Again: how to best figure out which package causes issues?
-
I wrote about this before, but no answer. I figure someone's got to know this:
Ever since that screwy build that hosed various systems, and the subsequent restore from backup, I have the issue that after a system upgrade, the package installer lock is not getting cleared. (This may or may not be a coincidence).
All the functionality of the system I actively use seems to be working fine.
When I manually execute the reinstall all packages, it seems to complete just fine; but with the next system upgrade, it's back to the same issue: package lock isn't getting cleared.
As it is, it doesn't seem to interfere with the system's functionality, but it's certainly a rough edge that's irritating and something I'd not want to experience in real production system. So how can I track down what is causing this so I can either fix it (if it's a problem on my side) or it can get fixed (if it's a problem in the recent builds that just happens to be triggered by my config).
Any help and hints highly appreciated.
-
What hardware are you using? In particular, how much memory?
I have this issue on Alix 2D3/2D13 systems that have 256MB real memory and run some OpenVPN connections. The upgrade downloads, installs, reboots, internet comes up, OpenVPN server/clients start. Then the package downloads are happening, but sometimes (often) there is not enough memory and a process dies "out of swap space" message. This leaves the package lock there. -
What hardware are you using? In particular, how much memory?
I have this issue on Alix 2D3/2D13 systems that have 256MB real memory and run some OpenVPN connections. The upgrade downloads, installs, reboots, internet comes up, OpenVPN server/clients start. Then the package downloads are happening, but sometimes (often) there is not enough memory and a process dies "out of swap space" message. This leaves the package lock there.It's a Lanner box with an Atom D510, 4GB RAM, 60GB SSD (which is about 50% full (most of it backups)), and that uses essentially no swap, at least during regular operations. Not sure if something during the install does something funky, but not while I can look at the dashboard.
-
Atom D510, 4GB RAM, 60GB SSD
Well that blows my idea - you are not going to run out 4GB memory installing packages in the background!
One would hope there is an error in a system log somewhere to tell you what happened to cause the package installation process to die early, before clearing the package lock file. -
connect to the console (serial or video, if you have it) and watch the reboot after the next upgrade.
It will print the error to the console when the package fails.
It doesn't log that, however, it only prints to the console.
-
connect to the console (serial or video, if you have it) and watch the reboot after the next upgrade.
It will print the error to the console when the package fails.
It doesn't log that, however, it only prints to the console.
No console access on that system. I have to open the lid of the box, and get a video monitor there to do that, and that's only because I have some rather non-standard optional cable that plugs on some pins on the mainboard. It's a network appliance, not some desktop PC…
How about adding a an option to allow logging these things that can be toggled on/off in the settings somewhere?
Also, why would reinstalling packages from the web interface go smoothly, but automatic reinstall after an upgrade fail?
-
Maybe you can add a serial to usb adapter. When building Pfsense routers I try to choose motherboards that have a serial port just for situations like this.
