[[!summary chatGPT: Two Gentoo systems experienced issues after updates, with one failing due to glibcxx/gcc update and the other failing to start a service after an update, highlighting the challenges of updating systems and the importance of using compatible software versions.]] [[!meta date="2011-01-12 21:22"]] [[!tag gentoo linux packagemanager usability]] [[!img media/200px-gentoo_linux_logo_matte-svg.png size=100x alt="" style="float: right"]] # motivation this is the essence of the recent findings when doing server updates (on my two gentoo boxes). in general: this is about: '**emerge -uDN world**' and '**emerge --depclean**'. # system 1: * i had **serious problems with a failed glibcxx/gcc update**. emerging qt-core failed with: /var/tmp/portage/x11-libs/qt-core-4.6.3/work/qt-everywhere-opensource-src-4.6.3/bin/qmake: /lib/libstdc++.so.6: version `GLIBCXX_3.4.11' not found (required by /var/tmp/portage/x11-libs/qt-core-4.6.3/work/qt-everywhere-opensource-src-4.6.3/bin/qmake) **FIX:** the solution to this problem was quite adventurous: i applied a temporary hack from [1]: using **libssp_simple.so** and **ld.so.preload**. i was then able to recompile system (emerge -e system) and afterwards i could remove the preloaded library again. # system 2: this update went pretty well compared to system 1 but it also failed horribly: * after the '**emerge -uDN world**' update the system **wasn't able to start the /etc/init.d/net.eth0 **service on reboot. this is because i used etc-update improperly and then /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6 did not include the one kernelmodule i needed to be loaded. **FIX:** to avoid further module issues i decided to switch to genkernel using 'make oldconfig' * as a result of using genkernel there were no **/dev/hda** or **/dev/sda** device nodes. i was able to added them manually using: mknod but after the reboot they were gone. **FIX:** see [2], a missing kernel configuration setting: CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED_V2=y but it should be disabled with =n, after a genkernel recompile & reboot it worked! # summary two updates made two systems fail. that is why i hate to update in general. this isn't an gentoo specific issue but a more general issue of the nature of updates. i always do my security updates but from time to time it is a good thing to do complete system updates. because **services seem to degrade** when they leave the '**time window'* **they were designed for. *the **time window of a software** (i define it) **is a consequence of upstream/downstream using certain tools to build software**. as the development cycle continues with more recent libraries/softwares, which is used by upstream, more recent components (dependencies) are pulled into the system. as a consequence: it is a good thing to use old programs with old libraries and recent programs with recent libraries. most often a mixture of both, old and new, leads to service degradation. # links * [1] * [2]