Package: libc6 Version: 2.13-38 Severity: wishlist When updating Squeeze to Wheezy, I encountered the following error on two separate machines:
WARNING: this version of the GNU libc requires kernel version 2.6.26 or later. Please upgrade your kernel before installing glibc. It would be very helpful to add more information why 2.6.26 is required, and what would break when using an older kernel. For example: - Does this libc not run at all on older kernels (say because of a new syscall interface used)? - is just one specific feature broken (say NSS)? - will it be much slower because of feature XY? - etc. Background on why this would be useful: One system where I encountered this problem is a work computer running an old SuSE version (which I can't upgrade for various reasons); I have a Debian chroot there for when I need newer Linux software. The other system is a vServer I bought (at hosteurope.com). I have no control over the kernel used there (currently 2.6.18). Both these systems are currently in a half-upgraded state until I determine that I can override this requirement (probably by replacing uname with a script returning fake information). If that is not possible, I'll have to somehow rollback the upgrade or restore from backup. Knowing the reason behind the refusal to install would be very helpful when determining what to do next. Side node: I can understand if such old kernels cannot be supported, but it would be nice to make the failure mode a bit nicer. Currently it is: update runs half-through, then libc install aborts, and further package installation is impossible, because libc is not configured, and cannot be configured, because it would need a newer kernel. apt-get then refuses to install other packages (e.g. I couldn't install reportbug on the affected system anymore). The requirement for a new kernel should also really be mentioned in the release notes. I read them before upgrading the vServer, and still ended up with a broken system. Best regards Thomas -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
