Updating system according to instructions doesn't work

OilyPenguin · 2013-08-22 19:50:21

I haven't updated my system for a year or so, and am now following this post to update: https://www.archlinux.org/news/binaries … ervention/

When I do pacman -Syu --ignore filesystem,bash I get this:

[root@srv ~]# pacman -Syu --ignore filesystem,bash
pacman: /usr/lib/libcurl.so.4: no version information available (required by /usr/lib/libalpm.so.7)
:: Synchronizing package databases...
 core                                                       104.3 KiB   408K/s 00:00 [################################################] 100%
 extra                                                     1449.1 KiB   691K/s 00:02 [################################################] 100%
 community                                                 2015.1 KiB   846K/s 00:02 [################################################] 100%
:: The following packages should be upgraded first :
    pacman
:: Do you want to cancel the current operation
:: and upgrade these packages now? [Y/n] y

resolving dependencies...
warning: ignoring package bash-4.2.045-4
warning: cannot resolve "bash>=4.2.042-2", a dependency of "pacman"
warning: ignoring package filesystem-2013.05-2
warning: cannot resolve "filesystem>=2013.01", a dependency of "glibc"
warning: ignoring package bash-4.2.045-4
warning: cannot resolve "sh", a dependency of "xz"
warning: ignoring package bash-4.2.045-4
warning: cannot resolve "bash", a dependency of "ca-certificates"
warning: ignoring package bash-4.2.045-4
warning: cannot resolve "sh", a dependency of "libgpg-error"
warning: ignoring package bash-4.2.045-4
warning: cannot resolve "sh", a dependency of "perl"
warning: ignoring package bash-4.2.045-4
warning: cannot resolve "sh", a dependency of "findutils"
warning: ignoring package bash-4.2.045-4
warning: cannot resolve "sh", a dependency of "sed"
warning: ignoring package bash-4.2.045-4
warning: cannot resolve "sh", a dependency of "gawk"
warning: ignoring package bash-4.2.045-4
warning: cannot resolve "bash", a dependency of "libksba"
warning: ignoring package bash-4.2.045-4
warning: cannot resolve "sh", a dependency of "gdbm"
warning: ignoring package bash-4.2.045-4
warning: cannot resolve "sh", a dependency of "db"
warning: ignoring package bash-4.2.045-4
warning: cannot resolve "sh", a dependency of "gmp"
warning: ignoring package bash-4.2.045-4
warning: cannot resolve "sh", a dependency of "e2fsprogs"
warning: ignoring package bash-4.2.045-4
warning: cannot resolve "bash", a dependency of "shadow"
:: The following package cannot be upgraded due to unresolvable dependencies:
      pacman

Do you want to skip the above package for this upgrade? [y/N] n
error: failed to prepare transaction (unexpected error)

Before trying to upgrade, my pacman wouldn't work at all because of the unsatisfied glibc 2.16 dependency (I currently have 2.15) of curl 7.28. I downgraded curl to 7.22 following this instruction:

youngian wrote:

I was able to work out a solution that didn't involve replacing any of my system libraries. The basic idea is to pull an older version of curl out of pacman's cache, then run pacman linked against that library to downgrade to a working curl.
mkdir /tmp/pacman_build
cd /tmp/pacman_build
# The exact version number probably isn't important, just pick one that isn't the most recent
cp /var/cache/pacman/pkg/curl-7.26.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz .
tar -xJf curl-7.26.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz
sudo LD_PRELOAD=/tmp/pacman_build/usr/lib/libcurl.so pacman -U /var/cache/pacman/pkg/curl-7.26.0-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz
# Now carry on
sudo pacman -Su
# And clean up if you like
rm -r /tmp/pacman_build

clfarron4 · 2013-08-22 19:58:44

Do you know just how much has happened in the last year? To name a few things, you've got:

1) the deprecation of initscripts, with the use of systemd becoming standard;
2) January's filesystem change;
3) the /usr/bin/ change about a month ago;
4) the loss of the Arch Rollback Machine.

You've got fun times ahead of you. I can think of two things:

1) Break out a current installation CD of Arch; or
2) Painstakingly work out what you need to upgrade piece by piece to first do the change to systemd. Once you're there, you should be good.

Of course, if anyone else has better suggestions, then shoot.

jasonwryan · 2013-08-22 19:59:46

You have a lot more than just the /usr/bin move to negotiate. You'll need to work through the news items in reverse order. Or just reinstall.

Not updating in over a year? I take it you have been away from your machine, because if you have been sitting in front of it for that time, you really shouldn't be running Arch.

OilyPenguin · 2013-08-22 20:23:51

Do you mean that I could update and fix the system with a current installation CD, or just that I would have to do a clean reinstall?

jasonwryan wrote:

You have a lot more than just the /usr/bin move to negotiate. You'll need to work through the news items in reverse order. Or just reinstall.
Not updating in over a year? I take it you have been away from your machine, because if you have been sitting in front of it for that time, you really shouldn't be running Arch.

