Qubes 4.2: updating fails due to file conflict

ayleen · January 26, 2024, 11:42am

I have an installation of Qubes 4.2 (originally some RC, clean installation). When trying to update dom0 a few ago, I got this error:
Error: Transaction test error: file /usr/bin/qubes-policy-editor from install of qubes-core-qrexec-4.2.17-1.fc37.x86_64 conflicts with file from package qubes-desktop-linux-manager-4.2.11-1.fc37.noarch
Since today it is still the same, I am now looking for a way out. I didn’t find anybody else experiencing this on the forum or the issue tracker. Is there a solution which doesn’t entail reinstalling?

Interestingly, Qubes Global Config says my QubesOS version is 4.2.0-alpha. Maybe that is related? But updating worked fine before this, so I can’t imagine I am really still on alpha?

marmarek · January 26, 2024, 11:56am

Try updating qubes-desktop-linux-manager first with sudo qubes-dom0-update --action=update qubes-desktop-linux-manager and then retry normal update.

ayleen · January 26, 2024, 12:12pm

Thanks for the response! Trying that tells me “Nothing to do.”, and the following update has the same error message.

marmarek · January 26, 2024, 12:41pm

Interesting, the most recent version of qubes-desktop-linux-manager is 4.2.17, not 4.2.11, you should see an update. Try maybe adding --clean option, or --refresh.

ayleen · January 26, 2024, 1:37pm

That sadly also didn’t work. However, I got it to update:
In Qubes Global Config under “Updates” I had selected “Enable security-related testing updates only”. Disabling that gave me a heap of updates. Maybe I misunderstood this setting, I assumed it was stable+security testing updates? But maybe it was literally just security testing updates?
While it works now, I guess the myriad of missed updates meant I dom0 was potentially vulnerable? Guess re-installing might be necessary

marmarta · January 26, 2024, 1:55pm

That’s not how it should have happened, I’ll check this - but could you also make an issue on github issues for this? ( Issues · QubesOS/qubes-issues · GitHub ) will help with tracking the problem.

ayleen · January 29, 2024, 10:44am

github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues

Enabling "security-related testing updates only" might inhibit stable updates

opened 10:41AM - 29 Jan 24 UTC

pirateland

T: bug P: default

### Qubes OS release 4.2 ### Brief summary I was missing important stable u…pdates (xen, linux, qubes, etc) on my 4.2 fresh install (of unknown 4.2 RC) where I set dom0 updates to "Enable security-related testing updates only" in the Qubes Global Config -> Updates. Setting it back to "Enable stable updates only" suddenly gave me a heap of updates (see log at the bottom). ### Long story On my fresh 4.2 install (can't remember the RC), I enabled "Enable security-related testing updates only" shortly after installation in the Qubes Global Config (as the description besides it says this means stable**+**security testing updates). I updated my dom0 regularly, and also got dom0 updates semi-regularly. I did not notice something was wrong until I had a file conflict on updating dom0. Waiting for a few days did not solve the issue, and the issue tracker and the forum had no other posts with an issue like this. With the help of marmarta [over on the forum](https://forum.qubes-os.org/t/qubes-4-2-updating-fails-due-to-file-conflict/24043/5), I tried clearing/refreshing the cache, however that did not change my problem with the file conflict. While trying to figure out how this was happening, I went to the Global Config to see if I changed anything, and noticed something strange: my version under "this device" was still listed as 4.2.0-alpha. I then went ahead to "Updates" and saw I changed the setting mentioned at the beginning. When I switched that option back to "Enable stable updates only". Suddenly I got a lot of updates (update log below), including seemingly important ones like kernel, Xen, or qubes utils. My qubes version is also now listed as R4.2.0. ### Steps to reproduce (speculation) - Set Qubes Global Config -> Updates -> Dom0 updates to "Enable security-related testing updates only" - Wait for a stable update (which maybe didn't go through security-testing beforehand?) - Update dom0 ### Expected behavior - dom0 updates to new package version ### Actual behavior (speculation) - no updates ### Note Please tell me if there's anything useful to gather from this machine, as I assume I need to (sadly) do a clean re-install due to potentially being vulnerable for quite some time. [forum post](https://forum.qubes-os.org/t/qubes-4-2-updating-fails-due-to-file-conflict/24043/1) [update log](https://gist.github.com/pirateland/38f0a8f4948f56f6a1a3bb9f2368a06c)

Also added the update log, if that’s interesting.