Debian Backports installed apps can be updated without braking MX Linux live with persistence, especially grub packages? [Solved]

[danux]

Hi,
Is it safe to update packages in Debian Backports tab of MX Package Installer (those marked with !) on a live system with persistence run from USB stick (especially the grub installed packages: grub-common grub-efi-amd64-bin grub-efi-ia32-bin grub-pc grub-pc-bin
grub2-common)?
Also, I have this decision to make, if I should install the distributor's new configuration file or not:

Configuration file '/etc/grub.d/00_header.dpkg-dist'
==> Deleted (by you or by a script) since installation.
==> Package distributor has shipped an updated version.
What would you like to do about it ? Your options are:
Y or I : install the package maintainer's version
N or O : keep your currently-installed version
D : show the differences between the versions
Z : start a shell to examine the situation
The default action is to keep your current version.
*** 00_header.dpkg-dist (Y/I/N/O/D/Z) [default=N] ?

I don't know if I should install this new file or not, on my live MXLinux system with persistence, without making it unbootable.
Here is an example of upgradable package: Unpacking grub-pc (2.12-1~bpo12+1) over (2.06-13+deb12u1).

[Eadwine Rose]

According to the forum rules (please read): Please provide full Quick System Info from the menu, use copy for forum button, no edits.

LiveUSB version is OK if needed.

[j2mcgreg]

If in doubt, keep the installed version because you know it works.

[dolphin_oracle]

in this particular case, no matter what you answer it will have not effect. for two reasons.

1. this has no bearing on live media. syslinux and grub and isolated from the main file system.
2. notice the dpkg-dist extensions on the files. we already have our own files for /etc/grub.d, so these files won't be used anyway.

[danux]

in this particular case, no matter what you answer it will have not effect. for two reasons.

1. this has no bearing on live media. syslinux and grub and isolated from the main file system.
2. notice the dpkg-dist extensions on the files. we already have our own files for /etc/grub.d, so these files won't be used anyway.

First, thank you for your answer, I highly appreciate it.
1. here, I assume is valid your answer even for live with persistence system
2. understood - So, those grub packages will be updated, but they will use the MX Linux config files for grub. I can just press Enter (default).

I have a lot of Debian Backports updgrade-able packages. The system works fine. Is it worth updrading them? From what I saw, the old packages are from 2023 when I created this USB stick (MX-23.6_ahs_x64 Libretto July 31 2023).

[dolphin_oracle]

in this particular case, no matter what you answer it will have not effect. for two reasons.

1. this has no bearing on live media. syslinux and grub and isolated from the main file system.
2. notice the dpkg-dist extensions on the files. we already have our own files for /etc/grub.d, so these files won't be used anyway.

First, thank you for your answer, I highly appreciate it.
1. here, I assume is valid your answer even for live with persistence system
2. understood - So, those grub packages will be updated, but they will use the MX Linux config files for grub. I can just press Enter (default).

I have a lot of Debian Backports updgrade-able packages. The system works fine. Is it worth updrading them? From what I saw, the old packages are from 2023 when I created this USB stick (MX-23.6_ahs_x64 Libretto July 31 2023).

1. yes even with persistence. the grub and/or syslinux used by the live system is completely separate from what you are seeing the upgrade for.
2. yep

as to upgading from debian-backports, that's a personal choice. debian-backports is not designed nor intended for mass updates. Problems can occur. In the early days of MX, we shipped with backports enabled and did updates from it. We broke things. A lot. Probably less issue with things like user applications than for things like lower level system packages.

[danux]

in this particular case, no matter what you answer it will have not effect. for two reasons.

1. this has no bearing on live media. syslinux and grub and isolated from the main file system.
2. notice the dpkg-dist extensions on the files. we already have our own files for /etc/grub.d, so these files won't be used anyway.

First, thank you for your answer, I highly appreciate it.
1. here, I assume is valid your answer even for live with persistence system
2. understood - So, those grub packages will be updated, but they will use the MX Linux config files for grub. I can just press Enter (default).

I have a lot of Debian Backports updgrade-able packages. The system works fine. Is it worth updrading them? From what I saw, the old packages are from 2023 when I created this USB stick (MX-23.6_ahs_x64 Libretto July 31 2023).

1. yes even with persistence. the grub and/or syslinux used by the live system is completely separate from what you are seeing the upgrade for.
2. yep

as to upgading from debian-backports, that's a personal choice. debian-backports is not designed nor intended for mass updates. Problems can occur. In the early days of MX, we shipped with backports enabled and did updates from it. We broke things. A lot. Probably less issue with things like user applications than for things like lower level system packages.

OK. Thank you. I recently bought a new USB stick, faster than the old one (that was also fast like ~350M/s read/write - Supersonic RAGE Prime from Patriot). This new one is 3.2 x2 (~900M/s read 800M/s write - Pny PRO Elite V3). I will put on it the new MX Linux 23.6 you just released, and install all my apps from the old one. Then with the old one I can install the backports upgrades, to see what works and what not. I saw the initscripts are also upgradable, and I don't now if they will break the system or not.
I attached here 2 screenshots from gnome-disk-utility with the benchmarks of this new USB stick I am hipped about, for someone in search for a fast one.

[dolphin_oracle]

you will get asked a lot of questions with the initscripts. I'm not 100% sure it is actually installable. in any case, the only reason you would need it is if you update a bunch of service packages and they get their init scripts removed. that is happening right now in debian testing, and I would be very careful about such things on bookworm. We are not going to repackage anything on bookworm to deal with initscripts from debian backports.