Hi,
I have finally gotten around to installing openSUSE 11.3 on a PC I have. However, I have made two complete attempts and several "fix it" attempts on the first failed attempt and have yet to get a successful install.
The installs both failed with the "fetchmsttfonts" failing and resulting in a "YaST2 Error Command exited with status 5" error popup with an "OK" button on it. I am looking for some way to proceed from here without having to restart the install from scratch again and to have to select all the needed packages yet another time. More background follows.
The first time thru, I saw the "OK" and clicked it before reading anything else and the installer aborted back to text mode. I tried running the install again as an upgrade install, hoping that would fix it, but, instead, first got a system that only booted to runlevel 3 and was mostly unconfigured (I could not log in at all even though I'd set a user account and a root password!). Subsequent upgrade install attempts resulted in the installer recommending the deletion of several hundred packages, increasing in number each time I ran it(!).
I did another install attempt from scratch, this time using the netinstall CD and selecting the oss, non-oss, and update repos (the first install attempt had been made from the install DVD with the addition of the Addon-NonOss-BiArch and AddonLang CDs as well as the three netinstall URIs above). Again, the install failed. This time I read the entire screen and have not yet clicked the "OK" button.
I logged in to the system from one of the available text mode consoles and noticed that the system is still mostly unconfigured.
What should be my next move from here? Is it possible to rescue this install? If not, is there a way to obtain a copy of the package list and import it into a new, fresh install so I don't have to go thru all the packages looking for the ones I need (a time consuming and tedious process for me).
I found the y2log and the zypp/history log files which contain millions of lines of status between them and which appear to contain all of the packages selected. However, I was not able to locate a simple package list anywhere. If there is not list, anyone know the required format so I could possibly format, e.g., the zypp/history log contents into a suitable file?
Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks,
--Phil
On 19/01/11 05:46, Philip Amadeo Saeli wrote:
What should be my next move from here? Is it possible to rescue this install? If not, is there a way to obtain a copy of the package list and import it into a new, fresh install so I don't have to go thru all the packages looking for the ones I need (a time consuming and tedious process for me).
I found the y2log and the zypp/history log files which contain millions of lines of status between them and which appear to contain all of the packages selected. However, I was not able to locate a simple package list anywhere. If there is not list, anyone know the required format so I could possibly format, e.g., the zypp/history log contents into a suitable file?
Any help would be appreciated!
If all you want is a list of installed packages, try:
rpm -qa > installed-pkgs.txt
or if you just want the names (don't care about versions):
rpm -qa --queryformat="%{NAME}\n" > installed-pkgs.txt
You can do this from a chroot as well, if you're not able to boot the actual system.
From the sound of it though, the attempted upgrades may have already
mixed up your package list - YMMV
Regards, Tejas
* Tejas Guruswamy tejas.guruswamy@opensuse.org [2011-01-19 10:04:27 +0000]:
On 19/01/11 05:46, Philip Amadeo Saeli wrote:
What should be my next move from here? Is it possible to rescue this install? If not, is there a way to obtain a copy of the package list and import it into a new, fresh install so I don't have to go thru all the packages looking for the ones I need (a time consuming and tedious process for me).
I found the y2log and the zypp/history log files which contain millions of lines of status between them and which appear to contain all of the packages selected. However, I was not able to locate a simple package list anywhere. If there is not list, anyone know the required format so I could possibly format, e.g., the zypp/history log contents into a suitable file?
Any help would be appreciated!
If all you want is a list of installed packages, try:
rpm -qa > installed-pkgs.txt
or if you just want the names (don't care about versions):
rpm -qa --queryformat="%{NAME}\n" > installed-pkgs.txt
You can do this from a chroot as well, if you're not able to boot the actual system. From the sound of it though, the attempted upgrades may have already mixed up your package list - YMMV
Regards, Tejas
Thanks for the response. This is my second fresh try, so things should not be messed up at this point.
However, does anyone know how I can import the list of packages from this failed install into a newly initiated install? I do have a disk partition where I can store the file. I just don't know how to format the file or what info is needed in it. My wish is that there is a file somewhere that I can simply save and import into the new install (hah!).
