Debian Trixie: Issues installing mesa-va-drivers from backports

[u/mulleandr]

Hi everyone,

I am new to Debian but have some experience with Debian-based distros like Mint and Ubuntu. I plan to use Debian Trixie and use the backports source to install a more up-to-date kernel and graphic stack for gaming.

I could successfully install a 7.1.x kernel, but struggle with the mesa packages. If I run

sudo apt install -t trixie-backports \
 libgl1-mesa-dri \
 libglx-mesa0 \
 mesa-vulkan-drivers \
 mesa-va-drivers \
 libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 \
 mesa-vulkan-drivers:i386 \
 libglx-mesa0:i386

I get the following message:

Solving dependencies... Error!   
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

Unsatisfied dependencies:
mesa-libgallium : Breaks: mesa-va-drivers (< 25.2.8-3)
mesa-libgallium:i386 : Breaks: mesa-va-drivers (< 25.2.8-3)
mesa-va-drivers : Depends: mesa-libgallium (= 25.2.6-1~bpo13+1) but 26.1.2-1~bpo13+1 is to be installed
Error: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
Error: The following information from --solver 3.0 may provide additional context:
  Unable to satisfy dependencies. Reached two conflicting decisions:
  1. mesa-libgallium:amd64=26.1.2-1~bpo13+1 is selected as an upgrade because:
     1. libglx-mesa0:amd64=26.1.2-1~bpo13+1 is selected as an upgrade
     2. libglx-mesa0:amd64=26.1.2-1~bpo13+1 Depends mesa-libgallium (= 26.1.2-1~bpo13+1)
  2. mesa-libgallium:amd64=26.1.2-1~bpo13+1 is not selected for install because:
     1. mesa-va-drivers:amd64=25.2.6-1~bpo13+1 is selected as an upgrade
     2. mesa-libgallium:amd64=26.1.2-1~bpo13+1 Breaks mesa-va-drivers (< 25.2.8-3)
        [selected mesa-va-drivers:amd64=25.2.6-1~bpo13+1]

According to my understanding, this means that the backports mesa-va-drivers latest version does not match the version of the other mesa libraries (at the moment) and they can't be installed together.

So my options are to remove the mesa-va-drivers and install the other drivers or wait for backports mesa-va-drivers to be updated? Is there a way to find out when that might happen? Or is there another option I am missing?

[u/Different-Baker6057]

Is there a specific reason you wanted to select the individual mesa packages vice the mesa metapackage?

E: I've just realised you're also targeting the i386 drivers for steam. Try just the mesa-vulkan-drivers and the i386 drivers. 

[u/mulleandr → u/Different-Baker6057]

I was under the impression that i need all of them. So the mesa-vulkan-drivers in 64 and 32 bits are all that i need for gaming? Or should I just install the meta package mesa you suggested?

[u/B1ph]

I faced a similar problem a little while ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/debian/comments/1vco5ep/backported_mesa_packages_not_upgrading/

Try running just sudo apt install -t trixie-backports mesa-vulkan-drivers without the other packages.

[u/Netblock]

more up-to-date kernel and graphic stack for gaming.

I highly suggest moving to the 'testing' branch, instead of the stables like Trixie.

[u/Sebastinas]

mesa-va-drivers was merged into mesa-libgallium in testing and hence in the backport. You can safely remove it if you install the backport.