Bug#751589: sysvinit-core: /sbin/init missing after switching from systemd to sysvinit

[Sven Joachim]

Control: reassign -1 systemd-sysv 204-6

On 2014-06-14 16:18 +0200, Michael Gold wrote:

> Package: sysvinit-core
> Version: 2.88dsf-53.2
> Severity: critical
>
> After a failed switch to systemd today (Debian bug #751585), I tried to
> switch back to sysvinit but found /sbin/init missing after a reboot,
> which of course prevented the system from booting.
>
> /sbin was available in the emergency shell and contained some files, but
> 'init' wasn't there.  'dpkg -L sysvinit-core' ended at the line '/sbin'
> (i.e., it was missing /sbin/shutdown, /sbin/init, etc.).  I eventually
> figured out to run 'dpkg -i' on that .deb; this restored /sbin/init, and
> then I was able to boot the system normally.
>
> I've attached dpkg and apt logfiles, starting with the systemd
> installation.

Those show that sysvinit-core was unpacked with systemd-sysv still in
place which is bad because systemd-sysv Replaces sysvinit-core.  The
systemd-sysv package should declare a Conflicts rather than Breaks on
sysvinit-core to prevent this from happening.

> Note that systemd printed "systemd is the active init system, please
> switch to another before removing systemd" when I tried to remove it;
> but it gave no guidance on how to do this.  Did this mean to install
> sysvinit and reboot (which is what I did)?

Yes, you first install sysvinit-core, removing systemd-sysv in the
process.  After you rebooted, you may remove systemd if you so desire.


These are the relevant lines from dpkg.log which show that sysvinit-core
was unpacked with systemd-sysv still in place.

> 2014-06-14 09:09:16 install sysvinit-core:amd64 2.88dsf-53 2.88dsf-53.2
> 2014-06-14 09:09:16 status half-installed sysvinit-core:amd64 2.88dsf-53
> 2014-06-14 09:09:17 status unpacked sysvinit-core:amd64 2.88dsf-53.2
> 2014-06-14 09:09:35 status installed systemd-sysv:amd64 204-10
> 2014-06-14 09:09:36 remove systemd-sysv:amd64 204-10 <none>
> 2014-06-14 09:09:36 status half-configured systemd-sysv:amd64 204-10
> 2014-06-14 09:09:36 status half-installed systemd-sysv:amd64 204-10
> 2014-06-14 09:09:36 status triggers-pending man-db:amd64 2.6.7.1-1
> 2014-06-14 09:09:37 status config-files systemd-sysv:amd64 204-10
> 2014-06-14 09:09:37 status not-installed systemd-sysv:amd64 <none>
> 2014-06-14 09:09:38 configure sysvinit-core:amd64 2.88dsf-53.2 <none>
> 2014-06-14 09:09:38 status unpacked sysvinit-core:amd64 2.88dsf-53.2
> 2014-06-14 09:09:39 status half-configured sysvinit-core:amd64 2.88dsf-53.2
> 2014-06-14 09:09:39 status installed sysvinit-core:amd64 2.88dsf-53.2

Cheers,
       Sven