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Re: What is Synaptic trying to tell me?

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On Thu 18 Jan 2018 at 15:13:12 (-0600), Richard Owlett wrote:
> I've been exploring the idea of downloading several packages.
> When I select "apply" it routinely says "1 package will be held back
> and not upgraded" in the lower half of a screen titled "Summary (as
> superuser)".
> 
> In both the upper and lower half of that screen I can discover what
> packages will be downloaded I can click appropriately and be
> informed that a list of packages will be downloaded. They are always
> what I wanted/expected. So far, so good ;/
> 
> Today I got curious.
> In the lower half of the screen I clicked the button labeled "Show
> Details". It listed *ONLY* the expected/intended files.
> 
> In the upper half of the screen I observed that clicking on the ">"
> labeled "To be installed" I observed the same files as listed in
> response to "Show Details".
> 
> *HOWEVER* when clicking on the ">" labeled "Unchanged" it listed
> "linux-image-686-pae". Why? Less than 2 weeks ago I chose to install
> the i386 flavor of current point release of Stretch. I was using
> "Expert Install" and IIRC that was the default.
> 
> For years I've gotten the "1 package will be held back and not
> upgraded" message. That response is obviously release independent.
> Previous installs have been from purchased DVD sets.
> 
> This is the *FIRST* time I have attempted to investigate what is
> being held back.
> 
> Please educate me ;/

Packages are normally held back when upgrading them would involve
removing a package or installing a new one, and that is forbidden
by the upgrade method you're using.

So, for example, apt-get dist-upgrade was recently needed to upgrade
linux-image against Meltdown because a new package was being
installed. (Substitute "apt-get dist-upgrade" accordingly.)

BTW when installing a kernel image (and related packages), you should
select the least specific generic package (like linux-image-686-pae)
rather than the versioned one. Because the new kernel was a new
package (-4 → -5), it wouldn't be seen as an upgrade except as a
dependency of the generic package.

Cheers,
David.

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Thread

What is Synaptic trying to tell me? Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2018-01-18 22:20 +0100
  Re: What is Synaptic trying to tell me? David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2018-01-19 02:00 +0100
    Re: What is Synaptic trying to tell me? Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2018-01-20 14:20 +0100
      Re: What is Synaptic trying to tell me? David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2018-01-20 17:10 +0100
  Re: What is Synaptic trying to tell me? songbird <songbird@anthive.com> - 2018-01-19 05:40 +0100
    Re: What is Synaptic trying to tell me? Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2018-01-20 14:20 +0100
      Re: What is Synaptic trying to tell me? Curt <curty@free.fr> - 2018-01-20 15:20 +0100
        Re: What is Synaptic trying to tell me? Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2018-01-20 17:10 +0100

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