This is my web server, for which I've been using Arch for nearly 5 years. It's been running for about a year now functioning as intended without me having to interact with it in any way.

Since I have never really used Linux for my desktop, I've been thinking of going with a newbie combo of Debian for my server and Mint for desktop. Perhaps this would be a good time to switch, but the only problem is that I really want my system to be as simple and elegant as possible, and I'm afraid these distros might be bloated with unnecessary stuff.

Trilby · 2013-08-22 20:30:28

OilyPenguin wrote:

Do you mean that I could update and fix the system with a current installation CD, or just that I would have to do a clean reinstall?

It'd be a "clean reinstall", but there are guides on the wiki on how to get the list of your currently installed packages, then reinstall them after the change over. Also, just don't mount any /home/ or data partitions during the reinstallation, and all your files will still be intact.

But to your last points, I think your use would be best served by a distro made more for those purposes. And while some default desktop installs of those distros may come with lots of 'bloat', most distros (certainly debian) have minimal/base installs which are comparable to a fresh arch linux installation.

(edit: typo)

Last edited by Trilby (2013-08-22 20:37:15)

jasonwryan · 2013-08-22 20:34:54

I second Trilby's point about debian: for a server, you can do the base install which is pretty lean.

Pse · 2013-08-25 23:07:35

Debian is certainly a good choice for a lean install. I've had success with Fedora LXDE for a lean desktop too (that's what I use for some VMs in which I run some experiments). The default install for the LXDE spin is fairly lean (for a desktop), and packages are fairly up-to-date for a non-rolling release distro.

Last edited by Pse (2013-08-25 23:08:29)

Scimmia · 2013-08-25 23:20:57

glibc 2.15 puts you back in June 2012 at the latest. This is before the lib -> usr/lib symlink, the transition to systemd, the move of the lib symlink from the glibc package to the filesystem package, and the latest {bin,sbin,usr/sbin} -> usr/bin move. I honestly don't think that there's a way to upgrade at this point without something like the ARM, which is no longer available. Reinstall for sure, and if you're not going to update atleast once a month, install a different distro.

rufus · 2013-08-26 01:27:16

without a second thought re-install. This is a very fast paced developmental system ya gotta stay on top of it.
for a server appliance yah Debian and/or dont tell anyone I told you this but have a looksy at BSD its intended for that.

flexo3001 · 2013-08-26 01:34:06

an arch-update a day keeps the doctor away!

rufus · 2013-08-26 01:39:00

Well Arch has matured greatly.
but I remember a couple of upgrades where I needed an ambulance

clfarron4 · 2013-08-26 02:48:57

rufus wrote:

without a second thought re-install. This is a very fast paced developmental system ya gotta stay on top of it.
for a server appliance yah Debian and/or dont tell anyone I told you this but have a looksy at BSD its intended for that.

You realise this can be seen publicly?

WonderWoofy · 2013-08-26 03:23:32

clfarron4 wrote:

rufus wrote:
without a second thought re-install. This is a very fast paced developmental system ya gotta stay on top of it.
for a server appliance yah Debian and/or dont tell anyone I told you this but have a looksy at BSD its intended for that.
You realise this can be seen publicly?

History would lead me to guess 'no' on this.

@OP, If you are die hard about updating your Arch installation, the only way that I think is possible now that the Arch Rollback Machine is gone, would be to save configs and try to recreate your environment as best as possible. But I am with the others here. Install Debian and then enjoy the feeling of worrying less about a system you don't often use.

Last edited by WonderWoofy (2013-08-26 03:25:10)

Arch Linux

#1 2013-08-22 19:50:21

Updating system according to instructions doesn't work

#2 2013-08-22 19:58:44

Re: Updating system according to instructions doesn't work

#3 2013-08-22 19:59:46

Re: Updating system according to instructions doesn't work

#4 2013-08-22 20:23:51

Re: Updating system according to instructions doesn't work

#5 2013-08-22 20:30:28

Re: Updating system according to instructions doesn't work

#6 2013-08-22 20:34:54

Re: Updating system according to instructions doesn't work

#7 2013-08-25 23:07:35

Re: Updating system according to instructions doesn't work

#8 2013-08-25 23:20:57

Re: Updating system according to instructions doesn't work

#9 2013-08-26 01:27:16

Re: Updating system according to instructions doesn't work

#10 2013-08-26 01:34:06

Re: Updating system according to instructions doesn't work

#11 2013-08-26 01:39:00

Re: Updating system according to instructions doesn't work

#12 2013-08-26 02:48:57

Re: Updating system according to instructions doesn't work

#13 2013-08-26 03:23:32

Re: Updating system according to instructions doesn't work

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