• pvsage
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Topic: Backports weather

For anyone thinking about switching to backports in the near future, I just ran into some stormy weather in a new install + backports.  It seems the old "Failed to start the X server" GDM issues are back; the dist-upgrade after adding the backport repo removed xserver-xorg, and it can't be reinstalled due to unmet dependencies.  (This is with the amd64 kernel, by the way.  I'll have to try again with a 686 install and report back.)

Anyway, right now might not be a good time to jump onto backports...

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  • From: inside Ed
  • Registered: 2011-07-25
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Re: Backports weather

Nothing like it on 686. I had xserver-common replaced today, maybe all the files for amd64 didn't trickle in, or it's another packaging bug ala audacious. Though I just had the system refuse to come out of suspend after 3 days uptime, dunno if it's related to the ugprades. Will see if this happens again and report back.

Last edited by el_koraco (2011-08-16 15:01:52)

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  • pvsage
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Re: Backports weather

I just read this at debian backports:

Install a package from backports

All backports are deactivated by default (i.e. the packages are pinned to 100 by using ButAutomaticUpgrades: yes in the Release files. If you want to install something from backports run:

apt-get -t squeeze-backports install "package"

of course you can use aptitude as well:

aptitude -t squeeze-backports install "package"

The default Pin-Priority for Squeeze in Statler is only 100.  I'm doing another install with AMD64, but this time I'm changing the Pin-Priority of Squeeze to 200; hopefully this will prevent the breakage I've been having trouble with all night and let me get a nap before going into work this afternoon.

EDIT:  ...and this setup has *no* packages from backports installed in a dist-upgrade...gotta install them manually, which I suppose it the crux of apt-pinning.

Last edited by pvsage (2011-08-16 15:12:54)

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  • pvsage
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Re: Backports weather

UPDATE:  For now, it looks like the work-around if you need the backported kernel is:
1. enable the backports repo
2. `sudo apt-get update && sudo-apt-get install linux-image-2.6.39-bpo.2-amd64`
3. disable backports and `sudo apt-get update`.

EDIT:  Just to make sure it's clear - do not dist-upgrade in Statler with backports enabled at this time, unless you want to deal with major borkage.  Just add the repo, grab the package you need, then dump the repo.  Looks like the storm front's hitting the 686 packages too, by the way.

If you use apt-pinning, I'm sure there are ways to make it work without apt screaming about unmet dependencies and obsolete installed packages...the above works though, and is painless.

I'll keep an eye on the amd64 backports and let you guys know when the weather clears up...this isn't the only dependency issue I've encountered the past couple weeks.

Last edited by pvsage (2011-08-18 00:26:27)

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  • gurtid
  • #! CrunchBanger
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Re: Backports weather

pvsage wrote:

I'll keep an eye on the amd64 backports and let you guys know when the weather clears up...this isn't the only dependency issue I've encountered the past couple weeks.

That would be appreciated. Thank you.

  • drz
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Re: Backports weather

Hi all,
After a couple of weeks with crunchbang, today i did a dist-upgrade again. It installed some things from backports repository (unfortunately i didn't write it down neutral ), It installed things such mesa..., xserver-xorg-core... and xserver-xorg-video-... and other things,  it also asked to remove fglrx-control, fglrx-driver, ...atievent.., etc. which i stupidly removed it, big_smile
It shows an error that i couldn't start X - request to correct GDM config or Xserver-blablabla.
Tried to google it but the results shows nothing relevant.

I try reverting back to previous packages, but still shows the same error. So, I had to reinstall.
Is it not recommended to dist-upgrade while debian-backports is enable ?

edit: miss this thread: http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/topic … s-weather/.
Apologies!

Last edited by drz (2011-08-16 20:11:15)

  • pvsage
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Re: Backports weather

Welcome to the storm front, drz!

I think that it may have been possible to simply disable backports and reinstall xorg and xorg-server, assuming you can get internet access at the command line in TTY1.  I didn't try this, but since I had an otherwise clean install, I didn't have much to lose besides the s#!tload of time I had already sunk into trying to find workarounds.

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  • pvsage
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Re: Backports weather

There's been a quantum of discussion regarding xserver-xorg dependencies at the Backports mailing list today.  Apparently "A proper announce should happen on this list and on planet once all
pieces are ready for i386 & amd64."

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  • paolo
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Re: Backports weather

pvsage wrote:

UPDATE:  For now, it looks like the work-around if you need the backported kernel is:
1. enable the backports repo
2. `sudo apt-get update && sudo-apt-get install linux-image-2.6.39-bpo.2-amd64`
3. disable backports and `sudo apt-get update`.
.

Helloo PVSage !
I follow your istructions (using my wife's laptop big_smile )
and after I re-install the xserver and now all is ok

Thanks !

