Re: Help! Update screwed my box up 'automagically'!

[Jeff D <fixedored@gmail.com>]

On Sat, 1 Sep 2007, Martin Waller wrote:

> Hi,
>
> No idea whats gone wrong - I did a get updates thing using dselect whilst 
> installing some other software and find loads of my configurations have 
> changed.
>
> I guess its a result of this: http://www.debian.org/News/2007/20070817
>
> First, my /boot/grub/menu.lst has been dicked around with:
> - originally I had two options - multi and single user mode (Debian 
> GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-4-686)
> now I have four with kernel 2.6.18-5-86 options higher up the list...this 
> stopped my network from working unless I select the now not default option I 
> wanted originally. I remember some operating system called Windows that 
> dicked around with configuration files without asking - I avoid it wherever 
> possible..  Don't tell me Debian has gone this way? *rolls eyes*.
> Does this mean my kernel has been updated automatically? Please no.
>
> Secondly, OK so I can delete that crap from my menu.lst or select the other 
> oirignal options - but now my X sessions all start up in 640x480 (gnome) and 
> I can't change the resolution!
>
> I'd got all this set up nicely, and a simple update dicks around with stuff 
> and screws up my system - how can this be possible?
>
> I guess I need 'educating' in how Debian operates now, and how to 'undo' the 
> bad side effects I'm suffering, but if I can't resolve this stuff I'll switch 
> distros.  I've only just updated from Debian3.1 where I never had such issues 
> - I'm upset and confused.
>
> Thanks for any help,
>
> Martin

First thing, take a deep breath.  It will be fine. Second, read this:
http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html.  As 'help I just updated 
my kernel and now stuff is broke', really doesn't help anyone, epseicially 
you.  How are we to advise you on that?

Anyway, did this happen in the transition from sarge to etch? or after the 
etch upgrade?  What kind of network card do you have? Any reason you were 
doing this through dselect rather than apt-get or aptitude? Maybe even a 
'aptitude update && aptitude upgrade' may solve some of these issues for 
you as well..


For your video problem, you can try :
dpkg-reconfigure xorg-xserver

that might clear that up.

But, in order for anyone to help you, you're going to have to give us some 
more info.

Thx
Jeff

-+-
8 out of 10 Owners who Expressed a Preference said Their Cats Preferred Techno.