HOWTO: Install _only_ KDE4 on Ubuntu 7.10

UPDATE: Please stop using this howto, it is obsolete and only being kept up for archiving purposes. The Kubuntu-KDE4 8.10 beta is out! Use it instead!

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Yes, I know I can install KDE4 on top of KDE3.5 in Kubuntu. I know that the final release of 8.04 will have separate install discs for KDE3.5 and KDE4. But I want what I want and I want it right fuckin’ now. Here’s how I did it.

1. Install the server edition of Ubuntu 7.10. I will not detail this process here; if you don’t already know how to work with the debian-installer, don’t take it personally, but this howto is probably a little beyond you. Go forth, read the fabled manual, and come back when you’ve built your first lightsaber, young Jedi. Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.
2. Reboot, log in. Install the generic kernel. This step is not strictly necessary, but the generic kernel is optimized for low latency desktop use. What this means to you, Joe User, is that applications can pre-empt the kernel, resulting in slightly lower overall processing power, but increased desktop responsiveness. Oh, the things you learn hanging out here!-> sudo aptitude install linux-generic. _Reboot_ into the generic kernel (you’ll have to select it from the GRUB menu just this once) before moving on to step 3.
3. Remove the server kernel. -> sudo aptitude remove linux-image-2.6.22-14-generic linux-ubuntu-modules-2.6.22-14-generic linux-server linux-image-server. GRUB will update itself. (Note: By the time you read this, the kernel version may have changed, in which case you’ll have to change the version number above. You can find out what kernel you’re running with -> uname -r.
4. sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list and add the line “deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/kubuntu-members-kde4/ubuntu gutsy main universe multiverse restricted” (no quotes)
5. sudo aptitude
6. In aptitude, press “u” to update the package list. Press “/” to bring up a search bar, and search for kde4-core. Press “+” to install. This should automatically install the x server with it, but check to make sure by searching for xserver-xorg and making sure there’s an “i” next to it. Also search for and mark kdm for installation.
7. MUY IMPORTANTE! Search for kdm-kde4 and press “-” to cancel the installation. I have a showstopper bug with kdm-kde4, wherein when kdm starts, it kills all my other ttys*, which I cannot live without. I have seen no known fix for this, and I haven’t even seen anyone else with the problem, so your mileage may vary, but you’ve been warned. After all this is said and done, press “g” to install. It’ll pull down about five million package, so if you need to go to the corner store for a pack of smokes, now’s a good time. EDIT: Okay,my ttys vanished again.kdm-kde4 is not installed, it happened after an update to xserver-xorg-video-intel. I think it may be related to this bug, but I’m not sure. I have a seperate bug report filed here. EDIT TO THE EDIT: This seems to be fixed in Feisty.
8. Reboot into KDE4! Right now, only the base KDE4 desktop is installed, but wait there’s more! First, install Adept (there isn’t a KDE4 version yet) with -> sudo aptitude install adept. Then check out extragear-plasma, kdepim-kde4, koffice-kde4, kde4-amusements, kdeadmin-kde4, kdeartwork-kde4, kdeaccessibility-kde4, kdeedu-kde4, kdegames-kde4, kdemultimedia-kde4, kdenetwork-kde4, kdegraphicskde4, and kdeutils-kde4. Etc, etc. You may just want to search for KDE4 in Adept and go down the list.
9. Enjoy!

-pd-