--Phil
On 20/01/11 04:14, Philip Amadeo Saeli wrote:
- Tejas Guruswamy tejas.guruswamy@opensuse.org [2011-01-19 10:04:27 +0000]:
On 19/01/11 05:46, Philip Amadeo Saeli wrote:
What should be my next move from here? Is it possible to rescue this install? If not, is there a way to obtain a copy of the package list and import it into a new, fresh install so I don't have to go thru all the packages looking for the ones I need (a time consuming and tedious process for me).
I found the y2log and the zypp/history log files which contain millions of lines of status between them and which appear to contain all of the packages selected. However, I was not able to locate a simple package list anywhere. If there is not list, anyone know the required format so I could possibly format, e.g., the zypp/history log contents into a suitable file?
Any help would be appreciated!
If all you want is a list of installed packages, try:
rpm -qa > installed-pkgs.txt
or if you just want the names (don't care about versions):
rpm -qa --queryformat="%{NAME}\n" > installed-pkgs.txt
You can do this from a chroot as well, if you're not able to boot the actual system. From the sound of it though, the attempted upgrades may have already mixed up your package list - YMMV
Regards, Tejas
Thanks for the response. This is my second fresh try, so things should not be messed up at this point.
However, does anyone know how I can import the list of packages from this failed install into a newly initiated install? I do have a disk partition where I can store the file. I just don't know how to format the file or what info is needed in it. My wish is that there is a file somewhere that I can simply save and import into the new install (hah!).
--Phil
That's exactly what I was explaining - you run the commands I gave on your failed system, it will create a file with a list of all installed packages. First you need to get a console (text-based, don't bother with trying to get X to start)\ login on the failed installation.
If it boots to runlevel 3 (put "3" at the end of the grub kernel options when booting), use that. At the console login, login as whatever works, preferably root. Then run (don't include the "> ", that's just to distinguish the commands from message text):
rpm -qa --queryformat="%{NAME}\n" > installed-pkgs.txt
The package list "installed-pkgs.txt" will be in the current directory (probably the home folder for whatever user you logged in as, /root if you logged in as root), copy it away however you can.
Otherwise, if you can't get the failed system to boot, you need to do a chroot recovery. This means, from a console prompt on a livecd/or other working installation on the same computer:
mkdir /mnt/root mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/root (assuming /dev/sda1 is the
partition with the failed install)
mount --bind /dev /mnt/root/dev chroot /mnt/root mount /proc mount /sys
Now you will be logged in, as root, to the failed install. Next execute the rpm command - a file "installed-pkgs.txt" will appear in the current directory.
rpm -qa --queryformat="%{NAME}\n" > installed-pkgs.txt
Exit the chroot
exit
The file with all the installed packages will be in /mnt/root/installed-pkgs.txt. Use whatever method you're comfortable with to get it copied to your working install.
On your new system, to use this file, try something like:
cat installed-pkgs.txt | xargs zypper in
Regards, Tejas
* Tejas Guruswamy tejas.guruswamy@opensuse.org [2011-01-20 11:47:31 +0000]:
On 20/01/11 04:14, Philip Amadeo Saeli wrote:
Thanks for the response. This is my second fresh try, so things should not be messed up at this point.
However, does anyone know how I can import the list of packages from this failed install into a newly initiated install? I do have a disk partition where I can store the file. I just don't know how to format the file or what info is needed in it. My wish is that there is a file somewhere that I can simply save and import into the new install (hah!).
--Phil
That's exactly what I was explaining - you run the commands I gave on your failed system, it will create a file with a list of all installed packages. First you need to get a console (text-based, don't bother with trying to get X to start)\ login on the failed installation.
If it boots to runlevel 3 (put "3" at the end of the grub kernel options when booting), use that. At the console login, login as whatever works, preferably root. Then run (don't include the "> ", that's just to distinguish the commands from message text):
rpm -qa --queryformat="%{NAME}\n" > installed-pkgs.txt
The package list "installed-pkgs.txt" will be in the current directory (probably the home folder for whatever user you logged in as, /root if you logged in as root), copy it away however you can.
