Removing packages installed from Debian backports

[ayu]

I installed a package from Debian Squeeze Backports a while ago, but now I get the following problem;

* When I try to compile Emerald, it depends on an older version of the package that I installed from backports (thus I need to remove it and install another one)
* If I try to remove it, it says that it's not installed
* If I try to install it, it says it's already installed

Ideas?

The package in question is libgtk2.0-dev

[bad_brain]

ok, first do:

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dpkg -l libgtk2.0-dev

check the first 2 (or 3) letters, it will tell you the status of the package.

the try to remove it with:

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dpkg -r libgtk2.0-dev

or, most likely better because it also removes all the config files:

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dpkg --purge libgtk2.0-dev

[ayu]

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root@Enma:/home/cats# dpkg -l libgtk2.0-dev
No packages found matching libgtk2.0-dev.
root@Enma:/home/cats# dpkg -r libgtk2.0-dev
dpkg: warning: ignoring request to remove libgtk2.0-dev which isn't installed.
root@Enma:/home/cats# dpkg --purge libgtk2.0-dev
dpkg: warning: ignoring request to remove libgtk2.0-dev which isn't installed.

[bad_brain]

output of:

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apt-get -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes remove libgtk2.0-dev

also look if that file exists:

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/var/lib/dpkg/info/libgtk2.0-dev

[ayu]

Think I solved it by enabling backports again and just installed all the newer packets instead

so basically the solution was

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apt-get install -t squeeze-backports libgtk2.0-dev