From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
From: Pjotr Prins <pjotr.public12@thebird.nl>
Subject: bug#32018: Guixsd pull error on very old install
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2018 21:12:56 +0200
Message-ID: <20180713191256.r5ak5gbeo37fuej3@thebird.nl>
References: <C978C445-E48A-4791-B183-061400E63148@riseup.net>
	<87o9fqj7s3.fsf@gnu.org>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Return-path: <bug-guix-bounces+gcggb-bug-guix=m.gmane.org@gnu.org>
Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([2001:4830:134:3::10]:51656)
	by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71)
	(envelope-from <Debian-debbugs@debbugs.gnu.org>) id 1fe3W2-0002bk-AE
	for bug-guix@gnu.org; Fri, 13 Jul 2018 15:14:07 -0400
Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71)
	(envelope-from <Debian-debbugs@debbugs.gnu.org>) id 1fe3Vy-0001fV-Q5
	for bug-guix@gnu.org; Fri, 13 Jul 2018 15:14:06 -0400
Received: from debbugs.gnu.org ([208.118.235.43]:51338)
	by eggs.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS1.0:RSA_AES_128_CBC_SHA1:16)
	(Exim 4.71) (envelope-from <Debian-debbugs@debbugs.gnu.org>)
	id 1fe3Vy-0001fH-Lg
	for bug-guix@gnu.org; Fri, 13 Jul 2018 15:14:02 -0400
Received: from Debian-debbugs by debbugs.gnu.org with local (Exim 4.84_2)
	(envelope-from <Debian-debbugs@debbugs.gnu.org>) id 1fe3Vy-00042b-D8
	for bug-guix@gnu.org; Fri, 13 Jul 2018 15:14:02 -0400
Sender: "Debbugs-submit" <debbugs-submit-bounces@debbugs.gnu.org>
Resent-Message-ID: <handler.32018.B32018.153150918215449@debbugs.gnu.org>
Content-Disposition: inline
In-Reply-To: <87o9fqj7s3.fsf@gnu.org>
List-Id: Bug reports for GNU Guix <bug-guix.gnu.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/options/bug-guix>,
	<mailto:bug-guix-request@gnu.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-guix/>
List-Post: <mailto:bug-guix@gnu.org>
List-Help: <mailto:bug-guix-request@gnu.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-guix>,
	<mailto:bug-guix-request@gnu.org?subject=subscribe>
Errors-To: bug-guix-bounces+gcggb-bug-guix=m.gmane.org@gnu.org
Sender: "bug-Guix" <bug-guix-bounces+gcggb-bug-guix=m.gmane.org@gnu.org>
To: Ludovic =?UTF-8?Q?Court=C3=A8s?= <ludo@gnu.org>
Cc: 32018@debbugs.gnu.org

On Mon, Jul 02, 2018 at 11:39:40AM +0200, Ludovic Courtès wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> swedebugia <swedebugia@riseup.net> skribis:
> 
> > Trying to get an updated an old GuixSD installation via guix pull on a pre 0.10 GuixSD returned an error message about gexp-modules not found. (details can be provided if asked). 
> 
> Could you post the full backtrace?
> 
> > I suggest we either test pulling from old versions (and fix errors) or make it clear in the manual that pulling from very old GuixSD (older than 0.12?) is not supported.
> 
> Pulling from a very old Guix may not work.  We try hard to keep things
> running, but the old ‘guix pull’ had defects, plus the file
> build-aux/build-self.scm (which ‘guix pull’ runs) might use features not
> found in very old versions.

How about making sure that 'guix pull' works between major releases?
That should be reasonably easy to test.

When there is a disruptive release for guix pull make sure the user
upgrades to the closest previous release first. I.e., multi-step
releases are less fraught with breakage.

That way you get an incremental path to upgrade. And you only need to
test between major releases.

Pj.