Subject: Re: Problems removing packages with --root flag to dpkg

From: [email-masked] (Bruce Perens)
Date: Mon, 16 Sep 96 08:43 PDT

From: Scott Barker <[email-masked]>
> I'm doing some development (experimenting) with debian, and when I try the
> following:
> 
> dpkg --root=/dos/linux --purge --force-remove-essential e2fsprogs
> 

First, it may be essential to "cd" to /dos/linux before running this.
I've seen chroot(2) change the root without changing the current
directory.

Second, anything done in a chroot context, as above, depends on all
of the context of a Linux system being in place under /dos/linux: the
shared libraries, the shell, etc. In this case it's not able to find
or execute the interpreter for the postrm script, which is
/dos/linux/bin/sh. This is going to be difficult if you just removed
some other essential packages.

I think a few people have tried to build a system from zero using dpkg.
That doesn't work because of the "bootstrap problem". If you have not
done so, you should install the boot-floppies package, and examine all
of the scripts in it. That will show you how the base system is created
and how you can modify the process.

	Thanks

	Bruce

---

From: Scott Barker <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 16 Sep 1996 20:32:40 -0600 (MDT)

> I've seen chroot(2) change the root without changing the current

That's true. I'll give it a try. I believe GNU chroot does not change the
current directory.

> some other essential packages.

The sh and perl executables are both present, so I think it's more likely
something to do with what you said above.

> and how you can modify the process.

Actually, I untar'red the base system to /dos/linux, and I'm just trying to
remove a few unnecessary packages which aren't needed in an extremely stripped
down system running from umsdos.

Thanks for the help.

-- 
Scott Barker
Linux Consultant
[email-masked]
http://www.cuug.ab.ca:8001/~barkers/   (under construction)

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