Root filesystem clean up procedure

Root filesystem clean up procedure

Derived from a Fermin's message to the list 1

This is a description of the general procedure carried out to clean up a root_fs after upgrading/installing new packages.

In order to clean the filesystem two steps should be performed, in sequence:

1. Start a virtual machine that uses the filesystem in direct mode (that is, using the directive <fylesystem type="direct">. If you plan to update packages you will also need connection to Internet from the virtual machine. Alternatively, you can mount the filesystem and use chroot from host. Once you are inside the filesystem:
• Clean the APT cache (after apt-get update, install, upgrade, etc. or whatever other APT operation you have done)

> apt-get clean

• If the kernel you plan to use with the filesystem does not support TLS, you have to check if the /lib/tls directory exists (it seems to be created sometimes during the upgrading of some packages) and rename it to /lib/tls.disabled (removing previous existing /lib/tls.disabled directory) (*)
• It is not exactly a clean up operation, but you should also edit and change the /etc/root_fs_tutorial-version file (*)
• Optionally, to speed up virtual machines startup, you have to disable the scripts that start services like apache, quagga or racoon using the following commands:

 > update-rc.d -f apache2 remove
 > update-rc.d -f quagga remove
 > update-rc.d -f racoon remove

2. "Outside" filesystem, supposing is mounted in /mnt/loop



  > cd /mnt/loop/var/cache/apt
  > rm -f pkgcache.bin srcpkgcache.bin (**)
  > cd /mnt/loop/tmp
  > rm -rf *
  > rm -f /mnt/loop/root/.bash_history
  > cd /mnt
  > umount /mnt/loop

(*) This step also can be done from "outside" filesystem

(**) And, in general, any other file, except the archive/ directory

---

test stuff to delete:

1. "Inside" filesystem (I mean, using a running virtual machine that uses this filesystem as <fylesystem type="direct"> or mounting it and chrooting from host):
   • Clean the APT cache (after apt-get update, install, upgrade, etc. or whatever other APT operation)

apt-get clean

1. • It is not exactly a clean up operation, but if the /lib/tls directory exists (it seems to be created sometimes during the upgrading of some packages) rename it to /lib/tls.disabled (removing previous existing /lib/tls.disabled directory) (*)
   • It is not exactly a clean up operation, but you should also edit and change the /etc/root_fs_tutorial-version file (*)
2. "Outside" filesystem, supposing is mounted in /mnt/loop

  cd /mnt/loop/var/cache/apt
  rm -f pkgcache.bin srcpkgcache.bin (**)
  cd /mnt/loop/tmp
  rm -rf *
  rm -f /mnt/loop/root/.bash_history
  cd /mnt
  umount /mnt/loop

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