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Bug#992025: release-notes: Add section on switching init system



Hi,

Sorry, correct patch this time :-/

Regards,

Matthew
>From a44e86218574309a747279d2cef3255772c0c632 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Matthew Vernon <matthew@debian.org>
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2021 11:37:12 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] Add a subsection on changing init system

It's slightly fiddly to switch init system away from systemd, so
include a short note on doing so; and a pointer to the init-diversity
list for help.
---
 en/issues.dbk | 47 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 47 insertions(+)

diff --git a/en/issues.dbk b/en/issues.dbk
index 1fbba7a3..cad2f9d0 100644
--- a/en/issues.dbk
+++ b/en/issues.dbk
@@ -719,6 +719,53 @@ Environment=SYSTEMD_SULOGIN_FORCE=1
 	<ulink url="&url-bts;/802211">#802211</ulink>.
       </para>
     </section>
+
+    <section>
+      <title>
+	Switching Init System
+      </title>
+      <para>
+	The default init system in Debian is systemd. In bullseye, a
+	number of alternative init systems are supported (such as
+	System-V-style init and OpenRC). Generally, to switch between
+	init systems, you install the new init system and reboot. The
+	exception is switching away from systemd - systemd's packages
+	will refuse to be removed if systemd is running; so the
+	process is a little more involved.
+      </para>
+      <para>
+	In outline, you need to download the new packages you need,
+	switch to single-user mode, install these new packages, and
+	then reboot. The recommended approach is as follows. First,
+        clear out <filename>/var/cache/apt/archives</filename> by
+        running <command>apt clean</command> (this makes identifying
+        the packages to install later easier). Next, get
+	<literal>apt</literal> to download the new packages you need,
+        e.g.: <command>apt --download-only install sysvinit-core
+	libpam-elogind</command>; <systemitem
+	role="package">libpam-elogind</systemitem> (and <systemitem
+	role="package">elogind</systemitem> which it Depends upon)
+	provide session management facilities, which you will likely
+	need on any system running a desktop environment. At this
+	point, review <literal>apt</literal>'s proposed actions, and
+	if happy, let it carry on.
+      </para>
+      <para>
+	Now switch to single-user mode (<literal>systemctl
+	rescue</literal>) and install the packages you downloaded
+	using <command>apt install
+	/var/cache/apt/archives/*.deb</command> Once this has
+	completed, reboot your system.
+      </para>
+      <para>
+	If you encounter any issues specifically associated with using
+	an alternative init system, then help may be available from
+	<ulink
+	url="https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/debian-init-diversity/";
+	url="debian-init-diversity@chiark.greenend.org.uk">the
+	Debian-init-diversity list</ulink>.
+      </para>
+    </section>
   </section>
 
   <section id="obsolescense-and-deprecation">
-- 
2.11.0


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