Ubuntu – Install button in the software center is grayed out when trying to install .debs without an internet connection

software-center

I just installed ubuntu 11.10 from a usb stick.

After installation, none of the software which I had collected and run on 11.10 or 11.04 runs on it. Even my newly downloaded opera or chrome installations does not work.

I do not have a internet connection.

Whenever i try to install any .deb file by double clicking it,software center opens up but the install button is grayed out.

Best Answer

Try installing from the command line:

gdebi-gtk /full/path/to/deb/file

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – Removing a deb package installed from thirdparty

You can remove any software installed via a .deb packages with the apt-get remove command

First open a terminal session with Ctrl+Alt+T and type in:

sudo apt-get remove google-chrome-stable

This should remove the package from your system.

Additionally, to see a list of locally installed and obsolete packages either run the command

sudo apt-get install aptitude
aptitude search '~o'

or install Synaptic with sudo apt-get install synaptic and click on the Status button on the left panel and select Installed (local or obsolete). See screen capture below for reference.

Synaptic showing local and obsolete packages

Both options will show you the list of all .deb installed packages.

Fix Missing Ubuntu Software Center and Snap Store on Ubuntu 20.04

For some reason, both my Ubuntu Software Center (now simply called "Software") and the Snap Store weren't present on my Fresh Ubuntu 20.04 install. To install them, simply run the following two commands:

sudo apt install gnome-software  # "Software"
snap install snap-store          # Snap Store

Here's what their icons look like now when I press the Super key (Windows key on a PC keyboard, or Command key on a Mac running Linux), then search for them:

Ubuntu Software Center (now just called "Software"):

Ubuntu "Snap Store":

Now, to install a *.deb file using the GUI file manager, such as nautilus (default), or nemo (my preferred choice), simply right-click the *.deb file and go to --> Properties --> "Opens With" tab --> select "Software Install" (which is now available since you just installed gnome-software) --> and click "Set as default" --> Close.

Now you can just double-click the *.deb file in your GUI file manager to install it!

Note: you might also consider trying the gdebi package installer, as described here: Problem installing .deb in Software Install Ubuntu 20.04. Apparently, in some cases where the "Software Install" GUI option fails, and you would have to otherwise manually run sudo dpkg -i myfile.deb to install the *.deb file, the "GDebi Package Installer" GUI option works.

Other references:

This answer helped me identify the existence of gnome-software and the snap-store: Ubuntu Software doesn't open in Ubuntu 20.04