Hey everyone,

I'm not even sure where to start. I decided to try out swaret to see how it would work. Did all the required changes in swaret.conf file and had it update the system.

Unfortunately, ever since the update, my system has been acting extremely weird. Notably, a few applications started complaining about libstdc++.so.6. I managed to remedy this problem and the complaints stopped happening. More to the problem is the second thing that's happened.

Upon starting up my computer, I get tonnes of "Failed to remove /.udev/" messages, or something along the lines of. I would paste what it fully said, except that I can't find it in the syslog, dmesg, etc.

The # of messages udev gives ranges from tens to thousands. The system still (eventually) boots up, but it's extremely annoying.

Is there anyone out there that knows whats going on? I'm running Slackware 12.0 on a Dell Inspiron. I'll be happy to post any other information that you might need to help diagnose the problem, just let me know what that info is, since I'm not sure what is the problem in this case.

Thanks,
Coto

The problem is elementary, my dear Cotobear. You did not follow the upgrade instructions as detailed in ftp://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackwar...nt/UPGRADE.TXT

From the text:
1) telinit 1
2) upgradepkg /root/slackware/a/glibc-solibs-*.tgz
3) upgradepkg /root/slackware/a/pkgtools-*.tgz
4) upgradepkg --install-new /root/slackware/*/*.tgz

Now in swaret terms steps 2-4 would be:

2) swaret --upgrade glibc-solibs
3) swaret --upgrade pkgtools
4) swaret --upgrade

All of which would be followed by a reboot.

If you system still boots, I would try to go back to step #1 and upgrade my system the correct way. Then see how things work out for you.

Edit: Changed to the proper flag for upgrading using swaret.

Well, it was never stated that the upgrade was from 11 to 12... Could have been 12 to current. Which in that case you probably still have a glibc update to do...

IMO, the problem is that you actually used swaret... Lesson learned. Either keep using swaret over time and learn all the ins and outs of it or don't use it anymore. Manually try to upgrade the system using the pkgtool utilities or just wait 8 months or so for a new version of Slackware...

If you want to play the constant updating game, you'll have to learn a good way to do it. Too much room for error by trusting an application to do it for you. Just my 2 cents anyway. Probably by the time you/we figure all this out and get your system back into shape, you could have just done a reinstall in a fraction of the time.

There is no tool (at least I didn't hear) for upgrading between versions. You need to do it manually. Update managers correctly updates only the stable versions. However, you can use those tools to upgrade between versions but then be ready to read changelog when something breaks.

If someone really wants a distro that has tools to automatically install the bleeding edge version then Slackware isn't what they should be using. Manually doing this is fine of course.

But yes, if using tools like swaret to do full upgrades you should always read the CHANGES_AND_HINTS.txt/UPGRADE.txt file to see where the snags are. Often just doing the upgrades in runlevel 1 will be enough to avoid most problems.

arch linux might be more appropriate for someone looking for a rolling release style distro similar to slackware.

Edit: TomaCzar makes a good point that my first paragraph sounds a little too harsh. I left it unedited, but it should instead say...
"It isn't a part of Slackware's design philosophy to automatically install the bleeding edge version. However, it can be done, though I still believe manually doing this (at least once so you know how) is preferred as it coincides with the Slackware design philosophy."

I'll give a read to the update files and what not, and I'll try (since the system still boots) to redo it properly. At school for the time being, I'll post my success and failures in a matter of hours I'm sure.

Thanks for the advice everyone. For the time, I was just using pkgtools and doing everything manually, however I decided to give swaret a shot (a shot in the dark 0_o) to see how it would do. Apparently I must undo what it did or complete what it was doing.

Worse comes to worse, I guess I familiarize myself with the install process once again. It was looking so pretty and working so well though.

Coto

PS. I know, I know. Why mess with what isn't broken, curiosity killed the cat, and what not and so forth.

Screwing up your system is good. That's how you learn...

It seems as though the "swaret" in the title has brought out some hard-liners (which I knew it would). There are some Slackers out there who will tell you that if you want updated packages, go use another distro. Want a GUI, go use another distro. Want [insert non CLI serial based 1970s technology] go use another distro. These people are sad dinosaurs of a time long gone trying to grasp onto their 1337 status by telling everyone else to shove off their 1337 distro.

Truth is, swaret is a viable tool just like any other not included in the base install, just as Slackware is a viable desktop OS, just like most other versions of Linux. Some good advice, however, is to definitely know your tools. Read all documentation (yes there are tonnes of it) and try to learn about the underlying principles. As a Slackware (linux) user this may only help you occasionally, as a Slackware (linux) admin, this is the foundation for everything you do on the machines. Good Luck!!

-TomaCzar

You're reading a bit too much into it, aren't you?
...with a history of screwing up previously good Slackware installations.

There is a good reason that Swaret is not included as part of Slackware at all (not even under the /extra directory).

Anyhow, this is all a bit bemusing because even by your own advice, "the correct way" is to follow Pat V's instructions instead of using Swaret.

rkelson,

As it turns out, I do have a few minutes to pick nits with you.

1) To which I retort:

In conclusion, I think I read rather well.

2) Swaret has a history of screwing up Slack installs just as much as circular saws have a history of cutting off people's hands. Any tool misused is capable of damage. And there are COUNTLESS pieces of software that are not included in Slackware at all (*cough* GNOME *cough*) that are well written perfectly capable programs worth running on a Slack install. Actually if you read my entire post instead of just the parts you like, you'll see I show the OP how to follow Pat's instructions using Swaret. Half truths and poor logic aside, I think I've proven my point (or disproven your counter-points at least).

3) This is officially thread-crapping. Our posts having nothing to do with the OP's situation and I would recommend that if you and I have anymore clarifying information we'd like to give to one another, we do it somewhere else and respect the OP's thread.

Sounds like my resume!

chalk two more up for the swaret destruction list.

Slackware, as an OS, is also a viable tool and as such can be used for pretty much anything, but most effectively if used in the way it was designed. When I said "If someone really wants a distro that has tools to automatically install the bleeding edge version then Slackware isn't what they should be using" I was NOT saying that they can't use Slackware to do this. I was simply stating the fact that that is not how Slackware was designed. Arch Linux (and others), however, is designed with that purpose in mind. The beauty of so many distros is that you have so many choices. Some things are definitely easier to do with certain distros (tools) when they are used as intended. That's why there are more and more branches of popular distros; people want just that right tool. Sometimes one isn't out there and you have to make it. Slackware is great for that because like I said, you can use it for anything- as long as you are willing to work at it. I mean there is even a port of Portage for Slackware....however, as rkelson eluded to, this will never be included in the Slackware install set because it isn't what Slackware was intended for.

I would never encourage people to drop Slackware just because I want to keep it exclusive. Rather, I just want people to know that there might be a tool out there that might fit them better. For people who love to learn and are interested in Linux I almost always suggest Slackware.

Messing with working stuff is a great way to learn. You just have to do it carefully...or at least have backups.

While I'm not going to say that I agree 100% with either of those comments, there is some validity there. For example, Slackware is neither "bleeding edge" nor "automated." If someone wanted both of those features, Debian unstable would be a better choice, no? I haven't used Arch, so cannot comment on the validity of the second statement.
If your name-reading skills are on par with the way you read everything else, then you're in trouble.
Aha, but poor quality tools are always dangerous, regardless of the skill level of their operator.

Well after trying to fix with swaret.. and then trying to fix manually, I officially made it so the system was elegantly screwed. Oh well!

Thanks for the help everyone. And even though the philosophical implications of this type of distribution aren't very relevant to the initial question, it is nonetheless interesting to read.

Have a good week,
Coto