Dr D's Abode

This is a repost of a new common topic, but its an important one.  There have been a few blocked packages in the gentoo portage tree recently which causes problems.  You all know what I mean…


[ebuild     U ] sys-fs/e2fsprogs-1.41.2 [1.40.9] USE="nls (-static%)" 4,263 kB
[ebuild  N    ] sys-libs/e2fsprogs-libs-1.41.2  USE="nls" 479 kB
[ebuild     U ] app-crypt/mit-krb5-1.6.3-r4 [1.6.3-r1] USE="-doc -krb4 (-ipv6%*) (-tcl%)" 11,636 kB
[blocks B     ] sys-libs/ss (is blocking sys-libs/e2fsprogs-libs-1.41.2)
[blocks B     ] <sys-fs/e2fsprogs-1.41 (is blocking sys-libs/e2fsprogs-libs-1.41.2)
[blocks B     ] sys-libs/e2fsprogs-libs (is blocking sys-libs/ss-1.40.9, sys-libs/com_err-1.40.9)
[blocks B     ] sys-libs/com_err (is blocking sys-libs/e2fsprogs-libs-1.41.2)

The problem lies in if you remove sys-libs/ss or sys-libs/com_err, you have a HUGE problem.  You cant do anything online, you cant download new updates, and if you reboot, you cant mount filesystems.  Sounds like a huge bug, and I am supprised it hasnt been fixed via portage yet.

Anyways, there is a workaround for it (not that we should have to use it), and here it is.

# First, grab the files with the fetch command
emerge -DufvN system
# Next, Make a backup of com_err and ss
quickpkg com_err ss e2fsprogs
# Remove offending packages
emerge -aC com_err ss e2fsprogs
# Compile the correct and updated packages
emerge -DuavN system
# And check for broken packages
revdep-rebuild

# Alternatively if you do not wish to use system, you can use:
emerge -avf =sys-libs/e2fsprogs-libs-1.41.2 =sys-fs/e2fsprogs-1.41.2
quickpkg com_err ss e2fsprogs
emerge -aC com_err ss e2fsprogs
emerge -av sys-libs/e2fsprogs-libs sys-fs/e2fsprogs
revdep-rebuild

NOTE:  If you dont have revdep-rebuild, then install app-portage/gentoolkit
NOTE:  If you have to re-install your previous com_err and ss, then use:
emerge -av /usr/portage/packages/All/com_err-1.40.9.tbz2 /usr/portage/packages/All/ss-1.40.9.tbz2 /usr/portage/packages/All/e2fsprogs-1.40.9.tbz2 && revdep-rebuild
Making sure to match your version if not the same, and running revdep-rebuild afterwards.