[NCLUG] downgrading libc6

[Matt Taggart]

> herb:/var/cache/apt# dpkg-scanpackages -m archives /dev/null | gzip >
> archives/Packages.gz
> 
> Is there any problems I should be aware of with using the above
> command? It strikes me as inherently evil, but I couldn't tell you
> why.

Probably fine although I use the dannf prescribed method(tm)

  apt-ftparchive packages . > Packages

(from http://dannf.org/docs/backporting-debs.txt )
> 
> I've got an error in a java application I'll attach the "log" file it
> gives.

You forgot the log.

> I suspect that it was caused by upgrading from
> libc6_2.6.1-1+b1_i386.deb
> to
> libc6_2.7-5_i386.deb
> Though I couldn't prove it except by downgrading. I have a backup that
> works, I could try that chrooted, that may prove it... Nope, can't
> connect to the X server. (duh)

libc is the most critical userspace package, generally an upgrade of that 
large a magnitude (2.6.1-1+b1 to 2.7-5) would only occur when going from 
one release to another (or a really old unstable to a newer unstable), and 
then you'd probably be upgrading the rest of the system at the same time. 
While you can drop a newer libc on your system, you'd probably be doing it 
for a reason like the newer applications you want require it. I suspect 
that's what's happening in your case (the java thing).

So the java application you want to run requires a newer release than what 
you have, so other than the piecemeal upgrade you already tried, additional 
options are to upgrade your system to what that application requires, or to 
see if you can get/build a version of the application for your current 
release (this is sometimes referred to as a "backport", compiling newer 
software on an older release of system libraries).

Java is one of those things that's still changing pretty fast in the Linux 
world, I'm not surprised the application requires something newer. This is 
a cost of using Java :P

-- 
Matt Taggart
matt at lackof.org