Otherwise, if you can't get the failed system to boot, you need to do a chroot recovery. This means, from a console prompt on a livecd/or other working installation on the same computer:
mkdir /mnt/root mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/root (assuming /dev/sda1 is the
partition with the failed install)
mount --bind /dev /mnt/root/dev chroot /mnt/root mount /proc mount /sys
Now you will be logged in, as root, to the failed install. Next execute the rpm command - a file "installed-pkgs.txt" will appear in the current directory.
rpm -qa --queryformat="%{NAME}\n" > installed-pkgs.txt
Exit the chroot
exit
The file with all the installed packages will be in /mnt/root/installed-pkgs.txt. Use whatever method you're comfortable with to get it copied to your working install.
On your new system, to use this file, try something like:
cat installed-pkgs.txt | xargs zypper in
Regards, Tejas
[OK, I've finally been able to get back to this system install]
Thanks for the careful explanation, Tejas. However, that still doesn't address the problem as I'd attempted to describe.
The problem is that I'd like to be able to import the package list into a new install run, but I did not know the format for the package list. (Actually, I had truly wished that I could have rescued the install that had failed only because it was unable to successfully execute the fetchmsttfonts script. However, I had to abandon that install in order to use the computer for other things.
I finally was able to get back to the install and restarted a fresh install (3rd try) and, at the "Software Selection and System Tasks" page, I clicked the "Details..." button to get the detailed package selection screen. Under the "File" menu there are "Import..." and "Export..." menu items.
I have been looking for a way to get a list of the installed packages so I can then import it via the "Import..." menu item. However, the import and export functions expect the list to be in XML format with specific metadata. Anyone know how I may obtain or generate that list from the package lists I have (i.e., output of "rpm -qa" and output of "rpm -qa --queryformat="%{NAME}\n"). I did a search through the entire partially installed system but was not able to find a package list in the needed format.
I'd very much like to avoid having to go through the tedious and lengthly package selection process yet another time. Any help would be appreciated. However, *please* read the question so that the time you take to address them will be well spent!
Thanks,
--Phil
On 30/01/11 04:04, Philip Amadeo Saeli wrote:
- Tejas Guruswamy tejas.guruswamy@opensuse.org [2011-01-20 11:47:31 +0000]:
On your new system, to use this file, try something like:
cat installed-pkgs.txt | xargs zypper in
I'd very much like to avoid having to go through the tedious and lengthly package selection process yet another time. Any help would be appreciated. However, *please* read the question so that the time you take to address them will be well spent!
Thanks,
--Phil
All I can say is please read my answer carefully as well - I *have* given you a full method to do exactly what you ask. During the install choose a basic/minimal system (one of the presets), and once it's up and running, use the command I gave (above) to fix the package selection. I don't recommend fiddling with package lists during the install, which is why I gave the advice I did, and not the advice you apparently wanted to hear.
If you absolutely insist on importing into the install, you could try running "/sbin/yast2" inside the chroot, and navigate the ncurses-menus to the Software Installer and xml-export. YMMV.
Regards, Tejas
On Sunday 30 January 2011 05:48:12 Tejas Guruswamy wrote: <snipped>
If you absolutely insist on importing into the install, you could try running "/sbin/yast2" inside the chroot, and navigate the ncurses-menus to the Software Installer and xml-export. YMMV.
If this works (please report) I will travel back in time and kick myself :-)
thx!
Carl
On Sunday, January 30, 2011 08:50:51 am Carl Hartung wrote:
On Sunday 30 January 2011 05:48:12 Tejas Guruswamy wrote:
<snipped>
If you absolutely insist on importing into the install, you could try running "/sbin/yast2" inside the chroot, and navigate the ncurses-menus to the Software Installer and xml-export. YMMV.
If this works (please report) I will travel back in time and kick myself :-)
Well, it works actually.
Using Qt YaST.
1) Export, from File menu of Software Management module, will export user- settings.xml. User can give another name and location where file should be stored.
2) In the same module session, right after export, I installed package garlic. SUSEconfig ran fine, so I'm sure installation was fine. I have YaST set to restart Software Management module, not to exit when installation is done, as it is default, so I was able to see what produced error. Module exited with long GUI related error, in GTk style window, so guys have some mess in sources, that doesn't affect how YaST works.
