LMDE BREAKAGES - tracking TESTING

[zerozero]

another useful tip (take it as you want) if you want to truly run testing (and i would say the same about sid) take a look at your /etc/apt/preferences and level all preferences.
my main lmde system (the one i use, not the ones i have for testing purposes) doesn't have that file for a couple months <but it's your own option, as far as i can see the only drawback is the libcairo upgrade from the patched mint pkgs to the debian pkgs (and the font rendering might suffer with that)

[GregE]

another useful tip (take it as you want) if you want to truly run testing (and i would say the same about sid) take a look at your /etc/apt/preferences and level all preferences.
my main lmde system (the one i use, not the ones i have for testing purposes) doesn't have that file for a couple months <but it's your own option, as far as i can see the only drawback is the libcairo upgrade from the patched mint pkgs to the debian pkgs (and the font rendering might suffer with that)

Hi ZeroZero, this forum post is very useful in improving font rendering

http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php? ... 30#p400290

I did an install from Debian Wheezy, then added Mint repos and it took a while to get the fonts to look anything near "good". For Gnome 3 users there is one other font tip. From within Tweak Tool/Advanced Settings increase the text scaling factor to 1.1, then alter the individual font sizes to suit your own preference. It is amazing what a difference that one little change can make.

[mockturtl]

Strange hiccup upgrading vlc (migrated weeks ago), I had to remove libvlccore4 by hand, and then aptitude thinks it's a downgrade.

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$ apt-cache policy vlc-nox
vlc-nox:
  Installed: 1:2.0.0-0.1
  Candidate: 1:2.0.0-0.1
  Version table:
 *** 1:2.0.0-0.1 0
        500 http://www.debian-multimedia.org/ testing/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     2.0.0-6 0
        700 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ testing/main i386 Packages
...
$ sudo aptitude install vlc
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  vlc{b} 
0 packages upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 1,385 kB of archives. After unpacking 3,423 kB will be used.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
  vlc: Depends: vlc-nox (= 2.0.0-6) but 1:2.0.0-0.1 is installed.
The following actions will resolve these dependencies:
(... no ... no ... no ... )
     Downgrade the following packages:                                    
1)     vlc-nox [1:2.0.0-0.1 (now, testing) -> 2.0.0-6 (testing)]          
2)     vlc-plugin-notify [1:2.0.0-0.1 (now, testing) -> 2.0.0-6 (testing)]
3)     vlc-plugin-pulse [1:2.0.0-0.1 (now, testing) -> 2.0.0-6 (testing)]

Accept this solution? [Y/n/q/?] y
...
$ vlc --version
VLC media player 2.0.0 Twoflower (revision 2.0.0-0-g421a4fc)

Looks good now.

[zerozero]

mockturtl, how does your preferences file looks like?
looks fine here too (tho i have the multimedia v. installed)

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amadeu@amadeu:~$ apt policy vlc
vlc:
  Installed: 1:2.0.0-0.1
  Candidate: 1:2.0.0-0.1
  Version table:
 *** 1:2.0.0-0.1 0
        500 http://www.debian-multimedia.org/ testing/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     2.0.0-6 0
        500 http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ testing/main amd64 Packages

and +1 to tweak the preferences file (i knew that i updated vlc with no issues )

