Arch Linux

Syl

Member

Registered: 2009-06-24

Posts: 42

poor system administration - pacnew files

Hello,

Sadly, I have to admit that even-though I'm an Arch user for more than 10 years, I'm a bad system admin.
I had the bad habit to run, a least twice a week, before going to sleep

# pacman -Syu && shutdown now

Lately, I had issue with no sound after an upgrade of pipewire-media-session. The issue was simply related to config files .pacnew
This made my realized that I never care of the output of pacman... my bad

So I had a look at the logs of pacman and here is a long liste of pacnew files:

grep pacnew /var/log/pacman.log
[2017-12-05 17:15] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2017-12-10 15:24] [ALPM] warning: /etc/fstab installed as /etc/fstab.pacnew
[2017-12-10 15:24] [ALPM] warning: /etc/group installed as /etc/group.pacnew
[2017-12-10 15:24] [ALPM] warning: /etc/hosts installed as /etc/hosts.pacnew
[2017-12-10 15:24] [ALPM] warning: /etc/passwd installed as /etc/passwd.pacnew
[2017-12-10 15:24] [ALPM] warning: /etc/resolv.conf installed as /etc/resolv.conf.pacnew
[2017-12-10 15:24] [ALPM] warning: /etc/shells installed as /etc/shells.pacnew
[2017-12-10 15:24] [ALPM] warning: /etc/gshadow installed as /etc/gshadow.pacnew
[2017-12-10 15:24] [ALPM] warning: /etc/shadow installed as /etc/shadow.pacnew
[2018-02-04 10:28] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2018-03-03 22:34] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2018-04-17 20:29] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2018-04-25 17:45] [ALPM] warning: /etc/locale.gen installed as /etc/locale.gen.pacnew
[2018-05-19 15:09] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2018-05-28 18:23] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2018-06-27 07:29] [ALPM] warning: /usr/bin/pinentry installed as /usr/bin/pinentry.pacnew
[2018-07-16 17:55] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2018-08-03 12:35] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.conf installed as /etc/pacman.conf.pacnew
[2018-08-08 14:07] [ALPM] warning: /etc/locale.gen installed as /etc/locale.gen.pacnew
[2018-09-13 21:17] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2018-09-26 19:06] [ALPM] warning: /etc/gdm/custom.conf installed as /etc/gdm/custom.conf.pacnew
[2018-12-09 14:16] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2019-01-10 21:17] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2019-06-15 17:15] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2019-08-28 00:53] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2019-10-02 22:28] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2019-10-25 02:46] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.conf installed as /etc/pacman.conf.pacnew
[2020-01-04T21:50:54+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2020-02-09T00:31:06+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2020-02-11T22:28:06+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/locale.gen installed as /etc/locale.gen.pacnew
[2020-03-08T22:57:39+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/security/limits.d/10-gcr.conf installed as /etc/security/limits.d/10-gcr.conf.pacnew
[2020-04-11T21:11:21+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2020-05-13T21:36:09+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/shadow installed as /etc/shadow.pacnew
[2020-06-02T23:36:28+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtinterfaced.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtinterfaced.conf.pacnew
[2020-06-02T23:36:28+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtlxcd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtlxcd.conf.pacnew
[2020-06-02T23:36:28+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnetworkd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnetworkd.conf.pacnew
[2020-06-02T23:36:28+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnodedevd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnodedevd.conf.pacnew
[2020-06-02T23:36:28+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnwfilterd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnwfilterd.conf.pacnew
[2020-06-02T23:36:28+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtproxyd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtproxyd.conf.pacnew
[2020-06-02T23:36:28+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtqemud.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtqemud.conf.pacnew
[2020-06-02T23:36:28+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtsecretd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtsecretd.conf.pacnew
[2020-06-02T23:36:28+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtstoraged.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtstoraged.conf.pacnew
[2020-06-02T23:36:28+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtvboxd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtvboxd.conf.pacnew
[2020-06-07T23:05:57+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2020-07-21T21:28:02+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtinterfaced.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtinterfaced.conf.pacnew
[2020-07-21T21:28:02+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtlxcd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtlxcd.conf.pacnew
[2020-07-21T21:28:02+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnetworkd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnetworkd.conf.pacnew
[2020-07-21T21:28:02+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnodedevd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnodedevd.conf.pacnew
[2020-07-21T21:28:02+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnwfilterd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnwfilterd.conf.pacnew
[2020-07-21T21:28:02+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtproxyd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtproxyd.conf.pacnew
[2020-07-21T21:28:02+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtqemud.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtqemud.conf.pacnew
[2020-07-21T21:28:02+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtsecretd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtsecretd.conf.pacnew
[2020-07-21T21:28:02+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtstoraged.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtstoraged.conf.pacnew
[2020-07-21T21:28:02+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtvboxd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtvboxd.conf.pacnew
[2020-08-10T19:36:46+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2020-08-10T19:37:01+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/sudoers installed as /etc/sudoers.pacnew
[2020-08-28T21:33:51+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/locale.gen installed as /etc/locale.gen.pacnew
[2020-08-28T21:33:57+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/security/pam_env.conf installed as /etc/security/pam_env.conf.pacnew
[2020-09-20T21:15:28+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2020-10-16T21:33:51+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtinterfaced.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtinterfaced.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-16T21:33:51+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtlxcd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtlxcd.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-16T21:33:51+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnetworkd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnetworkd.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-16T21:33:51+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnodedevd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnodedevd.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-16T21:33:51+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnwfilterd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnwfilterd.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-16T21:33:51+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtproxyd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtproxyd.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-16T21:33:51+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtqemud.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtqemud.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-16T21:33:51+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtsecretd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtsecretd.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-16T21:33:51+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtstoraged.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtstoraged.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-16T21:33:51+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtvboxd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtvboxd.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-18T12:41:16+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtinterfaced.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtinterfaced.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-18T12:41:16+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtlxcd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtlxcd.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-18T12:41:16+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnetworkd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnetworkd.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-18T12:41:16+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnodedevd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnodedevd.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-18T12:41:16+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnwfilterd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnwfilterd.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-18T12:41:16+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtproxyd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtproxyd.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-18T12:41:16+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtqemud.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtqemud.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-18T12:41:16+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtsecretd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtsecretd.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-18T12:41:16+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtstoraged.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtstoraged.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-18T12:41:16+0200] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtvboxd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtvboxd.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-31T21:42:35+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/mkinitcpio.conf installed as /etc/mkinitcpio.conf.pacnew
[2020-10-31T21:42:42+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2020-12-02T22:03:04+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/systemd/homed.conf installed as /etc/systemd/homed.conf.pacnew
[2020-12-05T21:56:35+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2021-01-13T21:25:00+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2021-01-26T07:33:44+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtinterfaced.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtinterfaced.conf.pacnew
[2021-01-26T07:33:44+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtlxcd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtlxcd.conf.pacnew
[2021-01-26T07:33:44+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnetworkd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnetworkd.conf.pacnew
[2021-01-26T07:33:44+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnodedevd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnodedevd.conf.pacnew
[2021-01-26T07:33:44+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtnwfilterd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtnwfilterd.conf.pacnew
[2021-01-26T07:33:44+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtproxyd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtproxyd.conf.pacnew
[2021-01-26T07:33:44+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtqemud.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtqemud.conf.pacnew
[2021-01-26T07:33:44+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtsecretd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtsecretd.conf.pacnew
[2021-01-26T07:33:44+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtstoraged.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtstoraged.conf.pacnew
[2021-01-26T07:33:44+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/libvirt/virtvboxd.conf installed as /etc/libvirt/virtvboxd.conf.pacnew
[2021-02-11T22:42:34+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2021-02-14T22:18:25+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2021-02-27T23:43:39+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/mkinitcpio.conf installed as /etc/mkinitcpio.conf.pacnew
[2021-02-27T23:43:52+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/sane.d/canon_lide70.conf installed as /etc/sane.d/canon_lide70.conf.pacnew
[2021-02-27T23:43:52+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/sane.d/escl.conf installed as /etc/sane.d/escl.conf.pacnew
[2021-03-06T18:17:27+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pipewire/media-session.d/alsa-monitor.conf installed as /etc/pipewire/media-session.d/alsa-monitor.conf.pacnew
[2021-03-06T18:17:27+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pipewire/media-session.d/media-session.conf installed as /etc/pipewire/media-session.d/media-session.conf.pacnew
[2021-03-06T18:17:31+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist installed as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacnew
[2021-03-17T21:12:50+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/systemd/homed.conf installed as /etc/systemd/homed.conf.pacnew
[2021-03-22T10:53:49+0100] [ALPM] warning: /etc/pipewire/media-session.d/media-session.conf installed as /etc/pipewire/media-session.d/media-session.conf.pacnew

