Subj : Re: Bookworm update behavior
To   : All
From : Richard Kettlewell
Date : Wed Nov 05 2025 08:07:27

bp@www.zefox.net writes:
> Bookworm prompts freqently, sometimes daily, that updates are available.
> If I click the install button the machine does its gymnastics and says
> everything is up to date. At least outwardly, no change is apparent.
>
> Somewhere around noon the next day I _do_ notice changes. Usually
> it's in the form of some mischief; YouTube stops working right,
> WiFi stops working right, something like that. Occasionally, an
> existing misfeature dissapears, ie, YouTube works better, etc.
>
> Am I mistaken? At least about the overnight delay? 

The update process will usually restart server processes immediately,
although AFAIK this is something each package has to do at least
somewhat independently, so presumably mistakes can happen.

Apart from that, once an update completes, new executables (and
libraries etc) are available to run immediately, but they will only
start running next time something executes them.  For example if you
update Bash, existing logins will be unchanged but new logins will get
the updated shell.

There?s no time-based delay.

> Somewhere I got the idea that modern Linux systems don't need to
> reboot except for a kernel change. Is that correct? I've never
> seen a prompt to reboot, nor an automatic reboot, on RasPiOS.

I think that?s basically right. An update to init (usually meaning
systemd now) may require a reboot before it takes fully (not sure), but
apart from that there?s very little that inherently needs a reboot.

-- 
https://www.greenend.org.uk/rjk/

--- PyGate Linux v1.5
 * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

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