Fedora 30 template

[fepitre]

Tracking issue for fedora-30 template:

• build all packages
• build the template
• document
• upload to testing repo
• migrate to stable repo
• announce

[marmarek]

@fepitre does all packages build for fc30? Is it the time to enable building packages for fc30 in release config?

[fepitre]

Two weeks ago it built fine. Only few dom0 packages still need work.

[fepitre]

I have not referenced all the commits on the builder-rpm but it's merged. I can retry a build tomorrow if you want.

[marmarek]

fedora-30 template is in templates-itl-testing repository already.
Now is the time for some testing, and also updating documentation. @fepitre @andrewdavidwong will you take care of it?

I've tried recommended DNF system-upgrade method, but there are a couple problems with it on Qubes:

• you need to disable qrexec feature (qvm-features -D fedora-30 qrexec) before the operation, otherwise the template will get killed during update, as it is performed as part of system startup
• qrexec-agent isn't running during the operation, which means application list and other settings are not sent to dom0 automatically - one needs to call /etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.PostInstall in the template manually after the upgrade
• reboot from inside VM really shut it down - user needs to start the template manually when reboot was requested
• there is no visible progress, as it happens at early VM startup and we don't show VM console by default; one can observe sudo xl console fedora-30
• directly after upgrade (when qrexec feature is still disabled), qvm-run may fail - one needs to wait until VM is fully started and only then call qvm-run (this applies to menu entries too); /etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.PostInstall will announce to dom0 qrexec support, so it won't affect further startups
• (independent of the method) rpmfusion problem still applies

At this point, I'm not sure if the above problems worth describing them, or better stick with the old method we have documented already.
For the future, it may be good to automate at least some of those steps. For example add a mechanism VM can use to tell dom0 the update is running (or that it will be at the next VM start). Then, dom0 would not kill it in the process, and also may display some notification what is happening.

[andrewdavidwong]

Now is the time for some testing, and also updating documentation. @fepitre @andrewdavidwong will you take care of it?

Sure thing; I'll work on the documentation.

I've tried recommended DNF system-upgrade method, but there are a couple problems with it on Qubes:
[...]
At this point, I'm not sure if the above problems worth describing them, or better stick with the old method we have documented already.

Wow, that's a long list of problems. Sounds like we should just stick with the old method, if it's no worse.

[fepitre]

For the future, it may be good to automate at least some of those steps. For example add a mechanism VM can use to tell dom0 the update is running (or that it will be at the next VM start). Then, dom0 would not kill it in the process, and also may display some notification what is happening.

I will test your steps and see what I can do easily with that.

[andrewdavidwong]

The upgrade documentation has been merged.

[andrewdavidwong]

I'm confused: https://ftp.qubes-os.org/repo/yum/r4.0/templates-itl/rpm/ shows that the Fedora 30 template has been available for a whole month, yet @fepitre was still testing as recently as 8 days ago, and the migrate to stable repo step in the description is still unchecked. Was it uploaded to the stable repo by mistake?

CC: @marmarek

[marmarek]

I'm confused: https://ftp.qubes-os.org/repo/yum/r4.0/templates-itl/rpm/ shows that the Fedora 30 template has been available for a whole month

That's template build date, not migration to stable. You'll have better details here: QubesOS/updates-status#1041. I've migrated it to stable after testing by @fepitre

[andrewdavidwong]

I'm confused: https://ftp.qubes-os.org/repo/yum/r4.0/templates-itl/rpm/ shows that the Fedora 30 template has been available for a whole month

That's template build date, not migration to stable. You'll have better details here: QubesOS/updates-status#1041. I've migrated it to stable after testing by @fepitre

Oh. Did you forget to check the migrate to stable repo box when you migrated it to stable? I saw that it was unchecked, so I reported that it was still in testing when someone asked, then Lorenzo pointed out that it was actually in stable:

https://groups.google.com/d/topic/qubes-users/h1LCKNBOaKw/discussion

I believe it is important to keep checklist items (and issues in general) updated so that people can reliably refer to them for the current status on things and to avoid confusion. If we can't keep these lists updated, we shouldn't have them at all. (Traps are worse than gaps.) For example, we could instead just link to QubesOS/updates-status#1041 so that accurate update info will automatically be generated in a single place.

(Now that it's confirmed that we intend for it to be in stable, I'll check the box.)

[andrewdavidwong]

The last step is to announce. QubesOS/qubes-posts#61 is open and waiting for @marmarek's review.

[andrewdavidwong]

Announcement merged. Thanks @fepitre and @marmarek!