> > What does your sources.list look like?
# etch deb http://debian.lcs.mit.edu/debian/ etch main contrib non-free deb-src http://debian.lcs.mit.edu/debian/ etch main contrib non-free # security updates deb http://security.debian.org/ etch/updates main contrib deb-src http://security.debian.org/ etch/updates main contrib # unstable deb http://debian.lcs.mit.edu/debian/ unstable non-free deb-src http://debian.lcs.mit.edu/debian/ unstable non-free And I also have the following /etc/apt/preferences file: Package: * Pin: release a=etch Pin-Priority: 900 Package: * Pin: release a=unstable Pin-Priority: 800 I normally like to use stable, and only get packages from unstable if that is the only way to get the features I require, using the "-t unstable" flag when I apt-get install. Is this the best practice? Can you try this (as a simulation)? > > apt-get -s install zlib1g=1:1.2.3-13 zlib1g-dev=1:1.2.3-13 I got some rather scary looking output from that; it appears that I'd have to downgrade zlib1g to install the -dev package? Output: The following extra packages will be installed: fglrx-control zlib1g zlib1g-dev The following packages will be REMOVED: alacarte bluez-gnome bug-buddy cupsys cupsys-driver-gutenprint deskbar-applet desktop-base ekiga eog epiphany-browser epiphany-extensions evince evolution evolution-exchange evolution-plugins evolution-webcal fast-user-switch-applet fglrx-driver file-roller filelight fontconfig foomatic-db-gutenprint foomatic-db-hpijs foomatic-filters-ppds foomatic-gui gaim gcalctool gconf-editor gdebi gdm gedit ghex gimp gimp-print gksu gnome-about gnome-applets gnome-btdownload gnome-control-center gnome-core gnome-cups-manager gnome-desktop-environment gnome-games gnome-icon-theme gnome-keyring gnome-keyring-manager gnome-media gnome-menus gnome-netstatus-applet gnome-nettool gnome-panel gnome-power-manager gnome-screensaver gnome-session gnome-system-monitor gnome-system-tools gnome-terminal gnome-themes gnome-user-guide gnome-utils gnome-volume-manager gnomebaker gparted graphviz grdesktop gs-common gs-esp gstreamer0.10-plugins-good gstreamer0.10-x gtk2-engines gtk2-engines-pixbuf gtk2-engines-spherecrystal gtkhtml3.8 gucharmap hpijs hpijs-ppds hplip iceweasel iceweasel-gnome-support ijsgutenprint kdelibs4c2a lanmap libarts1c2a libavahi-qt3-1 libbonoboui2-0 libcairo-perl libcairo2 libedataserverui1.2-6 libedataserverui1.2-8 libeel2-2.14 libexchange-storage1.2-1 libfontconfig1 libfreetype6 libg20 libg20-perl libgail-common libgail17 libgd2-noxpm libgdl-1-0 libgdl-1-common libgimp2.0 libgksu1.2-0 libgksu2-0 libgksuui1.0-1 libglade2-0 libgnome-desktop-2 libgnome-keyring0 libgnome-window-settings1 libgnome2-canvas-perl libgnome2-perl libgnomecanvas2-0 libgnomecupsui1.0-1c2a libgnomeprint2.2-0 libgnomeprintui2.2-0 libgnomeui-0 libgpod0 libgtk2-perl libgtk2.0-0 libgtk2.0-bin libgtkhex0 libgtkhtml2-0 libgtkhtml3.8-15 libgtkmm-2.4-1c2a libgtksourceview1.0-0 libgtkspell0 libgucharmap4 libgutenprintui2-1 libmetacity0 libnautilus-burn3 libnautilus-extension1 libnotify1 libopenexr2ldbl libpanel-applet2-0 libpango1.0-0 libpango1.0-commonlibpoppler0c2 libpoppler0c2-glib libqt3-mt librsvg2-2 librsvg2-common libsexy2 libswfdec0.3libtotem-plparser1 libvte4 libwmf0.2-7 libwnck18 libxfont1 libxft2 libxine1 libxklavier10 libxul0d liferea liferea-xulrunner metacity nautilus nautilus-cd-burner network-manager-gnome notification-daemon openoffice.org openoffice.org-base openoffice.org-calc openoffice.org-core openoffice.org-draw openoffice.org-evolution openoffice.org-gcj openoffice.org-gnome openoffice.org-gtk openoffice.org-help-en-us openoffice.org-impress openoffice.org-math openoffice.org-thesaurus-en-us openoffice.org-writer poppler-utils printconf python-cairo python-glade2 python-gnome2 python-gnome2-desktop python-gnome2-extras python-gtk2 python-qt3 python-uno python-vte rhythmbox sound-juicer synaptic totem totem-mozilla totem-xine ttf-xfree86-nonfree twinkle update-manager update-notifier vino xbase-clients xdelta xfonts-100dpi xfonts-75dpi xfonts-base xfonts-scalable xfonts-utils xmms xorg xsane xscreensaver xserver-xorg xserver-xorg-core xserver-xorg-input-all xserver-xorg-input-evdev xserver-xorg-input-kbd xserver-xorg-input-mouse xserver-xorg-input-synaptics xserver-xorg-video-all xserver-xorg-video-apm xserver-xorg-video-ark xserver-xorg-video-ati xserver-xorg-video-chips xserver-xorg-video-cirrus xserver-xorg-video-cyrix xserver-xorg-video-dummy xserver-xorg-video-fbdev xserver-xorg-video-glint xserver-xorg-video-i128 xserver-xorg-video-i810 xserver-xorg-video-mga xserver-xorg-video-neomagic xserver-xorg-video-nv xserver-xorg-video-rendition xserver-xorg-video-s3 xserver-xorg-video-s3virge xserver-xorg-video-savage xserver-xorg-video-siliconmotion xserver-xorg-video-sis xserver-xorg-video-sisusb xserver-xorg-video-tdfx xserver-xorg-video-tga xserver-xorg-video-trident xserver-xorg-video-tseng xserver-xorg-video-v4l xserver-xorg-video-vesa xserver-xorg-video-vga xserver-xorg-video-via xserver-xorg-video-voodoo xterm xulrunner-gnome-support xutils yelp zenity The following NEW packages will be installed: zlib1g-dev The following packages will be upgraded: fglrx-control The following packages will be DOWNGRADED: zlib1g 1 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 1 downgraded, 248 to remove and 38 not upgraded. Thanks for the help! Eric
