[pacman-dev] /etc/fstab rewritten by pacman!

[Andrew Fyfe]

Dan McGee wrote:
> On 4/10/07, Andrew Fyfe <andrew at neptune-one.net> wrote:
>> Dan McGee wrote:
>>> If this is it, then these should be the steps to reproduce (note that
>>> these reports are starting at step 5, the other stuff happened in the
>>> past):
>>> 1. Install a package that had a NoUpgrade line.
>>> 2. Edit a backup file.
>>> 3. Upgrade the package, causing the local md5sum to be written to the
>>> DB (instead of the original md5sum from the new package).
>>> 4. Do NOT edit the file again, and remove the NoUpgrade line from pacman.conf.
>>> 5. Upgrade the package, causing the 'original' and 'old' md5sum to be
>>> identical, which allows pacman to write an upgraded file over your
>>> custom config.
>>>
>>> Possible fixes:
>>> 1. Put NoUpgrade lines back in. This is hacky/ugly IMO.
>>> 2. Back up all config files that are to be overwritten as .pacold
>>> files, even if they are supposedly legal candidates for overwriting.
>>> This will cause some clutter on systems, however, but will ensure no
>>> configurations are lost (although they would be moved).
>> Confirmed, following Dan's instructions above I can replicate the problem.
> 
> Wow, I'm half surprised I got that right. :) Good to hear since I hate
> bugs that are not reproducible.
> 
>> IMO option 2 plus a warning would be the best idea.
>>
>> Andrew
> 
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This is kicking off because NoUpgrade doesn't store an MD5 of the 
original file in var/lib/pacman/local/*. If NoUpgrade is removed before 
the package is upgraded with the appropriate backup=(..) line, pacman 
overwrites the NoUpgrade files.

A solution I think...

Short-term:
1. Put NoUpgrade back into pacman.conf
...let a little time pass...
2. Update all packages containing NoUpgrade files to include the proper 
backup=() line.
3. Tell everyone to go run -Syu
...let a little time pass...
4. Remove NoUpgrade lines from pacman.conf

Long-term:
NoUpgrade needs to work the same way as backup=(..).

Andrew