[Bug 1244513] New: dnf rebuild --what to do to recover from database crash

[Red Hat Bugzilla]

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1244513

Bug ID: 1244513
           Summary: dnf rebuild  --what to do to recover from database
                    crash
           Product: Fedora Documentation
           Version: devel
         Component: system-administrator's-guide
          Severity: high
          Assignee: [e-mail]
          Reporter: [e-mail]
        QA Contact: [e-mail]
                CC: [e-mail]

Description of problem:

Part way through dnf update the application emitted an error message along with
instructions to perform  a dnf rebuild.

dnf rebuild is not in the man pages, or in Fedora Documents that I looked at.

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):

How reproducible:

Random or when dnf encounters a database inconsistancy

Steps to Reproduce:
1.
2.
3.

Actual results:

No information within Fedora documentation. Found information on the web

Expected results:

dnf rebuild should be part of the internal dnf options and should also be
included in the man/info pages.

Additional info:

Found this information on the web...

http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/rebuilding-corrupted-rpm-database.html

rm -rf /var

# cd /var/lib
# rm __db*

Rebuild RPM database:
# rpm --rebuilddb
# rpmdb_verify Packages

[Bug 1244513] dnf rebuild --what to do to recover from database crash

[Red Hat Bugzilla]

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1244513

--- Comment #1 from Stephen Wadeley  ---
Hello Leslie

Thank you for raising this bug.

[Bug 1244513] dnf rebuild --what to do to recover from database crash

[Red Hat Bugzilla]

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1244513

Stephen Wadeley  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 CC|                            |packaging-team-maint@redhat
                   |                            |.com
              Flags|                            |needinfo?(packaging-team-ma
                   |                            |[e-mail])

--- Comment #2 from Stephen Wadeley  ---
Hello Jan Silhan and colleagues

Can you please give me some advice on how to deal with the error mentioned in
comment 0?

Thank you

[Bug 1244513] RFE: detect corrupt rpmdb, rebuild it

[Red Hat Bugzilla]

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1244513

Pete Travis  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 CC|                            |[e-mail],
                   |                            |[e-mail],
                   |                            |[e-mail],
                   |                            |[e-mail],
                   |                            |[e-mail],
                   |                            |[e-mail],
                   |                            |[e-mail]
          Component|system-administrator's-guid |dnf
                   |e                           |
            Version|devel                       |rawhide
           Assignee|[e-mail]         |packaging-team-maint@redhat
                   |                            |.com
            Product|Fedora Documentation        |Fedora
            Summary|dnf rebuild  --what to do   |RFE: detect corrupt rpmdb,
                   |to recover from database    |rebuild it
                   |crash                       |
         QA Contact|[e-mail] |[e-mail]
                   |.org                        |

--- Comment #3 from Pete Travis  ---
I think this is referring to the message "Delta RPM rebuild failed" - a
condition which dnf already handles, and there is already an open bug for
better behavior in that case.  The actual option `dnf rebuild` does not exist
and there is nothing in the upstream dnf code suggesting it.

That said, there may be a situation where dnf can detect a corrupt rpmdb and
offer to rebuild it.  I'm reassigning this as an RFE to dnf.  If Jan bites,
we'll update the documentation accordingly.

[Bug 1244513] rpm rebuild --what to do to recover from database crash

[Red Hat Bugzilla]

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1244513

Jan Silhan  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 CC|                            |[e-mail]
          Component|dnf                         |system-administrator's-guid
                   |                            |e
            Version|rawhide                     |devel
           Assignee|packaging-team-maint@redhat |[e-mail]
                   |.com                        |
            Product|Fedora                      |Fedora Documentation
            Summary|RFE: detect corrupt rpmdb,  |rpm rebuild --what to do to
                   |rebuild it                  |recover from database crash
         QA Contact|[e-mail] |[e-mail]
                   |                            |.org
              Flags|needinfo?(packaging-team-ma |needinfo?(lsatenstein@yahoo
                   |[e-mail])             |.com)

--- Comment #4 from Jan Silhan  ---
we actually print log:
"...To diagnose the problem, try running: ''rpm -Va --nofiles --nodigest'
You probably have corrupted RPMDB, running rpm --rebuilddb"

Are we on the same page and talking about transaction check error after
transaction confirmation and not "Delta RPM rebuild failed"?

