Arch Linux

Demind

Member

Registered: 2007-07-10

Posts: 111

Lost pacman database

Let's suppose that i had to format one of my disk partition and that in this partition i used to mount my /var directory, i had a sort of backup copy of a previuos "snapshot" of my /var directory so i've a working system again.
The problem is that pacman database is stored in /var/lib if i'm correct so now my pacman believe that my system is in the past^^
I have installed something since that backup so to be clearer i have software installed that pacman don't see...this create problems for upgrade, install new software and so on...
I'm quite sure that it's a problem that can't be solved but i hope i'm wrong and that someone could help me solve this horrible situation

Many thanks

bender02

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2007-02-04

Posts: 1,328

Re: Lost pacman database

Well, I think there's no "easy" solution. The best thing to do is to use /var/log/pacman.log to see what was installed/upgraded since the backup, and then force reinstall of those pkgs - that should bring pacman database up-to-date.

Demind

Member

Registered: 2007-07-10

Posts: 111

Re: Lost pacman database

Well, I think there's no "easy" solution. The best thing to do is to use /var/log/pacman.log to see what was installed/upgraded since the backup, and then force reinstall of those pkgs - that should bring pacman database up-to-date.

This is what i'm doing step by step but i've problems with packages builts from AUR or by myself...
pacman -U doesn't like this...solutions?

bender02

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2007-02-04

Posts: 1,328

Re: Lost pacman database

What kind of problems?

Demind

Member

Registered: 2007-07-10

Posts: 111

Re: Lost pacman database

What kind of problems?

I've built i.e. atlas-lapack and when i try sudo pacman -U atlas.lapack....pkg.tar.gz pacman complains about some files already installed on my system (atlas-lapack is already installed but pacman "doesn't know it")

bender02

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2007-02-04

Posts: 1,328

Re: Lost pacman database

Of course the files are there, that's why I wrote that you need to force reinstall
Just use pacman -Uf ... - this time the use of the force flag is fully justified.

Demind

Member

Registered: 2007-07-10

Posts: 111

Re: Lost pacman database

Of course the files are there, that's why I wrote that you need to force reinstall
Just use pacman -Uf ... - this time the use of the force flag is fully justified.

You are right thanks a lot...i was doing a sort of typo when writing pacman -Uf and that's why i had problems...thanks again