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Tasklist

FS#41899 - [abs] Basic support for systemd factory reset/atomic upgrades

Attached to Project: Arch Linux
Opened by Pablo Lezaeta (Jristz) - Tuesday, 09 September 2014, 23:24 GMT
Last edited by Dave Reisner (falconindy) - Monday, 15 September 2014, 17:37 GMT
Task Type Feature Request
Category Arch Projects
Status Closed
Assigned To Dave Reisner (falconindy)
matt mooney (mfm)
Architecture All
Severity Low
Priority Normal
Reported Version
Due in Version Undecided
Due Date Undecided
Percent Complete 100%
Votes 2
Private No

Details

Description:

Systemd offers a factory reset feature for a while now. See http://0pointer.net/blog/projects/stateless.html for a discussion of the feature.

It would be nice if that was simple to use on arch Linux.

To support this feature the following changes would be needed on pacman (AFAICT:-):

* Move the abs DB (if have or if have planed one) into /usr, maybe with a fallback for the current location in /var.
* Move the default abs.conf into /usr/share/factory/etc.
* Provide a tempfiles.d to copy those files to /etc if not already there and create the directories pacman needs to function.

With that a user should be able to make use of systemd's factory reset. These changes will also help a lot with the atomic update proposal Lennart made recently ( http://0pointer.net/blog/revisiting-how-we-put-together-linux-systems.html ).

Also related pacman feature #41863
This task depends upon

Closed by  Dave Reisner (falconindy)
Monday, 15 September 2014, 17:37 GMT
Reason for closing:  Won't implement
Comment by Pablo Lezaeta (Jristz) - Tuesday, 09 September 2014, 23:25 GMT
Agh * I forget add the name: [abs] Basic support for systemd factory reset/atomic upgrades.

Related mkinitcpio feature #41900
Comment by Doug Newgard (Scimmia) - Monday, 15 September 2014, 00:45 GMT
I've got to ask, what is the use of factory reset in a system like Arch?
Comment by Pablo Lezaeta (Jristz) - Monday, 15 September 2014, 00:59 GMT
This mailisthing thread talk about the issue (in pacman db realed but there are many point in it) [1]

Bassically with this systemd feature one could return to a previous state for test pruposes like test testing or a new Xorg release and look if break, dump the system or clone it, mainenaince pruposes, fix or change from hard disks (/home and /etc for exsmple) if need using the factory (and /var in another disk), revert changes that break something simpl asking to systemd to revert that file to they factory state, there are unlimited possibilities.

The fact that /etc/abs.conf is on /etc mean that if some user will do the systemd factory reset that will be removed and eliminated. and as I say if some user do modifications to one that file and well want return to the previous state need to be in the location that systemd spect for work.

The /var/abs is populated manually so could be ignored and simply move the abs.conf to where the factory reset/atomic updates need.

[1] https://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-general/2014-September/037233.html
Comment by Doug Newgard (Scimmia) - Monday, 15 September 2014, 01:03 GMT
All of which could easily be done with lvm/btrfs snapshot without having to redo a whole bunch of things to accommodate something that is useless to the vast majority of users. One of the main proponents in that thread talks about a setup where he basically reinstalls his entire systems every night. I would call that the definition of a corner case.
Comment by Pablo Lezaeta (Jristz) - Monday, 15 September 2014, 01:38 GMT
Maybe what want systemd with this feature will enlighten if really is need [1]

[1] http://0pointer.net/blog/revisiting-how-we-put-together-linux-systems.html

There are more examples as what systemd want.

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