Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
On Sun, Dec 17, 2023 at 09:42:19PM -0500, Cindy Sue Causey wrote: > dpkg-deb: error: failed to read archive > '/var/cache/apt/archives/dpkg_1.22.1_amd64.deb': Too many levels of > symbolic links > dpkg: error: parsing file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 2 package 'dpkg': > 'Version' field value '': version string is empty > > Too many levels of symbolic links... I've seen that over the years > while breaking my system. So I visually inspected the apt/archives > directory. Whatever debootstrap is seeing as too many symlinks is not > visually apparent. Well, why not *show us*? Here's one way to produce that error message: unicorn:~$ mkdir /tmp/subdir unicorn:~$ ln -s link /tmp/subdir/link unicorn:~$ ls /tmp/subdir/link/foo ls: cannot access '/tmp/subdir/link/foo': Too many levels of symbolic links unicorn:~$ ls -ld /tmp/subdir/link lrwxrwxrwx 1 greg greg 4 Dec 17 22:00 /tmp/subdir/link -> link For your error message, you'd want to look at ls -ld /var /var/cache /var/cache/apt /var/cache/apt/archives I think we can assume that / isn't a circular symlink, but if you want to throw in / as well, it wouldn't hurt. You mentioned debootstrap, so it's not clear to me whether the error is coming from your regular directories, or from a /var/cache/apt/archives that's inside a chroot somewhere. If it's coming from a chroot, then that's where you'll want to look.
Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
On 12/16/23, Pocket wrote: > > On 12/16/23 08:45, Stephen P. Molnar wrote: >> I am running Bookworm on my Debian computer. When I installed the OS I >> selected the option for separate /var etc, and selected the default >> sizes of the partitions. >> >> When I ran sudo apt update this morning I received the error message: >> >> E: You don't have enough free space in /var/cache/apt/archives/ >> >> Can I increase the size of the /var partition on the ssd without >> having to reinstall the system? >> >> Thanks in advance. >> > You can bind mount more space from another partition or create a directory > on another file system and sylmink it to /var/cache/apt/archives/ > > Maybe something like this > > On a volume that has sufficient space > > where is some where on your filesystem > > mkdir /archives > > cp -var /var/cache/apt/archives/ /archives/ > > or > > mv -v /var/cache/apt/archives/ /archives/ > > then clean up /var/cache/apt/archives > rm -rf /var/cache/apt/archives > > ln -vs /archives /var/cache/apt/archives > > or > |mount --bind |/archives /var/cache/apt/archives > > Add the bind mount to the end of /etc/fstab > > /var/cache/apt/archives||/archives|none bind,nofail| tl;dr I've stuck with this a couple hours now purely k/t less than optimal brain functioning. I've been comparing symlink versus "mount -B" on apt/archives during debootstraps because I've had bad fails in the past. Ultimately, it finally boiled down to debootstrap(dot)log documenting: dpkg-deb: error: failed to read archive '/var/cache/apt/archives/dpkg_1.22.1_amd64.deb': Too many levels of symbolic links dpkg: error: parsing file '/var/lib/dpkg/status' near line 2 package 'dpkg': 'Version' field value '': version string is empty Too many levels of symbolic links... I've seen that over the years while breaking my system. So I visually inspected the apt/archives directory. Whatever debootstrap is seeing as too many symlinks is not visually apparent. In the past, I've seen directories present an infinitum linear path if you keep clicking that same named directory each time you open the next one. That is not the case today. I've debootstrapped a few times today. The various failed logs changed slightly. Diff showed that several /bin packages are missing (see further below if bored). Cpio is one. One log but not all show a weird problem that looks like something inserted an extra "/" in front of debootstrap's /var directory during download (which implies a symlink tie-in): 2023-12-17 18:02:24 URL:http://http.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/c/cpio/cpio_2.13+dfsg-7.1_amd64.deb [245036/245036] -> "/home/candycane/deboot-apt-symlink//var/cache/apt/archives/partial/cpio_2.13+dfsg-7.1_amd64.deb" [1] That same (error or no?) reference does not occur in all debootstrap(dot)log files across the multiple debootstraps that were run using symlink instead of "mount -B" today. All of that now melds in with the rest of my original email which is Apologies, I didn't know where to cull above, grin. A couple years ago, I posted on Debian-User that I tripped over a BAD problem when only symlinking apt/archives for my debootstraps. I just super quick ran two comparative debootstraps, and the same issue still stands. $ sudo LANG=C.UTF-8 chroot deboot-apt-symlink /bin/bash I have no name!@northpole:/# $ sudo LANG=C.UTF-8 chroot deboot-apt-mount-bind /bin/bash root@northpole:/# The "mount -B" debootstrap ends short and sweet with: I: Base system installed successfully. Go, Team! The symlink version lost its mind this time. It used to say something very different and much shorter. The previous concluding message was so short that I missed it multiple times over and just assumed the debootstraps were successfully completing as expected. Nope. Today's (terminal CLI) message popped big time: W: Failure trying to run: chroot "/home/candycane/deboot-apt-symlink" dpkg-deb -f /var/cache/apt/archives/dpkg_1.22.1_amd64.deb Version W: See /home/candycane/deboot-apt-symlink/debootstrap/debootstrap.log for details I: Installing core packages... W: Failure trying to run: chroot "/home/candycane/deboot-apt-symlink" dpkg --force-depends --install /var/cache/apt/archives/base-passwd_3.6.3_amd64.deb W: See /home/candycane/deboot-apt-symlink/debootstrap/debootstrap.log for details DISCLAIMER: Yes, that's referencing chroot, but that is NOT me chrooting in. That's debootstrap running through the last lines of its to-do list. When I chroot in afterward, I only see the first lines I typed further above (e.g. "I have no name!"). With respect to deciphering what happens, I just thought to run "diff" on the two different debootstrap directories from today. Nothing's been done to those directories. It's only the initial download and install step. A LOT of feedback came back for that diff command. Top of the diff query results showed a sizable list of "only in" the "mount -B" debootstrap's /bin. So I compared total sizes: 239.3MB for
Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
On 2023-12-17, Max Nikulin wrote: > On 16/12/2023 22:46, Stephen P. Molnar wrote: >> >> I'll add 'sudo apt-get autoclean to' my update bat file. > > I have > > APT::Keep-Downloaded-Packages "false"; I thought that was the default now for apt. But then he said "sudo apt" in the OP and "apt-get" in the post you're responding to. Anyway. > in a file inside "/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/". However I use apt-cacher-ng. In > you case this settings may be excessively aggressive. > > --
Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
On 16/12/2023 22:46, Stephen P. Molnar wrote: I'll add 'sudo apt-get autoclean to' my update bat file. I have APT::Keep-Downloaded-Packages "false"; in a file inside "/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/". However I use apt-cacher-ng. In you case this settings may be excessively aggressive.
Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
Charles Curley writes: > Does anybody read signatures any more? I certainly don't.
Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
On Sat, 16 Dec 2023 20:30:27 +0100 wrote: > > I'll add 'sudo apt-get autoclean to' my update bat file. > > Bat? 驪 Yeah, bat file. That's what one uses to smooth the body putty on one's custom batmobile. -- Does anybody read signatures any more? https://charlescurley.com https://charlescurley.com/blog/
Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
On Sat, Dec 16, 2023 at 10:46:27AM -0500, Stephen P. Molnar wrote: > Many thanks for the replies. > > I'll add 'sudo apt-get autoclean to' my update bat file. Bat? 驪 Cheers -- t signature.asc Description: PGP signature
Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
On Sat, 16 Dec 2023 10:46:27 -0500 "Stephen P. Molnar" wrote: > I'll add 'sudo apt-get autoclean to' my update bat file. Or add it to your crontab. root@tsalmoth:~# grep clean /etc/cron.d/curley 0 4 18 * * root apt-get -y autoclean root@tsalmoth:~# -- Does anybody read signatures any more? https://charlescurley.com https://charlescurley.com/blog/
Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
On 12/16/23 08:45, Stephen P. Molnar wrote: I am running Bookworm on my Debian computer. When I installed the OS I selected the option for separate /var etc, and selected the default sizes of the partitions. When I ran sudo apt update this morning I received the error message: E: You don't have enough free space in /var/cache/apt/archives/ Can I increase the size of the /var partition on the ssd without having to reinstall the system? Thanks in advance. You can bind mount more space from another partition or create a directory on another file system and sylmink it to /var/cache/apt/archives/ Maybe something like this On a volume that has sufficient space where is some where on your filesystem mkdir /archives cp -var /var/cache/apt/archives/ /archives/ or mv -v /var/cache/apt/archives/ /archives/ then clean up /var/cache/apt/archives rm -rf /var/cache/apt/archives ln -vs /archives /var/cache/apt/archives or |mount --bind |/archives /var/cache/apt/archives Add the bind mount to the end of /etc/fstab /var/cache/apt/archives||/archives|none bind,nofail| https://www.baeldung.com/linux/bind-mounts -- Hindi madali ang maging ako
Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
Many thanks for the replies. I'll add 'sudo apt-get autoclean to' my update bat file. On 12/16/2023 09:55 AM, Joe Pfeiffer wrote: "Stephen P. Molnar" writes: I am running Bookworm on my Debian computer. When I installed the OS I selected the option for separate /var etc, and selected the default sizes of the partitions. When I ran sudo apt update this morning I received the error message: E: You don't have enough free space in /var/cache/apt/archives/ Can I increase the size of the /var partition on the ssd without having to reinstall the system? Thanks in advance. Are you doing anything to get rid of unused packages? If not the archives just keep growing. An occasional # apt-get autoclean will do a lot for you. clean clean clears out the local repository of retrieved package files. It removes everything but the lock file from /var/cache/apt/archives/ and /var/cache/apt/archives/partial/. autoclean (and the auto-clean alias since 1.1) Like clean, autoclean clears out the local repository of retrieved package files. The difference is that it only removes package files that can no longer be downloaded, and are largely useless. This allows a cache to be maintained over a long period without it growing out of control. The configuration option APT::Clean-Installed will prevent installed packages from being erased if it is set to off. -- Stephen P. Molnar, Ph.D. https://insilicochemistry.net (614)312-7528 (c) Skype: smolnar1
Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
Hello, On Sat, Dec 16, 2023 at 03:03:38PM +0100, john doe wrote: > On 12/16/23 14:45, Stephen P. Molnar wrote: > > When I installed the OS I selected the option for separate /var > > etc, and selected the default sizes of the partitions. […] > > Can I increase the size of the /var partition on the ssd without > > having to reinstall the system? > > LVM is one way to avoid this! ;^) I really think that the partitioning section of the installer should warn people in strong terms that creating multiple partitions to directly use as filesystems is something they need to be sure they want, and that if they're looking for flexible layout they should use LVM or btrfs. It's quite common to see here requests for help from non-experts who heard that splitting their OS over multiple partitions was a good idea, but sized them in a way that didn't stand the test of time — including trusting that the suggested values will suffice. It is hard to correctly make such decisions and most of the time either a single partition or logical volume management is a better idea. The OP is potentially in for quite a lot of work to sort this out, where a mistake can result in having to reinstall. Thanks. Andy -- https://bitfolk.com/ -- No-nonsense VPS hosting
Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
Stephen P. Molnar composed on 2023-12-16 08:45 (UTC-0500): > I am running Bookworm on my Debian computer. When I installed the OS I > selected the option for separate /var etc, and selected the default > sizes of the partitions. Separate filesystem for /var/ is a pointless complication for most installations. I make /home/ separate, and the ESP as it must be, but keep the OS itself on one filesystem. > When I ran sudo apt update this morning I received the error message: > E: You don't have enough free space in /var/cache/apt/archives/ > Can I increase the size of the /var partition on the ssd without having > to reinstall the system? If your /var/ is adjacent to your /, you might boot something else, delete the /var/ and its fstab entry, and add its space to /. The better question is why you don't have enough space. You may have made /var/ too small, but I'm guessing it's full of .deb files you don't need. 'Apt clean' would quickly and easily take care of the latter problem, as implied by the tail of Greg's response. -- Evolution as taught in public schools is, like religion, based on faith, not based on science. Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks! Felix Miata
Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
"Stephen P. Molnar" writes: > I am running Bookworm on my Debian computer. When I installed the OS I > selected the option for separate /var etc, and selected the default > sizes of the partitions. > > When I ran sudo apt update this morning I received the error message: > > E: You don't have enough free space in /var/cache/apt/archives/ > > Can I increase the size of the /var partition on the ssd without > having to reinstall the system? > > Thanks in advance. Are you doing anything to get rid of unused packages? If not the archives just keep growing. An occasional # apt-get autoclean will do a lot for you. clean clean clears out the local repository of retrieved package files. It removes everything but the lock file from /var/cache/apt/archives/ and /var/cache/apt/archives/partial/. autoclean (and the auto-clean alias since 1.1) Like clean, autoclean clears out the local repository of retrieved package files. The difference is that it only removes package files that can no longer be downloaded, and are largely useless. This allows a cache to be maintained over a long period without it growing out of control. The configuration option APT::Clean-Installed will prevent installed packages from being erased if it is set to off.
Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
On 12/16/23 14:45, Stephen P. Molnar wrote: I am running Bookworm on my Debian computer. When I installed the OS I selected the option for separate /var etc, and selected the default sizes of the partitions. When I ran sudo apt update this morning I received the error message: E: You don't have enough free space in /var/cache/apt/archives/ Can I increase the size of the /var partition on the ssd without having to reinstall the system? LVM is one way to avoid this! ;^) -- John Doe
Re: Problem with /var/cache/apt/archives/
On Sat, Dec 16, 2023 at 08:45:41AM -0500, Stephen P. Molnar wrote: > I am running Bookworm on my Debian computer. When I installed the OS I > selected the option for separate /var etc, and selected the default sizes of > the partitions. How many disks are there? *How* did you partition them? Are you using raw partitions under GPT or DOS partition tables? Are you using LVM? RAID? Encryption? > When I ran sudo apt update this morning I received the error message: > > E: You don't have enough free space in /var/cache/apt/archives/ > > Can I increase the size of the /var partition on the ssd without having to > reinstall the system? If you used LVM and left a bunch of the disk unassigned, then you simply assign some more space to the corresponding LV. If there's any free space left over that you *didn't* assign to a partition, you could create a separate /var/cache/apt file system and mount that on top of /var. If not, then you'd need to steal some space from another partition. Or, perhaps, you just need to delete some old files from /var/cache/apt/archives. How big *is* your /var partition? How much space is currently used by /var/cache/apt? What's your retention policy for the .deb files?