Start-Date: 2012-03-04 15:04:50
Commandline: apt-get dist-upgrade
Install: libresid-builder0c2a:amd64 (2.1.1-13, automatic), libpostproc52:amd64 (0.10-0.1, automatic), libxcb-composite0:amd64 (1.8-2, automatic), libsidplay2:amd64 (2.1.1-13, automatic), libxcb-xfixes0:amd64 (1.8-2, automatic), libvlccore5:amd64 (2.0.0-0.1, automatic)
Upgrade: libgtk2.0-common:amd64 (2.24.9-2, 2.24.10-1), gthumb:amd64 (2.14.1-1, 2.14.2-1), libgail18:amd64 (2.24.9-2, 2.24.10-1), libao-common:amd64 (1.1.0-1+b1, 1.1.0-1.1), libgmime-2.4-2:amd64 (2.4.31-1, 2.4.32-2), libhal-storage1:amd64 (0.5.14-7, 0.5.14-7.1), unrar:amd64 (4.0.3-1, 4.1.4-1), libgpod-common:amd64 (0.8.2-5, 0.8.2-6), gir1.2-telepathyglib-0.12:amd64 (0.16.2-1, 0.16.2-1+b1), gthumb-data:amd64 (2.14.1-1, 2.14.2-1), libwebp2:amd64 (0.1.3-2.1, 0.1.3-3), gir1.2-gtk-2.0:amd64 (2.24.9-2, 2.24.10-1), libgpod4:amd64 (0.8.2-5, 0.8.2-6), gnome-nettool:amd64 (3.0.0-2, 3.0.1-1), libvlc5:amd64 (1.1.13-0.0, 2.0.0-0.1), libexempi3:amd64 (2.1.1-1, 2.2.0-1), libsdl1.2debian:amd64 (1.2.15-1, 1.2.15-2), libcapture-tiny-perl:amd64 (0.15-1, 0.17-1), vlc-nox:amd64 (1.1.13-0.0, 2.0.0-0.1), libhal1:amd64 (0.5.14-7, 0.5.14-7.1), hal:amd64 (0.5.14-7, 0.5.14-7.1), vlc-plugin-notify:amd64 (1.1.13-0.0, 2.0.0-0.1), libtelepathy-glib0:amd64 (0.16.2-1, 0.16.2-1+b1), debian-keyring:amd64 (2011.12.01, 2012.02.22), libtelepathy-glib-dev:amd64 (0.16.2-1, 0.16.2-1+b1), libao4:amd64 (1.1.0-1+b1, 1.1.0-1.1), libgail-common:amd64 (2.24.9-2, 2.24.10-1), vlc:amd64 (1.1.13-0.0, 2.0.0-0.1), gtk2-engines-pixbuf:amd64 (2.24.9-2, 2.24.10-1), gstreamer0.10-plugins-really-bad:amd64 (0.10.22-0.2, 0.10.23-0.0), vlc-data:amd64 (1.1.13-0.0, 2.0.0-0.1), libgtk2.0-bin:amd64 (2.24.9-2, 2.24.10-1), libgtk2.0-dev:amd64 (2.24.9-2, 2.24.10-1), gnome-tweak-tool:amd64 (3.2.2-2, 3.2.2-3), libgmime2.4-cil:amd64 (2.4.31-1, 2.4.32-2), python-gpod:amd64 (0.8.2-5, 0.8.2-6), libgtk2.0-0:amd64 (2.24.9-2, 2.24.10-1), vlc-plugin-pulse:amd64 (1.1.13-0.0, 2.0.0-0.1)
Remove: libvlccore4:amd64 (1.1.13-0.0)
End-Date: 2012-03-04 15:07:11

Greg, that "warning" about the font rendering and the changes in the preference file i feel that i should do it (i don't see any difference in the rendering now or before, but i know that some do care about that and notice changes > like you pointed out in your post)
last month we were discussing font rendering here (might be interesting as well)

[mockturtl]

mockturtl, how does your preferences file looks like?

That's it: multimedia only had priority 500, so APT wanted to upgrade vlc by hopping to the other package.

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$ cat /etc/apt/preferences
Package: *
Pin: release o=linuxmint
Pin-Priority: 700

Package: *
Pin: origin packages.linuxmint.com
Pin-Priority: 700

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian
Pin-Priority: 700

I guess there's been some lovely discussion about packaging in multimedia versus debian proper generally.

[zerozero]

That's it: multimedia only had priority 500, so APT wanted to upgrade vlc by hopping to the other package.

i think the vlc v. in debian-multimedia and in debian-proper is basically the same, but the way Marillat packaged his vlc APT sees it as an upgrade from the debian pkg (the issue is that APT can't handle the replace from libvlccore4 to libvlccore5 in situations like yours because .5 comes from a source with a lower preference)

the real issue (and pinning can be a pita) is that debian-multimedia is not explicitly in the preferences file, so it falls to the default pin priority (500) crashing with the 700 of the other repos;
if you set everything to 500, you wouldn't see this (and eventually you won't see more like this in the future)
Thank you i learn something today

[GregE]

mockturtl, how does your preferences file looks like?
looks fine here too (tho i have the multimedia v. installed)
Greg, that "warning" about the font rendering and the changes in the preference file i feel that i should do it (i don't see any difference in the rendering now or before, but i know that some do care about that and notice changes > like you pointed out in your post)
last month we were discussing font rendering here (might be interesting as well)

I have learned something today as well. My current install was created by using a Wheezy snapshot and adding Mint repos then dist-upgrade to Sid. I went down that path as I have an SSD boot drive with a second HDD that holds most of my data. The LMDE installer could not cope with multiple drives during setup (yes, I can alter later but I wanted best possible install). The Wheezy installer is now a newer version that handles multiple drives easily.

