Arch Linux

modulus

Member

Registered: 2007-11-05

Posts: 14

SysAdmin Advice

I started about six months ago with a really minimal Arch system.  Since then I've been adding things as I needed them: 32bit chroot for scientific software, python, texlive, more stuff for science...  all good thank you, pacman.

But I got a hiccup.  Recently I added Xfig, the GNU drawing program, and a library was out of date, and cos I was in a hurry and cos as a newbie I took some advice, I went "pacman -Syu".  This fixed the lib problem, but has broken something in my Xterminal, and I can't quit xfce without a strange black screen with lines on it.  rats.

I see that Arch is advanced not just in terms of lack of GUIs/install wizards etc.,  but also because of the need maybe for sys-admin knowledge to handle issues like this.

In fact things have not really gone pear-shaped, I was lucky - this time - and can still get things done.  I am wondering, what would an experienced Archer have done?  What is the right way to go about upgrades, is it...

1. Upgrade only the aged library files, keeping the rest of the system stable, but 6 months old and increasingly incoherent as you add more new software?
2. When new software is needed, get an older version compatible with the system, but therefore don't use pacman, which can only grab the newest stuff from the Arch repositories?
3. Do what I did, but at risk of breaking your system when you're using it every day and can't afford unplanned downtime to fiddle with it?

Thanks for any replies

Allan

Pacman

From: Brisbane, AU

Registered: 2007-06-09

Posts: 11,390

Website

Re: SysAdmin Advice

I update my server regularly so only a few packages are updated each time.  Then if anything goes wrong, I only have to try rolling back a few packages from the pacman cache.  I also always read what is being updated before I let pacman continue.

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srimalik

Member

Registered: 2007-09-16

Posts: 65

Re: SysAdmin Advice

I have Ignorepkg in /etc/pacman.conf for all the critical(kernel) and big(openoffice) ... Keep a watch on the forums and upgrade only when you are sure that the particular package has not problem. (it is not a sure shot method though, they may be a new unique problem on your machine)

Update regularly as Allan does . Be on the bleeding edge for all the non critical packages.

peets

Member

From: Montreal

Registered: 2007-01-11

Posts: 936

Website

Re: SysAdmin Advice

I made a dumb mistake that didn't affect my system for a long time. Make sure you didn't do the same:

I used different mirrors for different repositories (core, extra, etc.). I just blindly took whatever came out first of the rankmirrors script. Since mirrors don't sync at the same time, this can lead to bad package versions and dependencies that just don't work. Use the same mirror for every repo.

Normally, if a library is out of date, and you need a newer version when you want to install something (e.g. xfig), pacman will tell you that the library needs updating and will suggest upgrading it for you.

If you're afraid of pacman -Syu (it's not necessary to be on the bleeding-edge if you like your software as it is now), option no. 1 seems good. I don't see how it will make anything incoherent: when you add new software, pacman upgrades anything that must be upgraded in order to accommodate the new software.

I pacman -Syu pretty often, though, with very little breakage.