Re: Problem updating to Buster - gparted effectively MIA
On Sunday 07 October 2018 10:17:10 Richard Owlett wrote:
> On 10/07/2018 08:52 AM, Reco wrote:
> > Hi.
> >
> > On Sun, Oct 07, 2018 at 08:14:05AM -0500, Richard Owlett wrote:
> >> It was recommended that I update to Buster.
> >> I started with Debian 9.1.0 installed from purchased DVD1.
> >> [MATE desktop]
> >> I edited sources.list to access online repository.
> >> I then followed the instructions at
> >> [linuxconfig.org/how-to-upgrade-debian-9-stretch-to-debian-10-buste
> >>r] as it had everything conveniently shown.
> >
> > That guide misses so crucial details and so barebone that it even
> > feels wrong.
> > I mean, there's the obligatory "backup your system first"?
>
> *ROFL* I am a graduate of School of Hard Knocks, Slow Learner
> division. I have a system on a flash drive backup.
> I have TWO copies of my /home partition.
So am I Richard, a School of Hard Knocks (a division of Alderson-Broddus
University in philippi WV) alumni, but I've never heard of the Slow
Learner Division. :) Chuckle...
> > Where's the warning like "do *NOT* upgrade your system from X
> > session (VNC included)"?
> > And last, but not least, "if you do it via ssh, using screen(1) or
> > tmux(1) is a must. Or get yourself iLO/ILOM/BMC".
> >
> > But it seems that you've figured out last part already, isn't it ;)?
> >
> >> Everything appeared to go normally up to a point well into the
> >> actual downloading of the Buster packages.
> >
> > That's harmless by itself, unless apt gone further and started
> > installing the packages.
> >
> >> I temporarily lost my internet connection. After reconnecting
> >> apt-get gave an error message suggesting I use "--fix-missing"
> >> IIRC.
> >
> > Which seems to be the above case.
> >
> >> It appeared to work and boot correctly.
> >
> > They call Debian "The Universal OS". The part of this universality
> > (sp?) is Debian's ability to provide you with bootable system even
> > after numerous deliberate attempts to break it.
> > Failed upgrade (and it's most likely failed) is one of those cases.
> >
> > In short, a bootable system proves nothing by itself.
> >
> >> However Gparted no longer appears in the System->Administration
> >> menu although Synaptic shows it as installed. I blindly chose to
> >> tell Synaptic to reinstall it.
> >
> > If synaptic worked for you, it's likely that not everything's lost,
> > and the upgrade process can be completed.
> >
> >> I installed stretch to another partition which I'm using now.
> >> Is the Buster install repairable?
> >
> > Depends. I'd start with chrooting into this "another partition" and
> > doing like something like this:
>
> I've never used chroot - I wasn't clear on what happened on current
> system and what went on in the system chrooted to.
>
> Are you saying to boot the "Buster" system and chroot into the known
> good Stretch system?
>
> > dpkg --configure -a
> > apt update
> > apt upgrade -s
> >
> > Just to estimate the damage.
> >
> > Reco
>
> Will follow up this afternoon.
> Thanks.
--
Cheers, Gene Heskett
--
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>
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