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#1 2011-07-14 08:47:35

benash
Member
From: Detroit, MI
Registered: 2011-07-14
Posts: 14

[SOLVED] Pacman is broken on fresh installation

I've just performed a fresh installation that seemed to go fine, following the Official Arch Linux Install Guide.  However, I get the following during my first login:

Arch Linux 2.6.39-ARCH   (myhost) (tty1)

myhost login: root
Password:
[root@myhost ~]# pacman -Sy
:: Synchronizing package databases...
error: local database version is too old
error: failed to init transaction (database is incorrect version)
  try running pacman-db-upgrade
error: transaction already initiated
[root@myhost ~]# 

I realize the error recommends that I run pacman-db-upgrade, but it seems very out-of-the-ordinary to encounter this error after having installed fresh with all default options.  Could someone give me a hand?

Last edited by benash (2011-07-15 02:56:03)

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#2 2011-07-14 08:53:54

ngoonee
Forum Fellow
From: Between Thailand and Singapore
Registered: 2009-03-17
Posts: 7,354

Re: [SOLVED] Pacman is broken on fresh installation

You did an upgrade, so your database is from the install-media pacman version but your installed pacman version isn't. Run the command listed. You do not have a 'fresh install' anymore after doing an upgrade. In fact, the upgrade process probably informed you in the post-install notes to run pacman-db-upgrade, check your pacman.log.


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#3 2011-07-14 08:54:25

rowdog
Member
From: East Texas
Registered: 2009-08-19
Posts: 118

Re: [SOLVED] Pacman is broken on fresh installation

The pacman database format has changed since the last ISO image was made. Follow the advice and all should be well.

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#4 2011-07-14 09:13:07

benash
Member
From: Detroit, MI
Registered: 2011-07-14
Posts: 14

Re: [SOLVED] Pacman is broken on fresh installation

Thanks.  I appreciate the responses.  I ran pacman-db-upgrade, and that appeared to fix the problem.  I'm now having some trouble downloading packages (1 out of 10 seems to be failing), but I just found the documentation on selecting appropriate mirrors.

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#5 2011-07-14 13:10:46

karol
Archivist
Registered: 2009-05-06
Posts: 25,440

Re: [SOLVED] Pacman is broken on fresh installation

benash wrote:

Thanks.  I appreciate the responses.  I ran pacman-db-upgrade, and that appeared to fix the problem.  I'm now having some trouble downloading packages (1 out of 10 seems to be failing), but I just found the documentation on selecting appropriate mirrors.

What exactly do you mean by "failing"? Please post the errors you get.
But first, grab a fresh mirrorlist http://www.archlinux.org/mirrorlist/ and try to update again.

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#6 2011-07-14 20:26:08

Proofrific
Member
Registered: 2008-01-05
Posts: 215

Re: [SOLVED] Pacman is broken on fresh installation

karol wrote:
benash wrote:

Thanks.  I appreciate the responses.  I ran pacman-db-upgrade, and that appeared to fix the problem.  I'm now having some trouble downloading packages (1 out of 10 seems to be failing), but I just found the documentation on selecting appropriate mirrors.

What exactly do you mean by "failing"? Please post the errors you get.
But first, grab a fresh mirrorlist http://www.archlinux.org/mirrorlist/ and try to update again.

I agree with picking an updated mirror. If packages are "failing," then the mirrors may be out of sync. Also, the list of mirrors included on the ISO CD may be out of date.

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#7 2011-07-15 02:09:59

benash
Member
From: Detroit, MI
Registered: 2011-07-14
Posts: 14

Re: [SOLVED] Pacman is broken on fresh installation

Thanks guys.  I overcame my package downloading problems by following the directions here: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Mirrors

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#8 2011-07-15 02:53:04

ewaller
Administrator
From: Pasadena, CA
Registered: 2009-07-13
Posts: 19,740

Re: [SOLVED] Pacman is broken on fresh installation

benash,

Cool, I'm glad it is all working and welcome to Arch Linux.  To help others find relevant threads, please edit your original post and change the thread title by prepending [SOLVED] to Pacman is broken on fresh installation

Thanks.


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