Can I rebuild the pkg database without installing updated packages?

[MrPete]

Can pfSense (or me, manually) rebuild pkg database from already-installed pkg info?

Somehow, my pkg database was completely wiped out (and replaced by a loop of links)

The troubleshooting guide suggests installing all packages from scratch.

That sounds painful:

• At the least it's a version change from what I am already running.
• It seems likely this would lose some or all pkg configuration information?

I am surprised that I don't find documentation on saving/restoring the pkg database, nor rebuilding it.

I attempted to copy the files from /var/db/pkg on my CARP mirror. That did exactly nothing to help make the installed packages show up. Perhaps I did something wrong?

Any help or insights MUCH appreciated!
Pete

[bingo600]

@mrpete

Maybe one of these tricks from here:
https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/troubleshooting/upgrades.html

Or i seem to remember a tip from the 2.4.x days.
Switch your System --> Update Branch , to the "Beta" , and switch it back ....
Dont do the update , just the switching.
Should supposedly download the "new" package DB , for each switch.

Ohh .. If the repos is now ok , and it's a package reinstall you need.

Diag --> Backup , then all the way down

[MrPete]

@bingo600 I removed the links, reinstated the folders, and did

pkg-static update -f

...which did something. Result: I can see available packages but nothing supposedly installed.
Tried the "reinstall" button in restore. It fails:

>>> Upgrading pkg... done.
>>> Updating repositories metadata... 
Updating pfSense-core repository catalogue...
Fetching meta.conf: . done
Fetching packagesite.pkg: . done
Processing entries: . done
pfSense-core repository update completed. 7 packages processed.
Updating pfSense repository catalogue...
Fetching meta.conf: . done
Fetching packagesite.pkg: .......... done
Processing entries: .......... done
pfSense repository update completed. 515 packages processed.
All repositories are up to date.
ERROR: Unable to compare version of pfSense-repo

That last line looks important. I don't see any good info on what it means. :(

ALSO: VERRRYYY interesting... If I do a backup, the XML file section on "InstalledPackages" shows the complete list of packages! Even though the package manager says none are installed. That sure seems like a bug to me.

[MrPete]

Made progress. Discovered /root/var/cache was also a link. Removed and remade as a folder. Now I could clean. Now I could

pkg-static clean -ay ; pkg-static install -fy pkg pfSense-repo pfSense-upgrade

But now, doing "Reinstall All Packages" in the gui results in:

>>> Setting vital flag on pfSense-upgrade... done.
ERROR: It was not possible to identify which pfSense meta package is installed
__RC=1
WARNING: Current pkg repository has a new PHP major
         version. pfSense should be upgraded before
         installing any new package.

So the install produces an inconsistency. :(

[stephenw10]

What pfSense version are you using? Did you restore a config into it? Are you using RAM disks?

Steve

[MrPete]

@stephenw10
I'm on 2.6.0-RELEASE (amd64) built on Mon Jan 31 19:57:53
Yes I have RAM disks enabled AND had reinstalled into 2.6 (a couple of months ago at least) with ZFS...and see that there's a new bug recorded saying this does not work. :(

What I observed that got this going:

• my pkg database was gone. No packages installed, no packages available
• Instead, there was a literal infinite loop of links where the "pkg" and "cache" folders ought to be. (Now I would guess due to the ZFS/RAM disk bug)

Have been trying to recover. (Perhaps I ought to turn off RAM disk and reboot... although not having RAM disk for /tmp is pretty serious when running on SSD's!)

OH... am hoping to avoid restoring an old config.

Strangely,

• I can do a config backup right now, and
• the backup contains ALL of my configured packages, and their config!
• Yet pfSense thinks I have no packages installed.

Seems crazy that the backup system knows, but the package manager does not?!!

[stephenw10]

Yeah, remove the line that enables ram disks from the config before restoring it:

<use_mfs_tmpvar></use_mfs_tmpvar>

[MrPete]

@stephenw10 AWESOME. Worked great

SO:

• Bug: zfs + ram disk for tmp and var
• Result: wipes /var/db/pkg and replaces with links (and /root/var/db/pkg, and /var/db/cache)

Easy workaround for now:

• Do a full backup including extra info. It will contain all of your packages AND settings
• delete the link folders
• recreate a base pkg database

# mkdir -p /var/db/pkg /root/var/db/pkg /root/var/cache
# pkg-static clean -ay; pkg-static install -fy pkg pfSense-repo pfSense-upgrade
# pkg-static upgrade -f

(from https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/troubleshooting/upgrades.html#forced-pkg-reinstall )

• Edit the backup XML file as @stephenw10 described. One line to delete: <use_mfs_tmpvar></use_mfs_tmpvar>
• Restore the backup. All packages will be restored including their configuration.