Dietpi: Open Beta v6.31 | Please help testing and hardening the upcoming release

[MichaIng]

RC version | v6.31.2
---------- | -------
Changelog | https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/blob/beta/CHANGELOG.txt
Code changes | https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/compare/master...beta
v6.31.0 => v6.31.1 | #3639
v6.31.1 => v6.31.2 | #3648
How to apply | https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/blob/dev/BRANCH_SYSTEM.md
Release planned | Sunday 05.07.20

Important testing cases:

• If you have an RPi2 v1.2 RPi3 or RPi4, you could help test a major RPi-related change of this version by testing our new RPi 64-bit image (alpha stage): https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/issues/3570
• If you ever wanted to install WireGuard but it is not available for your device via dietpi-software, retry it with this new DietPi version as we added Linux builtin module detection which is e.g. true for new Armbian-based images and probably other Linux 5.X images.
• If you use Firefox, you can now run your own FF sync server: https://dietpi.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=24713#p24713

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Related/solved issues: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/issues?q=is%3Aissue+milestone%3Av6.31

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Known/Outstanding issues

• DietPi-Config | Enabling WiFi + Ethernet adapters, both on different subnets, breaks WiFi connection in some cases: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/issues/2103
• RPi | On TigerVNC virtual desktop, LXAppearance hangs on dbus-launch: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/issues/1791
• Odroid C2 | Some WiFi adapters do no work as hotspot: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/issues/1955
• DietPi-Software | Node-RED: Pre-installed modules cannot be updated via web UI: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/issues/2073
• DietPi-Software | Raspimjpeg: With Lighttpd, streaming mjpeg does not work: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/issues/1747
• DietPi-Software | MATE desktop: When logging in as root, desktop items and right-click context menu is missing: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/issues/3160
• DietPi-Software | Sonarr/Mono: With current Mono version 6, import to a file system without UNIX permissions support (exFAT, FAT32/vfat, CIFS mounts and NTFS without "permissions" option) fails, regardless of user/umask mount options: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/issues/3179
• DietPi-Software | Transmission: On Raspbian/Debian Stretch, RAM usage raises unlimited over time: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/issues/2413

[Joulinar]

@MichaIng anything special to test? We still need to talk about test scenarios / catalogue 😉

[MichaIng]

Yes indeed, although I am not sure if/which scenarios are always important to test 🤔. I mean we could go through the most critical things:

• WiFi and Ethernet connection on first run, each with DHCP and with static IP.
• Time sync
• Firstrun setup without any software title selected
• Automated firstrun setup, including pre-v6.31 images which include a dietpi-update (all currently, actually always all when we're in beta phase).
• dietpi-backup + restore
• Network setup after finished firstrun setup, switching DHCP <> static IP, WiFi <> Ethernet
• dietpi-drive_manager mounting and unmounting an external drive, check /etc/fstab that all entries have been (re)created/preserved correctly.

I'd say the above is what really must work, everything else is secondary, e.g. can be tested on demand when related scripts have been touched (more then just the comments), e.g.: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/pull/3621/files#diff-620191171f47b4763a532e984acd2e8b (skip .meta scripts and .conf content)
Often all change at least a bid, so more effective would it be go through the changelog and verify that larger changes/mentionable fixes do of course work but as well do not imply any undiscussed regressions/downsides: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/blob/beta/CHANGELOG.txt

Probably when touching any parts of the code, we should maintain a list of affected software titles, exact menus/selections or script call in general. I mean dietpi-config is huge and it hence does not make sense to test all its menus and options manually, but e.g. with this release the RPi Overscan menu, RPi screen resolution menus and RPi sound card selection have been touched + on x86 AMD display drivers have been added. So one can test these specific menus and related options and have an eye on format, spelling, visual glitches and such, and of course the new options in case.

[Possibly-Matt]

Having some issues with running G_CONFIG_INJECT 'DEV_GITBRANCH=' 'DEV_GITBRANCH=beta' /DietPi/dietpi.txt
Seems like the file /DietPi/dietpi.txt doesn't exist for me.
Issue seems to be covered here https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/pull/3629 by using /boot/dietpi.txt instead :smile: which worked great.
Since the changes by @Joulinar only got merged into dev and you've linked to the master.

Other than that the update went smooth and all seems well for my pihole / pivpn, great stuff!
I shall be retrying to use MineOS as I've spent a while trying to get it working pre-beta but never got great results with it, even without using dietpi's software installer.

Edit: wow I just typed up an entire bug report and then I realized I was using the wrong port for mineos. That hurts.

[MichaIng]

Ah yes a remain from DietPi-RAMdisk time: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/commit/f9232db99a995e7640d58e9ce7aa0159d749c856
Please use: G_CONFIG_INJECT 'DEV_GITBRANCH=' 'DEV_GITBRANCH=beta' /boot/dietpi.txt
I adjusted the link to dev.

