Getting Back to a Pure XFCE on Ubuntu

If you used aptitude to install other desktop environments, you will not need this tutorial, as you can just type

sudo aptitude remove kubuntu-desktop

sudo aptitude remove ubuntu-desktop

to get back to your "pure XFCE."

If you didn't have as much foresight and chose instead to install KDE or Gnome through Synaptic or apt-get, this is how to remove those desktop environments from your XFCE.

Note, this applies only to Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy). If you're using Gutsy, go here. If you're using Feisty, go here. If you're using Edgy, go here. If you're using Dapper, go here.

Remove Ubuntu
Paste this command into the terminal:

sudo apt-get remove alacarte bluez-gnome brltty brltty-x11 bug-buddy capplets-data cdrdao cli-common compiz compiz-core compiz-fusion-plugins-extra compiz-fusion-plugins-main compiz-gnome compiz-plugins compizconfig-backend-gconf contact-lookup-applet dcraw deskbar-applet diveintopython ekiga eog espeak evince evolution evolution-common evolution-data-server evolution-data-server-common evolution-exchange evolution-plugins evolution-webcal example-content f-spot fast-user-switch-applet firefox-3.0-gnome-support firefox-gnome-support gconf-editor gedit gedit-common gimp-gnomevfs gimp-python gnome-about gnome-applets gnome-applets-data gnome-control-center gnome-desktop-data gnome-doc-utils gnome-media gnome-menus gnome-netstatus-applet gnome-nettool gnome-panel gnome-panel-data gnome-pilot gnome-pilot-conduits gnome-session gnome-settings-daemon gnome-spell gnome-terminal gnome-terminal-data gnome-themes gnome-user-guide gnome-utils gnome-volume-manager gstreamer0.10-plugins-base-apps gstreamer0.10-pulseaudio gstreamer0.10-tools gtkhtml3.14 gvfs gvfs-backends gvfs-fuse hwtest hwtest-gtk launchpad-integration libalut0 libao2 libarchive1 libart2.0-cil libcdio-cdda0 libcdio-paranoia0 libcompizconfig0 libcurl3 libdecoration0 libdeskbar-tracker libdirectfb-1.0-0 libedata-book1.2-2 libedata-cal1.2-6 libedataserverui1.2-8 libeel2-2 libeel2-data libegroupwise1.2-13 libexchange-storage1.2-3 libexempi3 libflickrnet2.1.5-cil libgconf2.0-cil libgdata-google1.2-1 libgdata1.2-1 libglade2.0-cil libglew1.5 libglib2.0-cil libgmime-2.0-2 libgmime2.2-cil libgnome-pilot2 libgnome-vfs2.0-cil libgnome-window-settings1 libgnome2.0-cil libgnomevfs2-bin libgnomevfs2-extra libgpgme11 libgpod-common libgpod3 libgtk2.0-cil libgtkhtml3.14-19 libgtkhtml3.16-cil libgtksourceview2.0-0 libgtksourceview2.0-common libgvfscommon0 libgweather-common libgweather1 libicu38 liblpint-bonobo0 libmono-addins-gui0.2-cil libmono-addins0.2-cil libmono-cairo1.0-cil libmono-corlib1.0-cil libmono-corlib2.0-cil libmono-data-tds1.0-cil libmono-data-tds2.0-cil libmono-security1.0-cil libmono-security2.0-cil libmono-sharpzip0.84-cil libmono-sharpzip2.84-cil libmono-sqlite2.0-cil libmono-system-data1.0-cil libmono-system-data2.0-cil libmono-system-web1.0-cil libmono-system-web2.0-cil libmono-system1.0-cil libmono-system2.0-cil libmono0 libmono1.0-cil libmono2.0-cil libmtp7 libmusicbrainz4c2a libndesk-dbus-glib1.0-cil libndesk-dbus1.0-cil libneon27 libopal-2.2 libopenal0a libopenobex1 libpam-gnome-keyring libpisock9 libpisync1 libpt-1.10.10 libpt-1.10.10-plugins-alsa libpt-1.10.10-plugins-v4l libpt-1.10.10-plugins-v4l2 libpth20 libpulsecore5 librarian0 libsamplerate0 libsdl1.2debian libsdl1.2debian-alsa libsgutils1 libsmbclient libsoup2.4-1 libsqlite0 libtracker-gtk0 libvorbisfile3 libwpg-0.1-1 libwps-0.1-1 libx11-xcb1 libxml2-utils mesa-utils metacity mono-common mono-gac mono-jit mono-runtime mousetweaks nautilus nautilus-cd-burner nautilus-data nautilus-sendto nautilus-share o3read obex-data-server openoffice.org-base-core openoffice.org-calc openoffice.org-common openoffice.org-core openoffice.org-draw openoffice.org-gnome openoffice.org-gtk openoffice.org-impress openoffice.org-style-human openoffice.org-writer pkg-config pulseaudio pulseaudio-esound-compat pulseaudio-module-gconf pulseaudio-module-hal pulseaudio-module-x11 python-gmenu python-gtksourceview2 python-uno rdesktop rhythmbox rss-glx scim-bridge-agent scim-bridge-client-gtk seahorse sound-juicer sqlite sqlite3 ssh-askpass-gnome tangerine-icon-theme tomboy totem-mozilla tracker tracker-search-tool tsclient ttf-opensymbol ubuntu-desktop ubuntu-docs ubuntu-sounds usplash-theme-ubuntu vino whois xdg-user-dirs xdg-user-dirs-gtk xsane xsane-common xsltproc xulrunner-1.9-gnome-support yelp && sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop

