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Author Topic:  Update config files or not during d-u?  (Read 2406 times)

Offline vilde

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Update config files or not during d-u?
« on: 2014/09/19, 14:35:38 »
(Maybe this shall not be under "Upgrade Warnings", then please move it to where it belongs).

Because of today’s failure to boot into x on one computer after d-u because I didn't say yes to the new lightdm.conf that apt asked if I wanted or not, I want to ask this:

Shall we generally say yes or no to new config files during d-u? 

If there is no general answer, how shall we know how to do?

Until now I have generally always gone with the default, that's not to install the new one and today was the first time that it failed I think.

Offline michaa7

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Re: Update config files or not during d-u?
« Reply #1 on: 2014/09/19, 14:55:17 »
...
Shall we generally say yes or no to new config files during d-u? 

In most case you want do keep the existing config files.
If there is no general answer, how shall we know how to do?
You don't, except you are a developer who is familiar with the package or someone stumbled into the error and warned you. That's what this forum is for :)

So if you are afraid of being the first to hit such errors, don't be too eager with your d-u_s and let others (hopefully more skilled users) stumble in and do the dirty work :) :) :)
« Last Edit: 2014/09/19, 15:01:39 by michaa7 »
Ok, you can't code, but you still might be able to write a bug report for Debian's sake

Offline vilde

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Re: Update config files or not during d-u?
« Reply #2 on: 2014/09/19, 19:58:22 »
.......................
So if you are afraid of being the first to hit such errors, don't be too eager with your d-u_s and let others (hopefully more skilled users) stumble in and do the dirty work :) :) :)
The only way to do that, to be sure that you are not the first one is to do a d-u -d and the wait some day to do the actual d-u.

Offline melmarker

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Re: Update config files or not during d-u?
« Reply #3 on: 2014/09/19, 21:09:48 »
if apt want to update configurations - there are two usefull options: diff and open a shell - so one can have a look at the changes.

Unfortunally there are some implementations to do changes in config files - i prefer 'no' always and track the changes afterwards with a good diff tool like kompare*, meld or beyond compare.

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. (Benjamin Franklin, November 11, 1755)
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. (Hanlons razor)

Offline michaa7

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Re: Update config files or not during d-u?
« Reply #4 on: 2014/09/19, 21:18:59 »
.......................
So if you are afraid of being the first to hit such errors, don't be too eager with your d-u_s and let others (hopefully more skilled users) stumble in and do the dirty work :) :) :)
The only way to do that, to be sure that you are not the first one is to do a d-u -d and the wait some day to do the actual d-u.

You are right, there is no way of being 100% save. And doing it the way you mentioned isn't the dumbest solution if you can't live without your computer for a really short amount of time.

OTOH, there are ways to avoid the worst: reading here, having a second/fallback install or at least a bootable stick. I can't remember a situation when I had an unusuable system for more than a couple of hours which ever was the worst timeframe until someone figured out at least a workaround if not a solution.
So, yeah, everybody should avoid D-Us minutes before he/she urgently need his/her computer for a last-minute-<whatever>-thing.
Ok, you can't code, but you still might be able to write a bug report for Debian's sake