Well, my question is simple, should I make up for my mistakes, and update all the config files?

Thanks for your answers and you kindness ;-)

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広島のお好み焼きおたくです

merlock

Member

Registered: 2018-10-30

Posts: 235

Re: poor system administration - pacnew files

Read thru the wiki article, paying particular attention to the "Managing .pac* files" section.

Go thru each .pacnew one at a time, and decide what course of action (merge, overwrirte, etc) you plan to do.

The good thing is that many of those on your list are duplicates.

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tucuxi

Member

From: Switzerland

Registered: 2020-03-08

Posts: 291

Re: poor system administration - pacnew files

I guess you should compare the current version with pacnew and decide case by case if you want to merge the update.

Morn

Member

Registered: 2012-09-02

Posts: 886

Re: poor system administration - pacnew files

Well, my question is simple, should I make up for my mistakes, and update all the config files?

In theory yes, but I think in practice there are quite a few Arch users (myself included) who do not do this religiously and mostly just look into it when the system has problems.

If in doubt, at least look at a diff between the current version and the .pacnew file to understand the changes. Often it's just something very minor like a reworded comment.

And with a little experience you will also know which pacnew files can be safely ignored, at least most of the time. E.g. your mirrorlist (unless your selected mirror dies of course), shadow, passwd, group (sometimes an important group might get added, so better diff this), hosts, fstab, locale.gen. If you know what the files are used for by the system it helps a lot. And you should know as an advanced Linux user who does not run a point-and-click distro.

GaKu999

Member

From: US/Eastern

Registered: 2020-06-21

Posts: 696

Re: poor system administration - pacnew files

Or use pacdiff from pacman-contrib after every update with pacnews?

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Ferdinand

Member

From: Norway

Registered: 2020-01-02

Posts: 331

Re: poor system administration - pacnew files

What GaKu999 said!
Install Meld and

alias pacdiff='/usr/bin/sudo DIFFPROG=meld pacdiff'

It makes checking a breeze - most of the time it's just a matter of deleting the pacnew

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zpg443

Member

Registered: 2016-12-03

Posts: 271

Re: poor system administration - pacnew files

Don't just delete a pacnew.

Actually check your current config file line by line and see if the pacnew is going to overwrite any customization you wish to keep. Then, edit the pacnew accordingly.

Last edited by zpg443 (2021-03-25 16:36:23)

Syl

Member

Registered: 2009-06-24

Posts: 42

Re: poor system administration - pacnew files

alias pacdiff='/usr/bin/sudo DIFFPROG=meld pacdiff'

That's a great way to deal with it!
Thanks a lot
And thanks for all your answers (^_^)/

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広島のお好み焼きおたくです