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#1 2012-11-20 18:14:51

12eason
Banned
Registered: 2010-07-20
Posts: 103

Feature request: rollback

I doubt this is the proper place, but it occurred to me today that Windows does something that linux hasn't duplicated, to my knowledge: system restores and rollbacks. I.e. set a restore point when installing new packages and allow the state of the system to be rolled back to any saved restore points when something goes wrong. Could pacman be made to do it? I'd imagine it would require some sort of git like repository of the binaries in the install folders and the configs elsewhere.

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#2 2012-11-20 18:19:52

Pierre
Developer
From: Bonn
Registered: 2004-07-05
Posts: 1,964
Website

Re: Feature request: rollback

This can be done by using e.g. btrfs snapshots; everything else above the FS level just does not work.

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#3 2012-11-20 18:37:00

12eason
Banned
Registered: 2010-07-20
Posts: 103

Re: Feature request: rollback

Iirc, btrfs rollbacks would affect the whole file system, is that right? So a rollback would mean losing logs too, unless /var were a separate partition. When you say 'everything else', I assume you mean this has been looked at before with no success?

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#4 2012-11-20 18:37:12

WorMzy
Forum Moderator
From: Scotland
Registered: 2010-06-16
Posts: 11,784
Website

Re: Feature request: rollback

There is ARM, though I can't vouch for how usable it is.


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Mobo: MSI MAG X570S TORPEDO MAX // Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 5950X @4.9GHz // GFX: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT // RAM: 32GB (4x 8GB) Corsair DDR4 (@ 3000MHz) // Storage: 1x 3TB HDD, 6x 1TB SSD, 2x 120GB SSD, 1x 275GB M2 SSD

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#5 2012-11-20 20:10:18

alexanderthegre
Member
Registered: 2012-07-29
Posts: 66

Re: Feature request: rollback

You could probably back up your pacman cache (/var/cache/pacman/pkg), set up a custom local repository containing the 'frozen' packages, comment the repository, and if/when the system breaks due to updates, boot into a livecd and then comment [core], [extra], [community], and [multilib], uncomment your custom local repository, chroot, and pacman -Syuu. I haven't tested that, but it should work for anything other than possibly bootloader issues.

Last edited by alexanderthegre (2012-11-20 20:10:40)

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#6 2012-11-20 20:23:41

alphaniner
Member
From: Ancapistan
Registered: 2010-07-12
Posts: 2,810

Re: Feature request: rollback

From my understanding Windows System Restore and rollbacks function similarly to reverting to a snapshot or image.

I use LVM snapshots to hedge against "Syuoops" (Es-why-yoops).  There are some serious downsides to this approach however.

Last edited by alphaniner (2012-11-20 20:24:07)


But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist.
-Lysander Spooner

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#7 2012-11-20 21:13:26

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

Re: Feature request: rollback

https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/armh/ can help you with using ARM, it has many nice options, like

$ armh --show changes --days 2
- boost (1.50.0-2)
- boost-libs (1.50.0-2)
- cmake (2.8.10.1-1)
- git (1.8.0-1)
- gst-plugins-base-libs (1.0.2-1)
- gstreamer (1.0.2-1)
- perl-error (0.17018-1)
^ aurphan (20121114-1 -> 20121118-1)
^ automake (1.12.4-1 -> 1.12.5-1)
^ ffmpeg (1:1.0-1 -> 1:1.0-2)
^ gnutls (3.1.3-2 -> 3.1.4-1)
^ harfbuzz (0.9.5-1 -> 0.9.5-2)
^ icu (49.1.2-2 -> 50.1-2)
^ intel-dri (9.0-1 -> 9.0.1-1)
^ iputils (20121106-1 -> 20121114-1)
^ khrplatform-devel (9.0-1 -> 9.0.1-1)
^ kmod (11-1 -> 11-2)
^ libegl (9.0-1 -> 9.0.1-1)
^ libgbm (9.0-1 -> 9.0.1-1)
^ libgl (9.0-1 -> 9.0.1-1)
^ libglapi (9.0-1 -> 9.0.1-1)
^ mesa (9.0-1 -> 9.0.1-1)
^ mkinitcpio (0.11.0-1 -> 0.11.2-1)
^ mplayer2 (20120729-1 -> 20120729-2)
^ pacman (4.0.3-3 -> 4.0.3-5)
^ pacmanxg4-bin (4.13.4-1 -> 4.13.6-1)
^ pkgfile (6-1 -> 7-1)
^ tzdata (2012i-1 -> 2012j-1)
^ util-linux (2.22.1-2 -> 2.22.1-3)
^ webkitgtk2 (1.10.1-2 -> 1.10.1-3)
^ words (2.0-4 -> 2.1-1)
^ x264 (20120705-1 -> 20121113-1)
^ xf86-video-intel (2.20.12-1 -> 2.20.13-1)
+ graphite (1:1.0.3-1)
+ libquvi (0.4.1-1)
+ libquvi-scripts (0.4.9-1)

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#8 2012-11-20 23:14:05

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

Re: Feature request: rollback

alphaniner wrote:

From my understanding Windows System Restore and rollbacks function similarly to reverting to a snapshot or image.

Not really, it functions as a snapshot/image of only particular folders that are essential to the operating system. Most users probably don't even have a data partition, and the Windows System Restore function doesn't touch (for example) the "Users" folder.

@OP - Rolling release, and you wish to roll-back? We do have pacman -U, which is for the supported case where you wish to test whether a particular updated (1.1.X -> 1.1.Y) broke something. Any further type of rollback (for example you hate the new version of Amazing Desktop Environment and wish to use the old version perpetually) is not supported.


Allan-Volunteer on the (topic being discussed) mailn lists. You never get the people who matters attention on the forums.
jasonwryan-Installing Arch is a measure of your literacy. Maintaining Arch is a measure of your diligence. Contributing to Arch is a measure of your competence.
Griemak-Bleeding edge, not bleeding flat. Edge denotes falls will occur from time to time. Bring your own parachute.

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#9 2012-11-20 23:46:06

lucke
Member
From: Poland
Registered: 2004-11-30
Posts: 4,018

Re: Feature request: rollback

In 2004 or thereabouts, it was saying on pacman's or some other page that rollback support in pacman was planned/hoped for. </historical note>

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#10 2012-11-21 00:33:04

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

Re: Feature request: rollback

lucke wrote:

In 2004 or thereabouts, it was saying on pacman's or some other page that rollback support in pacman was planned/hoped for. </historical note>

I found something similar in the wiki: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Do … he_details

The Arch Rollback Machine concept is being developed and awaiting useful incorporation into pacman. Once that occurs, this will become automated.

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#11 2012-11-21 00:45:08

lucke
Member
From: Poland
Registered: 2004-11-30
Posts: 4,018

Re: Feature request: rollback

I didn't find a mention of it in the wayback machine, but I found https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 398#p31398

So, rest easy, 12eason, it will be available sometime! ;-)

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