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Bug#732818: apt: Doesn't autoremove kernels



Control: reassign -1 src:firmware-nonfree

On Sat, Dec 21, 2013 at 10:01:03PM -0500, Mattthew Gabeler-Lee wrote:
> The kernel postinst script creates an autoremove override conf file to
> protect recent kernels.  But kernels that were automatically installed and
> not protected by those rules are still not autoremoved.
> 
> This appears to be caused by linux-firmware-* packages suggesting
> linux-image:amd64, and that metapackage being resolved to *all* the kernels
> I have installed, instead of just the latest one, and thus no kernel is ever
> autoremoved.

It is a problem in the dependencies which I already mentioned at
DebConf and was said to be fixed soon if I remember right (but I can be
wrong). Anyway: The "Suggests" should be an "Enhances" as this is what
firmware does, it enhances the functionality of certain kernel drivers,
the firmware isn't enhanced by the kernel (in practice, the usefulness
of the firmware without a kernel is probably slim, but it is already
with Suggests "perfectly reasonable" to not install them).
Hence: reassigned to the firmware-nonfree source package.

And for the record: initramfs-tools is probably also "enhanced" and not
"suggested" by firmware.

Also, I guess this one can be merged with #735462 if that virtual
package is really gone forever.


That the autoremover is protecting all linux-image's based on the fact
that firmware-* is suggesting it is a safety measure as the autoremover
has no idea which of the kernels are enhancing the firmware. All of them
could potentially work, but the user might depend on a very specific one
of those (It makes little sense with kernels of course, but replace
kernel with editor and you will hopefully agree that nano isn't vim,
even if both are editors).


Best regards

David Kalnischkies

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