Anyway, by going down this path I find I do not have a preferences file for apt. This explains why sometimes I scratch my head when I read some posts - because my system is subtly different. And this is also why I had to spend so much time fixing fonts, because the LMDE font fixes never got incorporated. BTW, my fonts are now very good using standard Debian packages and the fix from the link above.

Lessons in standing outside the system.

[Chris M]

another useful tip (take it as you want) if you want to truly run testing (and i would say the same about sid) take a look at your /etc/apt/preferences and level all preferences.
my main lmde system (the one i use, not the ones i have for testing purposes) doesn't have that file for a couple months <but it's your own option, as far as i can see the only drawback is the libcairo upgrade from the patched mint pkgs to the debian pkgs (and the font rendering might suffer with that)...

the real issue (and pinning can be a pita) is that debian-multimedia is not explicitly in the preferences file, so it falls to the default pin priority (500) crashing with the 700 of the other repos;
if you set everything to 500, you wouldn't see this (and eventually you won't see more like this in the future)

zz, I installed the 201109 ISO, and default preferences are (as you would guess):

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Package: *
Pin: release o=linuxmint
Pin-Priority: 700

Package: *
Pin: origin packages.linuxmint.com
Pin-Priority: 700

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian
Pin-Priority: 500

Before clem went to the Update Pack scheme, with the older ISO installation repos pointing toward Debian Testing, were all of the pin priorities set to 500 (or level), or has clem always given priority to linuxmint packages?

Besides libcairo2 font issue (which doesn't seem to be much of an issue any longer), is there a downside to leveling the pin-priorities? If you're running Testing with the idea of bug hunting for the next Update Pack, is there a possibility that leveling the pin priorities may skew results if a problem pops up?

Also, is not having /etc/apt/preferences file the same thing as leveling the pin priorities?

I'm running XFCE, so the 500-500-500 advice is appreciated. Thanks

[viking777]

Before clem went to the Update Pack scheme, with the older ISO installation repos pointing toward Debian Testing, were all of the pin priorities set to 500 (or level), or has clem always given priority to linuxmint packages?

My present LMDE install (dating from aug 2011) has the same priority as yours in apt preferences, so I guess it must have always been this way. I have never used update packs on this system so it predates that, and I have never touched apt preferences myself

[zerozero]

Chris, if you are "testing and reporting" keep the default pin priority (even if that means some extra head-aches), that's why i said above:

my main lmde system (the one i use, not the ones i have for testing purposes) doesn't have that file for a couple months

on the other hand the one where i'm testing incoming atm (with the default file) has all the old problems
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.p ... 34#p546324

it's not just about libcairo2, we know the stories about libpixman as well and it's also about dropbox, gtk2-engines-murrine.

[nimbvs]

Today's update to the linux-image-3.2.0-2-686-pae package (changelog.Debian.gz says kernel version 3.2.12-1) brought the CPU temperature on my laptop (HP ProBok 4515s, CPU: AMD Turion RM-76) up around 4℃ in idle (before it was 54℃, now it's 59-60℃). This causes the CPU Fan to spin continuously at a low speed and it's making the machine very noisy.

I tried installing the liquorix kernel, but I couldn't make the wireless (Broadcom BCM4312) work with it.

Now, I don't know how to downgrade the kernel or how to install the kernel from SID, and I'm waiting for the next kernel in testing, hoping it will solve this temperature issue...

[zerozero]

3.2.0-2-686-pae is the same in testing and sid

[nimbvs]

Right... well, I guess I'll have to wait for kernel 3.3 then?

Or do you know how I can downgrade to the previous version?

[zerozero]

if this update is not playing nice with your hardware (it's ok here with mine, but each combination is different) you can select the older one at boot until a new kernel update comes in and then you can check if the issue is solved for you.

[nimbvs]

This update didn't keep the previous kernel. It replaced it.

