DIY - SysVinit in your current MX18 install

[rasat]

Does it make a difference running MX with systemd-shim or SysVinit. For a common user doesn't really matter the back- but the front-end. Hardware detection, speed, responsiveness, screen & fonts sharpness, and does what're expected. Including regular updates and major release upgrades. Test if SysVinit does it in your current install.

This "Do-It-Yourselves" SysVinit is for you to test or change your MX 18.3 Systemd-shim to SysVinit without effecting your install, or change permanently. For permanent change, skip step A.

A. Make snapshot of your current install, and install in separate HD partition.
1. Run MX Cleanup and tag items: thumbnails, cache, all files, all logs, all users. Click Apply.
2. sudo apt-get autoremove
3. Run MX Snapshot type: "Resetting accounts" (without /home)
4. Burn iso in CD or USB
5. Install in an empty HD partition.

B. Change repo list, install devuan keyring, and update.
1. Back up all debian-x.list files located in /etc/apt/source.d/ , and remove originals. (keep MX and AntiX lists intact)
2. In same folder, make devuan-ascii.list file with below content.

Code: Select all

# Devuan Repos
deb http://auto.mirror.devuan.org/merged/ ascii main non-free contrib 
# deb-src http://auto.mirror.devuan.org/merged/ ascii main non-free contrib 
deb http://auto.mirror.devuan.org/merged/ ascii-updates contrib non-free main  
# deb-src http://auto.mirror.devuan.org/merged/ ascii-updates main non-free contrib 
deb http://auto.mirror.devuan.org/merged/ ascii-security contrib non-free main  
# deb-src http://auto.mirror.devuan.org/merged/ ascii-security main non-free contrib

3. sudo apt-get update
4. sudo apt-get install -y --force-yes devuan-keyring

In case devuan-keyring FAILS, download

Code: Select all

cd Downloads
wget https://devuan.org/os/keyring/repository@devuan.org.asc
sudo apt-key add repository@devuan.org.asc

5. sudo apt-get update

C. Install SysVinit and remove SystemD
sudo apt-get install sysvinit sysvinit-core
sudo apt-get remove --purge --auto-remove systemd

D. Prevent apt from installing systemd packages in the future.
sudo nano /etc/apt/preferences.d/avoid-systemd

Code: Select all

Package: systemd
Pin: release *
Pin-Priority: -1

F. Full upgrade and, cleanup
1. sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
2. sudo apt-get autoremove --purge
3. sudo apt-get autoclean

H. Reboot.

Or download ready made respin:
viewtopic.php?f=100&t=50577

Note: If I missed any step, let me know.

[penguin]

@rasat.
I downloaded and tested your beowulf iso in the last weekend on bare metal machine.Was my first test. Or because something was wrong or my Internet line ( I had problems and still have) , I noticed that updating from bewoulf repos was very slow. During starting of live iso , I noticed some errors on the screen
etc/init/checkfs.sh : 22 can't open /lib/init/swap-functions.sh
specified group KVM unknown
and another error related to intel graphic card.

So.... I removed your bewoulf from my machine.

Now... Just applied the steps described above and .... this is something else. Fast as hell in boot and less memory in use.
I have noticed some errors on scree during startup ( I will verify by recording screen), but I do not thing are important.

I will suggest :
1- beowulf repos( I can copy them from your live iso ). So one can play by switching them.
2 -the media codec repos for devuan.

Some things need to be changed in MX Tools.

- Codec installer for sure do not works anymore because links to debian repos.
- One can notice in MX Tools that debian repos list (window) is empty. Renaming of repo file maybe can do the trick of population of list ? Renaming to a similar name with original ones(only name of file and not repos inside)
Having code of MX Tools can easily repair these issues. I am investigating but I do not notice a config file that MX Tools read to apply different commands. Changing of commands within this config file easily will reflect/apply adequate corrections.

Any other issue from others ?

Yes ... renaming of devuan-ascii.list to debian.list make the trick. Debian list is populated now on MX Tools > MX Repo Manager > Debian Repos Tab.

