Updating Slackware
 

Hi all, I was reading this http://lwn.net/Articles/457899/rss which made me update slackpkg, which said changelog.txt was up to date. But looking at http://www.slackware.com/security/vi...ecurity.450340 my version of firefox isn't the version shown in the patches?

/var/log/packages/mozilla-firefox-5.0.1-i486-1_slack13.37

Can anyone explain why? ...thanks :)

The mirror that you have selected in /etc/slackpkg/mirrors probably hasn't synced with the official slackware server yet, so either give it a few days or try picking another mirror. I'm using the mirrors.usc.edu mirror, and it has the latest security patches.

Thanks apeitheo, I'll try another mirror. :)

I don't think that's it.

If you look under /etc/slackpkg/mirrors you'll see that the mirror link is probably something like:

What you need is:

slackware-current is the mirror that contains the newest releases of certain programs, including Mozilla Firefox (6.0.2 is in slackware-current).

probably because it's a security update, mozilla-firefox-6.0.2 is also between 13.37 patches.

You should be very careful doing this, or not do it at all. Many (most?) packages from current will not run on 13.37, and you will easily bork your system this way. I think that Firefox is a repackaged binary, so it _might_ work in this case, but for the most part mixing 13.37 and current is just asking for trouble. 6.02 is available in the /patches directory for 13.37. If you really want the newest releases of programs which are in current but not 13.37 you should either try to build them yourself on your 13.37 system or upgrade the whole system to current with the understanding that current is by its nature unstable.

Brian

Did you run "slackpkg update" before running "slackpkg upgrade-all"?

And yes, use the tree that came with your distribution. If you have 13.37 use 13.37. If you have Current use Current. Never mix and match.

No. That is poor advice as the OP will then inadvertently upgrade his/her unit to slackware-current (the development branch of slackware). The best advice is to wait until your present mirror syncs with the official slackware mirror or choose a more up to date mirror. I use this mirror for slackware 13.37.

http://mirrors.usc.edu/pub/linux/dis...ackware-13.37/

You haven't inadvertently changed your PRIORITY in your slackpkg.conf?

The only things I alter are /etc/slackpkg/slackpkg.conf
line #77
DELALL=off

And uncomment a mirror in /etc/slackpkg/mirrors. I've never noticed this before, just reading http://lwn.net/Articles/457899/rss made me notice my version of firefox wasn't the same as the patch. When I update I do...

slackpkg update
slackpkg upgrade-all
slackpkg install-new

But once I changed mirrors it worked.

Wrong order... You should instead (moreover when you're on current):

install-new might installs dependencies or tools required for the following upgrade-all

And optional:
Btw, you can upgrade from versions using slackpkg, but you should first upgrade packages in a specific order which should be explained in the UPGRADE.TXT. And as said, it's not recommended to work with current, although if you don't rush on the last minutes updates and check this forum, you should be able to maximize your chance to have something quite solid :).

Will do in future NoStressHQ, thanks :)

Agreed. If you're going to run slackware-current you are expected to be able to trouble shoot and solve some problems on your own. It is a very good idea to read the current changelog before you add new updates as there will on occasion be information to help you to avoid pitfalls, gotchas.