[zerozero]

nimbvs,
unless you explicitly have deleted the old kernels, you should have them there

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amadeu@amadeu:~$ dpkg --list | grep 'linux-image*'
ii  linux-image-2.6-amd64                         3.2+44                          Linux for 64-bit PCs (dummy package)
ii  linux-image-2.6.32-5-amd64                    2.6.32-31                       Linux 2.6.32 for 64-bit PCs
ii  linux-image-2.6.38-2-amd64                    2.6.38-5                        Linux 2.6.38 for 64-bit PCs
ii  linux-image-2.6.39-2-amd64                    2.6.39-3                        Linux 2.6.39 for 64-bit PCs
ii  linux-image-3.0.0-1-amd64                     3.0.0-3                         Linux 3.0.0 for 64-bit PCs
ii  linux-image-3.1.0-1-amd64                     3.1.8-2                         Linux 3.1 for 64-bit PCs
ii  linux-image-3.2.0-1-amd64                     3.2.6-1                         Linux 3.2 for 64-bit PCs
ii  linux-image-3.2.0-2-amd64                     3.2.12-1                        Linux 3.2 for 64-bit PCs
ii  linux-image-amd64                             3.2+44                          Linux for 64-bit PCs (meta-package)

[Lippy]

I get a new warning message today when updating packages:

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** (process:4147): WARNING **: Trying to register gtype 'GDriveStartFlags' as flags when in fact it is of type 'GEnum'

These are the packages I upgraded yesterday when the message wasn't there:

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Upgraded the following packages:
cpp-4.4 (4.4.6-14) to 4.4.7-1
fuse (2.8.6-4) to 2.8.7-1
fuse-utils (2.8.6-4) to 2.8.7-1
g++-4.4 (4.4.6-14) to 4.4.7-1
gcc-4.4 (4.4.6-14) to 4.4.7-1
gcc-4.4-base (4.4.6-14) to 4.4.7-1
gir1.2-gucharmap-2.90 (1:3.2.2-1) to 1:3.2.2-2
gir1.2-vte-2.90 (1:0.30.1-3) to 1:0.30.1-4
gucharmap (1:3.2.2-1) to 1:3.2.2-2
libfuse2 (2.8.6-4) to 2.8.7-1
libgucharmap-2-90-7 (1:3.2.2-1) to 1:3.2.2-2
libidn11 (1.23-2) to 1.24-2
libidn11-dev (1.23-2) to 1.24-2
libstdc++6-4.4-dev (4.4.6-14) to 4.4.7-1
libvte-2.90-9 (1:0.30.1-3) to 1:0.30.1-4
libvte-2.90-common (1:0.30.1-3) to 1:0.30.1-4
python-gdata (2.0.14-2) to 2.0.16-1
python-gobject-2 (2.28.6-9) to 2.28.6-10
python-gobject-2-dev (2.28.6-9) to 2.28.6-10
wvdial (1.61-4) to 1.61-4.1

Other than the scary-looking message, I don't appear to be getting any side-effects from it. Perhaps another 'quirk' that can be ignored?

nimbvs,
unless you explicitly have deleted the old kernels, you should have them there

That doesn't always happen, as in this case. When it's a major version upgrade, it will keep the older kernel. Usually when it's a minor upgrade (in this case it was 3.2.9 -> 3.2.12) it will replace the older kernel. The linux-image-3.2.0-2-amd64 package was used for both versions.

Anyway, I'd say if it's an annoyance it should be safe to select the linux-image-3.2.0-1-amd64 kernel at boot which is the 3.2.6 version.

[Gerd50]

@nimbvs, on a german debian forum i have read, kernel 3.3 won't come to wheezy/testing - http://debianforum.de/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=134948 - it's because Kernel 3.2 is thought as LTS v. Who wants 3.3 can install it from the debian backport
repos.

[Chris M]

Good find, Gerd. Here's another post saying essentially the same thing.

Most of the posts of late on this sub-forum have been about new kernel-video driver issues (DKMS).

While there could always be updated 3.2 kernels that come down the pike, most of the video driver issues should go away until sid goes Testing.

The way I understand it, if you're rolling along in Testing, kernel 3.3 or better will not be a backports install decision. When sid goes Testing, 3.3 will flow into the sid Testing repository.

Wheezy is supposed to be frozen in June. But the call to essentially freeze the kernel now will be a nice stabilizing factor right through 2012. 3.2 is nice. It's pretty damn fast on the i686-pae side right now.

[zerozero]

so, this means ladies&gents that we're officially in holidays until feb/2013
- no major kernel updates;
- let's see if gnome-shell3.4 makes it on time;
- kde 4.8 should be in the next debian7 source
- will xfce 4.10 make it on time?