------ Multimedia Codecs -------------
as the first approach as described here :

Code: Select all

https://linuxconfig.org/amp-up-your-multimedia-experience-on-debian-9-stretch-linux

Code: Select all

I added [b]deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org stretch main non-free[/b] in the list also the media-keyring and noticed that MX installed (reinstalled some codecs)
[quote]In order to add it to your system, add the line below to you /etc/apt/sources.list.
[b]deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org stretch main non-free[/b]
After the repo is added, run an update with apt.
# apt update
You will receive a message complaining that there is no signing key for the repository. To remedy that run the command below.
# apt install deb-multimedia-keyring
With the keyring installed, you can update again. However, run a dist-upgrade too. This will upgrade any packages that you already have installed to newer versions in deb-multimedia. This includes switching to ffmpeg.
apt update && apt dist-upgrade

Tomorrow I need to check what is the devuan repo for multimedia codecs (instead of debian repo).

@good job rasat.

[skidoo]

For me, the possibility of "font sharpness" being affected by choice of init... is hard to fathom.

rasat, do you know what is "amprolla"? If not, lookitup.
Devuan only maintains around 190 packages for devuan Ascii; the remainer are pulled from debian Stretch repository.
Of those, at least a dozen packages are remarkably outdated, vs package versions served by antiX/MX repositories.

With that in mind, isn't it reasonable to that sooner or later, libraries within one of the newer versioned "installed before the switchover" packages will "hiccup" when interfacing with mismatched versions of libraries installed from the other repository?

keep MX and AntiX lists intact

Maybe per-package pinning is possible, but I'm not confident that an across-the-board policy
apt preferences "always prefer newest package version" or "always prefer versions from repository xyz"
will be sufficient to avoid/prevent eventual (and probably impossible to find/fix) breakage.

[dreamer]

For me, the possibility of "font sharpness" being affected by choice of init... is hard to fathom.

If rasat set apt to prefer Devuan packages it would downgrade to old freetype and fontconfig packages unaffected by the TTF rendering bug. They were upgraded in MX because of Gimp 2.10.

Devuan only maintains around 190 packages for devuan Ascii; the remainer are pulled from debian Stretch repository.
Of those, at least a dozen packages are remarkably outdated, vs package versions served by antiX/MX repositories.

With that in mind, isn't it reasonable to that sooner or later, libraries within one of the newer versioned "installed before the switchover" packages will "hiccup" when interfacing with mismatched versions of libraries installed from the other repository?

Good info. While I'm a supporter of Devuan, staying with antiX and/or MX Linux adds value, not least forum support.

[manyroads]

[...]
Good info. While I'm a supporter of Devuan, staying with antiX and/or MX Linux adds value, not least forum support.

@dreamer If I may be so bold (okay I will be), I understand and appreciate your desire to be systemd-free. I, also, assume, you generally are running an xfce desktop, like me. My recommendation is the following if you have not already...

Using VBox or some other non-critical platform:
--- install antiX, I've been getting acquainted via alpa19 (as @Dolphin_Oracle pointed out that might be a tad risky, oh well.)
--- once you have antiX installed, go to their Package Installer (it looks like a skinny verison of MXPI).
--- install the 'fat' xfce desktop (which is not really fat).
--- dig deep, search-wide, play around tweak it to your heart's content.

I think you will be amazed, pleased and completely systemd-free. No Devuan required. @anticapitalista and team done a magnificent job; the antiX distro is AMAZING. As good as MX is... antiX is a bit more techie and totally fantastic. I think for a technically astute, or at least non-fearful, person the distro is astonishing. And it is resource FRUGAL. I can run a beautiful xfce Desktop in under 275MB of RAM (at idle). If that's too resource rich for your tastes you can squeeze down another 8-12% with JWM, iceWM, or fluxbox.

Truly good stuff.

Okay, Please send checks and ad revenues to....

[rasat]

Thank you for the feedback, this what were really needed.

keep MX and AntiX lists intact

Maybe per-package pinning is possible, but I'm not confident that an across-the-board policy

This DIY was based on fresh MX18.3 install, those original MX and AntiX repos are asked not to be changed or removed. There may be minor conflict with MX tools, this is a test.

I noticed ascii is behind stretch packages and MX upgrades, aim is for beowulf, but it's not stable yet. Unstable buster which I have been using since January, is much better except some MX tools don't work properly.

Beside this technical side, the years of debate between Systemd vs. SysVinit, at front-end, there are obvious advantages by using SysVinit. But for maintenance, requires more work for the devs. This was one of the reasons why Arch Linux after lot of discussion changed to systemd, though going against their internal policy of not using GUI and other easy tools for users learning sake.

NOTE: To upgrade ascii to bewulf, rename the word "ascii" to "beowulf" in devuan-ascii.list.

NOTE: Converting an existing MX buster install to SysVinit, with this DIY, removes important packages making it useless. First convert stretch to ascii, and then beowulf.