[MichaIng]

New Beta v6.31.1 has been merged: #3639

[Joulinar]

@MichaIng
Running some test now. So most probably I will spam you soon. 😉

1. Tried to run PREP Script towards beta branch
   I used https://raw.githubusercontent.com/MichaIng/DietPi/beta/PREP_SYSTEM_FOR_DIETPI.sh and selected BETA branch

[ INFO ] DietPi-PREP | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[  OK  ] DietPi-PREP | Step 2: Downloading and installing DietPi source code
[ INFO ] DietPi-PREP | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[  OK  ] DietPi-PREP | Checking URL: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/archive/beta.tar.gz
[  OK  ] DietPi-PREP | Downloading DietPi sourcecode
[  OK  ] DietPi-PREP | Extracting DietPi sourcecode
[ INFO ] DietPi-PREP | Moving kernel and boot configuration to /boot
[  OK  ] DietPi-PREP | mv DietPi-beta/config.txt /boot/
[  OK  ] DietPi-PREP | mv DietPi-beta/dietpi.txt /boot/
[  OK  ] DietPi-PREP | mv DietPi-beta/README.md /boot/dietpi-README.md
[FAILED] DietPi-PREP | mv DietPi-beta/LICENSE.txt /boot/dietpi-LICENSE.txt

mv: cannot stat 'DietPi-beta/LICENSE.txt': No such file or directory

I guess it should be mv DietPi-beta/LICENSE /boot/dietpi-LICENSE or is it a .txt?

[MichaIng]

Many thanks! Right, the license file has no file ending indeed: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/commit/1cf3b08dae2078a235d6bf0703b75219b88583ac

[Joulinar]

1. Run unattended installation of Chromium, accept the LICENSE and set auto-start in dietpi.txt.
2. was working fine. Chromium was starting right after initial setup finished and system rebooted.
3. There was just one small error message at the end but I was not fast enough before my system rebooted. Will try to capture on next run and update this post.

EDIT:
ok, looks more like Chromium installation and not related the update 6.31
It fails to create the link at the end.

[Joulinar]

1. I continued playing around with AUTO_SETUP_ACCEPT_LICENSE.
2. I used the PREP beta script + beta branch to get the AUTO_SETUP_ACCEPT_LICENSE in
3. Once PREP finished I set AUTO_SETUP_ACCEPT_LICENSE=1 within dietpi.txt and rebooted my RPi
4. The RPi automatically starts the initial setup without user login. Means, no chance to connect via SSH anymore because of the running initial setup
   [INFO] DietPi first run setup: Currently running on another screen
5. Without keyboard and monitor, you are lost 🤔

Is that the intention of the AUTO_SETUP_ACCEPT_LICENSE feature? I thought it was just to accept the LICENSE and not to start the initial setup. If yes, you would need to set AUTO_SETUP_AUTOMATED=1 same time. Otherwise you will be blocked on the first window asking for user input if you are running headless.

[MichaIng]

The RPi automatically starts the initial setup without user login. Means, no chance to connect via SSH anymore because of the running initial setup

That is strange and not intended without AUTO_SETUP_AUTOMATED=1. The license prompt happens already in the login script, hence the automated login already happened then. Only place where we touch it is here: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/blob/dev/rootfs/var/lib/dietpi/services/dietpi-firstboot.bash#L163

Does the following contain anything?

ls -Al /etc/systemd/system/[email protected]

[Joulinar]

1. Running initial setup, using fresh img 6.30 and beta branch as target
2. initial setup was working fine
3. system completed first run and finished on 6.31.1 (beta)
4. no auto setup used, standard first run procedure followed

[MichaIng]

Ah now I see your previous test with Chromium auto install. I guess /etc/systemd/system/[email protected]/dietpi-autostart was still present from the last attempt. We do not remove this during PREP (only /etc/systemd/system/[email protected]/autostart known from other images) but we should. I'll also have a look at this Chromium desktop entry creation. Probably this is expected when no desktop is installed, but then we should not attempt to create the symlink 😉.

[Joulinar]

ok I have a new copy burned to my SD card. Will do an initial run on 6.30 and PREP to beta afterwards. Let's see how it behave.

[Joulinar]

Ok seems you are right. Looks like some leftover from Chromium installation caused the auto login. On a fresh installation, this did not happen.

[MichaIng]

Okay any drop-in config with autologin inside its name on any local or serial TTY is removed now: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/commit/836b04f9c89850f5df8f1763ac442b622c9b564d
In theory a console on tty5 ([email protected]) or serial console ttyS2 ([email protected]) or such could be enabled with autologin override, which would lead to firstrun setup (automated or prompt) on a console that might not even attached, just like in your case but in case of a serial console more difficult to resolve and in case of tty > 1 one would need to know to hit F<ID> on keyboard to attach the screen to this TTY.

We cannot check/set for all possible things on a pre-image but for this one we have two cases (previous DietPi image with any autologin autostart option enabled + RPi OS autologin on first boot), so lets cover all possible ones.

[MichaIng]

v6.31 has been released 🚀