Reason to close and open again is to emulate actual import in a new Software Management module session.
3) Started Software Management. Imported user-settings.xml . Instantly I had garlic marked for removal. This means that feature actually works. Press Accept, and garlic was removed, SUSEconfig run was ended without errors, and module restarted. I closed it manually again, and I've seen GUI related error again. This time much smaller.
So, IMHO, it works. The only thing that makes problem is GUI, and YaST guys stubbornness to see that going back to Software Management module can save some pain to their users.
I know that some other kind of error can prove me wrong, but I really don't like program that quits after one task is done. Similar behavior would be to quit OpenOffice after saving document, with argument, that after saving doc I'm done, so why to keep application open.
thx!
Carl
[Resending this, to the list]
* Tejas Guruswamy tejas.guruswamy@opensuse.org [2011-01-30 10:48:12 +0000]:
On 30/01/11 04:04, Philip Amadeo Saeli wrote:
- Tejas Guruswamy tejas.guruswamy@opensuse.org [2011-01-20 11:47:31 +0000]:
On your new system, to use this file, try something like:
cat installed-pkgs.txt | xargs zypper in
I'd very much like to avoid having to go through the tedious and lengthly package selection process yet another time. Any help would be appreciated. However, *please* read the question so that the time you take to address them will be well spent!
Thanks,
--Phil
All I can say is please read my answer carefully as well - I *have* given you a full method to do exactly what you ask. During the install choose a basic/minimal system (one of the presets), and once it's up and running, use the command I gave (above) to fix the package selection. I don't recommend fiddling with package lists during the install, which is why I gave the advice I did, and not the advice you apparently wanted to hear.
If you absolutely insist on importing into the install, you could try running "/sbin/yast2" inside the chroot, and navigate the ncurses-menus to the Software Installer and xml-export. YMMV.
Regards, Tejas
Thanks for the clarification. The solution context you provide in the first paragraph above makes all the difference for me. Most of the steps you provided in the previous messages gave me no information I did not already know quite well, and I was unable discern your intent in providing them. Hence I didn't believe you were addressing the question I'd asked.
In actuality, I was attempting to find the shortest path between a system with all RPMs installed on it but which was largely unconfigured to a fully installed and configured one. Your answer in the first paragraph above answers that quite well, esp the part WRT your recommendation to avoid fiddling with package lists during the install.
I ended up starting the install over from scratch a third time, this time from the install DVD (I did this prior to receiving your message and so was not able to try running yast2 in a chroot). I did *not* add any online repos to the install. Apparently, from the bug reports[1],[2] related to the problem I'd run in to, including the Update repo in an initial install triggers this problem (I'd included the update repo in hopes of saving some time in the install and update by doing it all at once. I've now learned my lesson about doing that!).
The install auto-ran update twice (once for the package management stack and once for everything else), and everything seemed to install and work OK. I am now in the process of customizing the system settings and will install pkgs from additional repos after that.
Looks like, other than the fetchmsttfonts failures leading to completely failed installs(!?!), the install process has matured quite a bit from previous releases (the most recent of which I have any install experience is 10.1). Looking forward to getting to use my newly installed openSUSE 11.3 system. Of course, in all likeliness, once I get everything dialed in and working just like I like it, 11.4 will have been released and I will be tempted to upgrade ....
--Phil
[1] Bug 638734 - no install possible with update repo [2] Bug 633447 - Update Installation from 11.2 to 11.3 fails with unbootable system
On Monday, January 31, 2011 10:10:59 pm Philip Amadeo Saeli wrote:
(the most recent of which I have any install experience is 10.1)
That one was really not good, but after 6 releases with 7th comming next month, situation in package management is quite the opposite.
Default (download and immediately install each package) can lead to broken system in case that connection to server fails, but you can configure package management to download all and then install. See /etc/zypp/zypp.conf for details.
Long ago, when my network connection was not reliable, I used to install minimal graphical system and then when I have working system install the rest of packages in a few steps using default options for groups. Now you can do the same with patterns. That way I would avoid network timeouts, and if that would happen it was easier to repeat.
-
Carl Hartung -
Philip Amadeo Saeli -
Rajko M. -
Tejas Guruswamy