unless the script has broken something inadvertently.
If it was from the updates themselves, a LOT of people would be seeing this, and they aren’t.

No way to see the script, edited for security as needed?

You are on Plasma 6, correct?

Can you switch to a Vt before logging in and try installing the meta-package neon-desktop? This is to make sure all of the KDE, Plasma and neon packages are installed, as well as hopefully providing useful messaging and errors that can be captured by a phone camera.

sudo apt update
then
sudo apt-full-upgrade

Use apt, as using it directly shows all the error and warning messages. Pkcon hides a lot of this when it is running apt commands.

it is extremely difficult to offer suggestion or actions without knowing what is actually taking place particularly with the script and remote syncing.

6

The current plasmashell version is 5.27.7.

I tried updating to Plasma 6 using the following script, but it leads to the same unusable system:

# Update to Plasma 6
echo "Adding Plasma 6 repository and upgrading..."
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports -y
sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade -y
echo "Plasma 6 updated!"

Any other ideas on how I can address this issue or ensure the update runs smoothly?

7

Really? That PPA is for Kubuntu, and it does NOT have Plasma 6 stuff in it at all.

KDE neon automatically gets the latest current Plasma, there isn’t/wasn’t a need to do anything. Just update normally.

That Kubuntu PPA is completely useless, and could possibly cause some sort of dependency issues, though this is extremely unlikely.

So, no messages or errors when running apt update and apt full-upgrade?

To be safe, you will want to properly remove the PPA:

sudo ppa-purge ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

So, your systems were not updated, or not properly updated --disabled or missing sources? No way to know without knowing how this happened. You likely have a mish-mash of the old Plasma 5.27 things, plus some more current things that break the old stuff (or vice versa)/
No way to know without knowing what was modified, or what apt sources may be disabled or missing.

Unfortunately, I don’t think there is anything that can be done short of fresh installs. At least not safely. No way to know without knowing what was modified, or what apt sources may be disabled or missing.

Plasma 6 came out almost 7 months ago, and neon is a ‘rolling’ setup, in terms of Plasma and its dependencies.

I don’t think there is a supported or known way to update such an out of date system safely, but I am sure something could be attempted. No way to know without knowing what was modified, or what apt sources may be disabled or missing.

Now, if we knew what was changed or what happened to cause you to skip Plasma 6 altogether…

8

there is no need for adding any kubuntu ppa’s. plasma 6 has been shipped in jammy for over 6 months. can you please confirm the edition and series you are running. i.e. is it jammy and user edition?

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