Remove Kubuntu
Paste this command into the terminal:

sudo apt-get remove adept adept-batch adept-common adept-installer adept-manager adept-notifier adept-updater akregator amarok amarok-xine apport-qt ark arts brltty cdrdao cryptsetup debtags desktop-effects-kde digikam dolphin enscript foomatic-db-gutenprint gdebi-kde gnupg-agent gpgsm gtk-qt-engine gwenview hpijs-ppds hplip-gui ijsgutenprint jockey-kde k3b kaddressbook kaffeine kamera karm katapult kate kbstate kcontrol kcron kde-guidance kde-guidance-powermanager kde-icons-mono kde-style-qtcurve kde-systemsettings kdeadmin-kfile-plugins kdebase-bin kdebase-bin-kde3 kdebase-data kdebase-kio-plugins kdebluetooth kdegraphics-kfile-plugins kdelibs-data kdelibs4c2a kdemultimedia-kfile-plugins kdemultimedia-kio-plugins kdenetwork-filesharing kdenetwork-kfile-plugins kdepasswd kdepim-kio-plugins kdepim-kresources kdepim-wizards kdeprint kdesktop kdesudo kdm kdnssd keep kfind kghostview khelpcenter kicker kio-apt kio-locate kio-umountwrapper kipi-plugins klipper kmag kmail kmailcvt kmenuedit kmilo kmix kmousetool kmplayer-base kmplayer-konq-plugins knetworkconf knotes konq-plugins konqueror konqueror-nsplugins konsole kontact konversation kooka kopete korganizer kpdf kpf kppp krdc krfb kscreensaver ksmserver ksnapshot ksvg ksysguard ksysguardd ksystemlog ktorrent kubuntu-artwork-usplash kubuntu-default-settings kubuntu-desktop kubuntu-docs kubuntu-konqueror-shortcuts kvkbd kwalletmanager kwin kwin-style-crystal language-selector-qt launchpad-integration libakode2 libao2 libarts1-akode libarts1c2a libartsc0 libaudio2 libavahi-qt3-1 libclucene0ldbl libcurl3 libdbus-qt-1-1c2 libdirectfb-1.0-0 libept0 libexiv2-2 libfftw3-3 libflac++6 libgmp3c2 libgpgme11 libgpod-common libgpod3-nogtk libicu38 libifp4 libijs-0.35 libjpeg-progs libk3b2 libkbluetooth0 libkcal2b libkcddb1 libkdcraw3 libkdepim1a libkexiv2-3 libkipi0 libkleopatra1 libkmime2 libkonq4 libkpimexchange1 libkpimidentities1 libksba8 libkscan1 libksieve0 libktnef1 liblua50 liblualib50 libmimelib1c2a libmodplug0c2 libmpcdec3 libmtp7 libmusicbrainz4c2a libmysqlclient15off libneon27 libnjb5 libofa0 libopenobex1 libpoppler-qt2 libpq5 libpth20 libpythonize0 libqt-perl libqt3-mt libqt4-core libqt4-gui librsync1 libruby1.8 libsamplerate0 libsdl1.2debian libsdl1.2debian-alsa libsearchclient0 libsgutils1 libskim0 libsmbclient libsmokeqt1 libstreamanalyzer0 libstreams0 libstrigihtmlgui0 libtunepimp5 libvorbisfile3 libwpg-0.1-1 libwps-0.1-1 libxapian15 libxcb-shape0 libxcb-shm0 libxcb-xv0 libxine1 libxine1-bin libxine1-console libxine1-misc-plugins libxine1-x libxvmc1 mysql-common network-manager-kde networkstatus openoffice.org-base-core openoffice.org-calc openoffice.org-common openoffice.org-core openoffice.org-draw openoffice.org-impress openoffice.org-kde openoffice.org-style-crystal openoffice.org-style-human openoffice.org-writer perl-suid pinentry-qt poster pykdeextensions python-dev python-kde3 python-qt3 python-qt4 python-qt4-common python-qt4-dbus python-reportlab python-sip4 python-uno python2.5-dev qca-tls rdesktop rdiff-backup ruby ruby1.8 scim-bridge-agent scim-bridge-client-qt scim-qtimm skim software-properties-kde speedcrunch strigi-applet strigi-daemon system-config-printer-kde ttf-arphic-ukai ttf-opensymbol vorbis-tools xdg-user-dirs && sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop