How do I disable the konqueror web browser?

Trenix25

Trenix25

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I have renamed /usr/bin/konqueror to /usr/bin/konqueror.disabled and set the permissions to 0000, but it is still being run. I can't uninstall the konqueror package without uninstalling all of KDE. The program is owned by root:root and has no ACLs attached to it. I don't want it to run. It is such a pain. Firefox is currently set as my default browser. I figured renaming it should do the job. Maybe I need to hide it on another file system that is mounted with noexec. I checked the .desktop file and it calls for konqueror, but not /usr/bin/konqueror. I did not find it anywhere else.

Signed,

Matthew Campbell
 


G'day Matthew.

After you have considered the above, and subject to its outcome, you could let us know what KDE distro you are using.

Avagudweegend

Wizard
 
Heh. This is one of those recurring what-if type questions......and must have been asked a thousand times over the years.

The trouble with Konqueror is that it's a bit like trying to remove Internet Exploder from older versions of Windows. Because of the way IE used to be set-up to function, it was very tightly integrated with File Explorer.....and so it used to be with Konqueror.

In older releases, it was listed as a file manager AND web browser. These days, apparently, it's usually listed as just a web-browser, but the FM functionality is still there. The hitch is that in KDE, certain other applications are set by default to call it for its FM functionality.......and if you try to get rid of it, the system insists that something else needs to be installed in its place. Even though Dolphin is usually there AS the default FM, older code (primarily 'meta-packages') still defaults to Konqueror.....

I don't know how you've installed Firefox, but it seems that the package manager will try to replace Konqueror with a different version of Firefox from the KDE repos. Most people are unaware of this, but any browser can double as a file manager by the simple expedient of entering a "local" address in the URL bar.....and usually prefaced with "file:///" (note the third slash). This functionality goes all the way back to the days of the 'browser wars' in the late 90s/early noughties, and was inaugurated by NetScape Navigator.....the fore-runner of Firefox itself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

See if this helps:-

qask.org

Remove Konqueror without installing firefox-esr in KDE Plasma

I am trying to uninstall Konqueror from my KDE Plasma Desktop. Running the shell command sudo apt remove konqueror gives: Reading package lists... D - 1 answer
qask.org

Maybe it will, maybe it won't. Let us know if you have any joy, please. Looks like this individual was asking the same question across multiple fora at the time; there's a good selection of forum threads that come up in a web search, all with pretty much the same subject matter.....


Mike. ;)
 
Last edited:
Curious that the articles are named the same, but are different threads posted in different venues at different times.

Just an observation.
 
I am running KDE Plasma version 5.20.5. I did specify that I couldn't just use apt to remove or purge konqeror without losing KDE. I also specified that Firefox was my default browser. I also have and use Dolphin for the file manager. What puzzles me is that I am still able to run konqueror after renaming it. I have to wonder how the system is finding it so it can run it. Is our cherished wizard telling me that I should have checked to see if this question was already posted?

Signed,

Matthew Campbell
 
As Maarten said above ^^^^ .

Trenix25 said:
Is our cherished wizard telling me that I should have checked to see if this question was already posted?
Click to expand...

Nope.

I asked because I have eight (8) KDE distros in my stable, being
  • Gecko
  • PCLOS
  • Redcore
  • BigLinux
  • Mageia 9
  • Manjaro
  • CachyOS and
  • Kubuntu 24.04
If one of those matches yours or even if not, I can run some tests with installing and removing Konqueror, and then make recommendations.

I would at the very least take a Timeshift snapshot (including Home, or that part which contains KDE settings) before trying to remove Konqueror. That's if I were in your shoes.

Cheers

Wizard
 
You mentioned apt so I'm assuming it's a Debian family. That means there's some dependency nightmares going on -- and I have my own gripe to post about that in the future when I have the time to tackle this -- so there are issues. One such example is removing ristretto will remove half of XFCE4. Easiest thing to do is either apt-get purge konqueror --dry-run > text.file (note --dry-run is to bypass the interactive mode the safest). Then remove konqueror for realsies and open text.file and reinstall everything to be removed. But I would not recommend it, as Mike pointed out, it is part of the core and may make KDE break!