Your suggestions to improve this message are welcomed.

It's not a good idea to do rpmdb rebuild automatically by DNF itself. It could
cause more harm than good. The problems are usually more complicated ones
needed to be resolved by human. I'd prefer to document dealing with corrupted
database in examples. Once we identify most database issues then maybe some
community plugin will be made to detect and fix some of the cases but it's
really problematic.

Stephen, try to execute the commands above.

[Bug 1244513] rpm rebuild --what to do to recover from database crash

[Red Hat Bugzilla]

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1244513

--- Comment #5 from Leslie Satenstein  ---
Hi All,

In all documentation that I have ever written or used, there was always an
appendix with the error numbers and the affiliated error message.

I think that it would be great to have dnf messages identified as follows:

dnf0000I   Informational message 0000I blah blah blah..
dnf0000E   Informational message 0000E this is the error and this is what
           corrective action you must take.
dnf0000W   A warning message that the developer should review. The application
           may have taken some recovery action on its own. If the xxx could 
           refer to a different appliction where space consumption 
           threshold reached. 
log0000W   log capacity at 85% used, 15% remaining. Take corrective action.

The I's indicate no user action. The W's are warnings to take a pending action
and the E's refer to Errors and immediate actions.  Return codes could be
categorized as 0 for no errors or (I type messages). 1 to 10 for Warnings.
and 100 plus for Errors.

Think about implementing this type of documentation improvement for Fedora 26
or 27.

[Bug 1244513] rpm rebuild --what to do to recover from database crash

[Red Hat Bugzilla]

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1244513

--- Comment #6 from Stephen Wadeley  ---
Hello Leslie

Re. comment 4

Please try those commands.

Re: comment 5

I think it is better if programs print out error messages rather then give you
a code you have to look up.

A table of codes with corresponding error messages would be classified as
reference material. Those with more experience than I say we should avoid
reference material where possible in the guides and leave that to man pages.
Guides should concentrate on tasks. There are exceptions, for example tables
showing old commands versus new commands, or information you need in planning a
task. That sort of reference material can add value.

[Bug 1244513] rpm rebuild --what to do to recover from database crash

[Red Hat Bugzilla]

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1244513

Leslie Satenstein  changed:

What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Status|NEW                         |CLOSED
         Resolution|---                         |UPSTREAM
              Flags|needinfo?(lsatenstein@yahoo |
                   |.com)                       |
        Last Closed|                            |2015-09-28 09:40:24

--- Comment #7 from Leslie Satenstein  ---
I wish to close this bug.

The interesting thing about winning software and technical systems, is that
good systems always have a « code » followed with an accompanying brief error
message For example:

dnfnnnnA  run dnf rebuild rpm --rebuilddb followed by  rpmdb_verify Packages

If the support person needed more information, he could then look up dnfnnnnA
via the man pages or other guide. If the end-user was Romanian or other for
which there is  no translated version, the code would be most useful for
individuals (support) to understand the why and what to do. This code idea
helps  technical support, as the user could quote the « code »

So, as a suggestion  Letters I,A,W,E       
dnfnnnnnI follows with an informative message  with Retcode 0
dnfnnnnnA follows with the requirements for User action Retcode 0 if action
taken, otherwise exit with retcode 4

dnfnnnnnW is a warning message, which may be ignored or reviewed for further
action. Retcode 4

dnfnnnnnE The system experienced an error with "blah blah blah" Corrective
action required. Retcode 16

As Linux is growing in number of platforms and number of systems (docker) etc.
Linux needs some structure for error messages.