Trials & Tribulations

1.6. How can I keep stable versions of most packages?

That’s easy! Just add the following line to /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70debconf:

APT::Default-Release “stable”;

1.9. How can I downgrade my system back to stable

One might think that apt-get dist-upgrade/stable would work, but no: the system informs you that you already have the most recent versions of all packages. (And I want to cry out, “I know that, you moron. That’s why I’m trying to downgrade to older versions.”)

However! Turns out that it’s easy! Just create the file /etc/apt/preferences with the folllwing contents:

Package: *

Pin: release a=stable

Pin-Priority: 1001

and run apt-get dist-upgrade.

It all seems so obvious now. It makes me feel ashamed that I didn’t just guess that I had to create this brand new configuration file that I’d never needed before instead of editing either of the two I’ve already had to mess with.

Once you’ve done this, though, life is sweet. The upgrade process (really a downgrade) trundles merrily along, until -

1.10. How can I fix “also in package” errors?

error processing /hulk/archives/debian-3.0/cd2/pool/main/libp/libpaper/libpaperg_1.1.8_i386.deb (–unpack):

trying to overwrite `/usr/lib/libpaper.so.1.1.2′, which is also in package libpaper1

That’s easy! Just use:

apt-get -f install

apt-get dist-upgrade # again

Of course!

FROM HERE