If you want to disable it from opening anything, see update-alternatives:

And here's a thread I'm sure will have some useful info for the above context:
askubuntu.com

What exactly does `update-alternatives` do?

What is the command update-alternatives used for? Take this example: sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /usr/local/java/jre1.7.0_09/bin/java 1 What does it do? How is it diffe...
askubuntu.com askubuntu.com

Also, of note, you cannot never be sure where something is without whereis.

So my advice: Disable it as the default via alternatives and be done. If you're trimming away bloat, KDE is not for you. Bottom line is it's rich and beautiful and I've played with it, but after considering a transition, I found it was too much work. I'm used to XFCE and how easy it is to get setup, and contrary to popular opinion, it can look very modern and pretty.

If you're hell-bent on removing it, it probably exists in /usr/lib/, but as everyone has warned, it could break your system. Doing the following is probably the safest:
mv /path/to/konqueror /path/to/konqueror.old
ln -s /path/to/preferred-program /path/to/konqueror
That way you can boot in recover mode or from a LiveCD and just undo the linking. But don't say you weren't warned.
 
Does this answer not make any sense ??

sudo dpkg -r konq-plugins konqueror
(Reading database ... 211190 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing konq-plugins (4:20.12.0-4) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent removal of konqueror:
libreoffice-help-en-us depends on firefox-esr | epiphany-browser | konqueror | chromium | firefox; however:
Package firefox-esr is not installed.
Package epiphany-browser is not installed.
Package konqueror is to be removed.
Package chromium is not installed.
Package firefox is not installed.

dpkg: error processing package konqueror (--remove):
dependency problems - not removing
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.17-2) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
konqueror

After removing libreoffice-help-en-us, I was able to remove konqueror.
 
Condobloke said:
Does this answer not make any sense ??

sudo dpkg -r konq-plugins konqueror
(Reading database ... 211190 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing konq-plugins (4:20.12.0-4) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent removal of konqueror:
libreoffice-help-en-us depends on firefox-esr | epiphany-browser | konqueror | chromium | firefox; however:
Package firefox-esr is not installed.
Package epiphany-browser is not installed.
Package konqueror is to be removed.
Package chromium is not installed.
Package firefox is not installed.

dpkg: error processing package konqueror (--remove):
dependency problems - not removing
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.17-2) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
konqueror

After removing libreoffice-help-en-us, I was able to remove konqueror.
Click to expand...

No sense whatsoever, lol, but it gets the job done (at a price, see below)... Viscerally, as in, "It doesn't make sense the libreoffice-help-en-us should have anything to do with konqueror", it makes no sense.
But, below the surface, libreoffice-help-en-us presumably relies on one of the specifically mentioned browsers because the help file runs in a browser that needs js support (and maybe other thingies). It is kinda Krazy of the LO team or the packager maintainers (IDK who to blame).
Anyway, uninstalling libreoffice-help-en-us will result in help not working in LO:
Eish.png
which just adds more complexity...
Here's what gets real odd, and why I suggested using update-alternatives :
He has Firefox installed, which is an alternative dependency. My guess is it needs to be updated as default, which would happen after removing konqueror, so it's a real chicken-egg. ;) Perhaps remove konqueror and firefox and libreoffice-help-en-us and then reinstall firefox and libreoffice-help-en-us.
 
Condobloke said:
Does this answer not make any sense ??
Click to expand...

Yeah I found that one yesterday, I was going to lead up to it once I established what Distro the OP is using.

I was going to trial it myself.

If it works OK, then it is likely you can then reinstall

libreoffice-help-en-us

itself, without consequence. If you need it.

Wiz
 
@Fanboi :-

Fanboi said:
If you're trimming away bloat, KDE is not for you. Bottom line is it's rich and beautiful and I've played with it, but after considering a transition, I found it was too much work. I'm used to XFCE and how easy it is to get setup, and contrary to popular opinion, it can look very modern and pretty.
Click to expand...
Aye, absolutely. The potential for customization of ANY Linux DE is limited solely by the user's imagination.....and their willingness to dive-in and make changes.

Many here are already au-fait with the possibilities inherent with an endlessly flexible, top-end DE like KDE/Plasma. But even with Puppy's set-up - a window manager plus a file-manager 'extension' - it's totally possible to go nutso and do what you, the user, wants.