I was scarred for only one hour big_smile
In the past I have enabled the backports around 6 months ago and I forget ...:/

Back home with #! ... Tired of fighting daemons in another distro smile
excuse for my bad english ...
  • From: inside Ed
  • Registered: 2011-07-25
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Re: Backports weather

oh, yeah, major breakage coming to 686 as well. I guess it was just a matter of packages trickling down to my server.

apt says

The following packages will be REMOVED:
  xorg xserver-xorg xserver-xorg-input-all xserver-xorg-input-wacom
  xserver-xorg-video-all xserver-xorg-video-ark xserver-xorg-video-ati
  xserver-xorg-video-chips xserver-xorg-video-cirrus xserver-xorg-video-fbdev
  xserver-xorg-video-geode xserver-xorg-video-i128 xserver-xorg-video-i740
  xserver-xorg-video-intel xserver-xorg-video-mach64 xserver-xorg-video-mga
  xserver-xorg-video-neomagic xserver-xorg-video-nouveau xserver-xorg-video-nv
  xserver-xorg-video-openchrome xserver-xorg-video-r128
  xserver-xorg-video-radeon xserver-xorg-video-rendition xserver-xorg-video-s3
  xserver-xorg-video-s3virge xserver-xorg-video-savage
  xserver-xorg-video-siliconmotion xserver-xorg-video-sis
  xserver-xorg-video-sisusb xserver-xorg-video-tdfx xserver-xorg-video-trident
  xserver-xorg-video-tseng xserver-xorg-video-vesa xserver-xorg-video-vmware
  xserver-xorg-video-voodoo

Last edited by el_koraco (2011-08-17 18:25:25)

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  • pvsage
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Re: Backports weather

Looks like weather is clearing up in amd64ville.  Carefully inspect the "to be removed" list, and if you have a doubt, abort.  If you have any third-party drivers like fglrx installed, it may be wise to uninstall them before making the backports switch and reinstall them afterwards.

I cannot speak for 686town, as I have no need for backports on my netbook and I only have the amd64 stuff on my desktop.

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  • From: inside Ed
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Re: Backports weather

A final update on this from me. First I borked my install by running the dist-upgrade with fglrx installed, so i reinstalled, pulled the upgrades, and then installed fglrx. This worked, but I was met by two most annoying bugs. My gettys were invisible, and the system would hang on resume from suspend every now and then.

A third install with opening backports just to get audacious and libreoffice is the slam dunk. For now, at least big_smile

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  • pvsage
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Re: Backports weather

^ That must be the 32 bit kernel, right?  The 64 bit version of Audacious is still waiting for the libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0 dependency issue to be resolved.  Whatevs; plenty of alternatives to Audizzle. tongue

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  • From: inside Ed
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Re: Backports weather

32, yes. Though I'd gladly trade in audacious for a working X, but on the other hand, I don't really need anything from backports other than Libre, since a big part of my apps are CLI ones.

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  • From: #! NightClub
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Re: Backports weather

Eh, I am a little bit surprised about your problems. Running a machine with backports enabled and nowhere issues but I use plain Debian, I cannot see any breakeages or updates of Xorg, also recently updated on the notebook of my girlfriend. Have you enabled all backports what of course is not really recommended?
I have it enabled and install only the stuff I need but I do not install everything from there and it works this way just fine.

Is there a difference on #! Statler because of the pin priority?

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  • From: inside Ed
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Re: Backports weather

My trouble is most likely related to fglrx, especially the driver from the website. I have another machine with an Intel card, that I haven't upgraded yet, but I don't expect any trouble there. Once again, it's AMD ruining your Linux experience. Yup, I went all in with a dist-upgrade. Statler has squeeze set to pin priority 100, like backports, pvsage posted a link to a Debian mailing list, where they said backports shouldn't upgrade anything, since the default pin priority for Squeeze is 500, but I tried to go all in.

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Re: Backports weather

Ok, now I understand, so obviously everything was pulled from backports, that is a bad idea. Because all the packages are coming from Testing to the backports and there are some Xorg issues especially with your graphics drivers, a bunch of problems, just go to the Debian Forum.

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  • From: inside Ed
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Re: Backports weather

No need to, everything is working at a 100%. Besides, it would take a monstrous catastrophe for me to resort to registering to churchofpurity.org.

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Re: Backports weather

el_koraco wrote:

No need to, everything is working at a 100%. Besides, it would take a monstrous catastrophe for me to resort to registering to churchofpurity.org.

I did not say to register there, just to know what is going on. But is is not bad there either, I am registered there quite a time. wink

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  • pvsage
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Re: Backports weather

Yeah, it probably is best to increase the pin priority of Squeeze to something like 200 and simply force the backports version when absolutely necessary...will try that this week, and see if the backported 64-bit Audacious (supposed to be da shiznit roll ) can be installed that way.

I guess I better shake all the kinks outta this desktop install before I get into configuring it as a HTPC/media server...

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Re: Backports weather

Sorry for bumping this thread, but I'm having problems with Backports as well - I have set up the pin priority in /etc/apt/preferences but when I try to install the backports kernels - no matter if I try 2.6.38 or 2.6.39 I am asked to remove both the squeeze kernel and plymouth. How can I deal with that - preserving the Crunchbang identity (linux-base package and the plymouth boot screen) and getting a newer kernel? smile

  • From: #! NightClub
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Re: Backports weather

^ Did you try to install it from the command line? I can remember if you want to do it from Synaptic, it wanted to do weird stuff you mentioned.

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