[PLUG] Re: Kernel removal

[Karl M. Hegbloom]

On Fri, 2002-12-06 at 16:20, Rich Shepard wrote:
>   I run apt-get but I don't let it "upgrade" the kernel. That's too
> important to not have under your direct control at all times.

If you do use "apt-get" to upgrade or install a kernel, don't blame
"apt" if that fails, since it's not in control of what might go wrong --
that's a function of the particular package being installed or
upgraded.  Apt organizes the list of packages in dependancy order, and
computes the list of "dpkg" or "rpm" commands to run.

Inside each .rpm (?) or .deb are "maintainer scripts" that run at
particular points during the installation.  Also inside there is an
archive containing the actual files to be installed.  The archive
determines where they go, and the scripts determine what setup steps are
done before and after the install, and before and after the removal of a
software package.

It's likely the post install script that is responsible for listing the
new kernel with Grub or Lilo, for instance.  And it's the layout of the
file archive that determines whether or not that package will clash with
files already installed on your computer.  When that clash is expected,
the package's control data must declare that, or the package manager
should halt with an error.  There is not any way it can detect whether a
maintainer script is in error, however, unless that script exits with an
error code.