Arch Linux

whitethorn

Member

Registered: 2010-05-02

Posts: 153

[SOLVED]pacman -Sf zim makes arch read-only filesystem

Hi,

Last night I was trying to install zim, it looks like there were a couple packages which weren't properly installed before.  I googled the error I received and found somewhere on the forum the tip to use

pacman -Sf package

I ran the command and it installed some sort of new kernel, fstab, something with python, and zim of course.  While it was installing the packages I noticed it moved a couple files around and I'm not quite sure what it all did. anyway when I booted arch this morning it didn't quite make it to gdm, so I quickly booted into ubuntu, mounted my arch partition changed the inittab to boot to init 3.  I then noticed that it mounted the arch / as read-only, I looked around a bit seems like my /etc/fstab was moved to /etc/fstab.pacorig. Now before I start playing around and maybe break things more than they are, anyone have a tip about how to figure out everything that was changed?

I also noticed that I could login as root without having to use a password which I don't like at all, which is a little scary.

Last edited by whitethorn (2010-06-26 13:50:11)

loafer

Member

From: the pub

Registered: 2009-04-14

Posts: 1,772

Re: [SOLVED]pacman -Sf zim makes arch read-only filesystem

Take a look in /var/log/pacman.log and see exactly what was updated.  The f (force) option is generally not recommended at all.

---

All men have stood for freedom...
For freedom is the man that will turn the world upside down.
Gerrard Winstanley.

tomk

Forum Fellow

From: Ireland

Registered: 2004-07-21

Posts: 9,839

Re: [SOLVED]pacman -Sf zim makes arch read-only filesystem

First things first; using the -f/--force flag with pacman is the absolute last resort, when everything else fails, and when you know exactly what you're doing. Using it just because you found a tip on the forum, and clearly without thinking about the potential consequences, is just asking for trouble - and you've got it.

To fix: your pacman log will tall you what packages were installed, and also has a record of any install-time messages. Comb through that, and work out how to revert the major issues.

[edit] overlap with loafer - he was faster because he used fewer words.

whitethorn

Member

Registered: 2010-05-02

Posts: 153

Re: [SOLVED]pacman -Sf zim makes arch read-only filesystem

Looked through /var/log/pacman.log.  Checked to see if there were big differences between the new files and the .pacorig.  They were only the standard files without any changes.  I edited the files as needed, and now my system works again almost.