You only have to look at a few of those I've posted in "Post a screenshot of your Desktop" to get some ideas. And that's just MY interpretation.....

The sky really IS "the limit" here.


Mike. :p
 
This is distro specific packaging issue: in the case of Slackware-current konqueror never starts without user input and I can remove konqueror without any adverse effect (Plasma 5.27.11).

One of the reasons I removed Arch Linux from my desktop (then) in ~ mid 2000 was that Arch decided to force Gnome on everybody by making absurd dependencies where attempt to install pure KDE failed because I got half of Gnome (including Gnome calculator if I remember correctly) installed. This was done by design as devs explained arguing that without Gnome any DE is incomplete....

So if your distro has konqueror dependencies there is not much you can do just live with it.

I doubt that changing distro will help. Every distro has own problems.
 
Last edited:
I am using Debian Linux 11.7 with kernel version Linux version 5.10.0-22-amd64 ([email protected]) (gcc-10 (Debian 10.2.1-6) 10.2.1 20210110, GNU ld (GNU Binutils for Debian) 2.35.2) #1 SMP Debian 5.10.178-3 (2023-04-22).

I have been thinking that if I moved /usr/bin/konqueror somewhere else and created a symlink to point to firefox instead that might force the system to use firefox. Thoughts?

I do use libreoffice so I don't want to screw up anything related to that. In fact, it's running right now.

Signed,

Matthew Campbell
 
Trenix25 said:
I am using Debian Linux 11.7 with kernel version Linux version 5.10.0-22-amd64 ([email protected]) (gcc-10 (Debian 10.2.1-6) 10.2.1 20210110, GNU ld (GNU Binutils for Debian) 2.35.2) #1 SMP Debian 5.10.178-3 (2023-04-22).

I have been thinking that if I moved /usr/bin/konqueror somewhere else and created a symlink to point to firefox instead that might force the system to use firefox. Thoughts?

I do use libreoffice so I don't want to screw up anything related to that. In fact, it's running right now.

Signed,

Matthew Campbell
Click to expand...
I think you should as suggested by our Wizard:
wizardfromoz said:
If it works OK, then it is likely you can then reinstall
libreoffice-help-en-us
Click to expand...

Uninstall just libreoffice-help-en-us
Unininstall konqueror
Install libreoffice-help-en-us

I did it on my rig so I could post the screenshot previous post and it works my side.

The symlinks hack is something I use ATM because of a massive mess the Debian packaging team have gotten into as of 12 (opinion). I've watched it creeping since 9. And that trickles downstream quite a lot. Next install I may go back to installing just the base and then individual packages... by then I'll have written a preseed file (probably, maybe, possibly, mmmhhhmm -- I said I would gradually cook one leadin up last install, lol). Either or will achieve the same ends, one is just the more idiomatic way which is less likely to mess with your dependencies.
 
f33dm3bits said:
Doesn't look like it's possible because of this.
Code: 
dpkg: dependency problems prevent removal of konqueror:
 kde-baseapps depends on konqueror (>= 4:20.12.0).
Best case scenario is to find a work around, but isn't it just easier to set "Firefox" as default application for your Web Browser instead of trying to find a hacky workaround?

View attachment 22735

Click to expand...
I found that Konqueror was still set as the default browser even though Firefox said it was the default browser. I have changed this setting in System Settings. I really appreciate your help with this, especially the screen shot picture. The picture made it easy to find this option. Time will tell if this has worked for me.

Signed,

Matthew Campbell
 
Trenix25 said:
I found that Konqueror was still set as the default browser even though Firefox said it was the default browser. I have changed this setting in System Settings. I really appreciate your help with this, especially the screen shot picture. The picture made it easy to find this option. Time will tell if this has worked for me.

Signed,

Matthew Campbell
Click to expand...
A command line tool to arrange default settings for a desktop system is: xdg-settings. There's an example of usage on the manpage specifically using the web browser as an example which may be of interest.
 
osprey said:
A command line tool to arrange default settings for a desktop system is: xdg-settings. There's an example of usage on the manpage specifically using the web browser as an example which may be of interest.
Click to expand...
I found the command, but it doesn't provide a list of things I can check.

Signed,

Matthew Campbell
 
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