How can I undo or rollback an «apt-get upgrade» command on Ubuntu?
Is there a way in Ubuntu to rollback or undo the last upgrade after doing an apt-get upgrade if you don’t like the results?
Not with out a lot of work, that wouldn’t be worth it. Can you save your /home and start over? What didn’t you like?
I haven’t done it yet, but this is a production server and I need to be sure there’s no incompatibilities with our custom PHP/MySQL/Apache2 setup, and get back quickly if there is. I’d like to upgrade because I think it will fix another problem I’m having.
Unless you did dist-upgrade, I don’t see what results there are not to like, since those are most likely security updates.
If you have a custom install, it’s your responsibility to save patches and apply them against the current version.
12 Answers 12
I had to do this today on my Debian system. First, I identified the time range when the offending upgrade happened, and retrieved the log entries giving the old and new version numbers of the upgraded packages:
$ awk '$1=="2016-03-20" && $3=="upgrade"' /var/log/dpkg.log 2016-03-20 16:58:22 upgrade libwebkitgtk-3.0-0:amd64 2.4.9-3 2.4.10-1 2016-03-20 16:58:24 upgrade libjavascriptcoregtk-3.0-0:amd64 2.4.9-3 2.4.10-1 2016-03-20 16:58:26 upgrade traceroute:amd64 1:2.0.22-1 1:2.1.0-1 2016-03-20 16:58:33 upgrade ethtool:amd64 1:4.2-1 1:4.5-1 2016-03-20 16:58:34 upgrade libsdl1.2debian:amd64 1.2.15+dfsg1-3 1.2.15+dfsg1-4 2016-03-20 16:58:34 upgrade subversion:amd64 1.9.3-2+b1 1.9.3-3 2016-03-20 16:58:36 upgrade libsvn1:amd64 1.9.3-2+b1 1.9.3-3 2016-03-20 16:58:56 upgrade linux-image-amd64:amd64 4.3+70 4.4+71 2016-03-20 16:58:56 upgrade linux-libc-dev:amd64 4.3.5-1 4.4.6-1 2016-03-20 16:59:03 upgrade amd64-microcode:amd64 2.20141028.1 2.20160316.1 Next, I tried to find the still-cached package files on disk (luckily for me I hadn’t run autoclean):
$ awk '$1=="2016-03-20" && $3=="upgrade" ' /var/log/dpkg.log | xargs -r ls -ld ls: cannot access '/var/cache/apt/archives/ethtool_1%3a4.2-1_amd64.deb': No such file or directory -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 28820 Dec 18 2014 /var/cache/apt/archives/amd64-microcode_2.20141028.1_amd64.deb -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1978874 Dec 10 18:22 /var/cache/apt/archives/libjavascriptcoregtk-3.0-0_2.4.9-3_amd64.deb -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 185006 Mar 12 00:41 /var/cache/apt/archives/libsdl1.2debian_1.2.15+dfsg1-3_amd64.deb -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1317644 Mar 3 11:30 /var/cache/apt/archives/libsvn1_1.9.3-2+b1_amd64.deb -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 7679400 Dec 10 18:22 /var/cache/apt/archives/libwebkitgtk-3.0-0_2.4.9-3_amd64.deb -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 6108 Dec 14 06:59 /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-amd64_4.3+70_amd64.deb -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1075506 Feb 7 21:36 /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-libc-dev_4.3.5-1_amd64.deb -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 983174 Mar 3 11:30 /var/cache/apt/archives/subversion_1.9.3-2+b1_amd64.deb -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 53376 Feb 28 18:35 /var/cache/apt/archives/traceroute_1%3a2.0.22-1_amd64.deb It looks like I don’t have the older ethtool package for some reason. Still, let’s carry on by force-installing the older package files:
$ sudo dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/amd64-microcode_2.20141028.1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libjavascriptcoregtk-3.0-0_2.4.9-3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libsdl1.2debian_1.2.15+dfsg1-3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libsvn1_1.9.3-2+b1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libwebkitgtk-3.0-0_2.4.9-3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-amd64_4.3+70_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-libc-dev_4.3.5-1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/subversion_1.9.3-2+b1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/traceroute_1%3a2.0.22-1_amd64.deb dpkg: warning: downgrading amd64-microcode from 2.20160316.1 to 2.20141028.1 (Reading database . 139632 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack . /amd64-microcode_2.20141028.1_amd64.deb . Unpacking amd64-microcode (2.20141028.1) over (2.20160316.1) . dpkg: warning: downgrading libjavascriptcoregtk-3.0-0:amd64 from 2.4.10-1 to 2.4.9-3 Preparing to unpack . /libjavascriptcoregtk-3.0-0_2.4.9-3_amd64.deb . Unpacking libjavascriptcoregtk-3.0-0:amd64 (2.4.9-3) over (2.4.10-1) . dpkg: warning: downgrading libsdl1.2debian:amd64 from 1.2.15+dfsg1-4 to 1.2.15+dfsg1-3 Preparing to unpack . /libsdl1.2debian_1.2.15+dfsg1-3_amd64.deb . Unpacking libsdl1.2debian:amd64 (1.2.15+dfsg1-3) over (1.2.15+dfsg1-4) . dpkg: warning: downgrading libsvn1:amd64 from 1.9.3-3 to 1.9.3-2+b1 Preparing to unpack . /libsvn1_1.9.3-2+b1_amd64.deb . Unpacking libsvn1:amd64 (1.9.3-2+b1) over (1.9.3-3) . Preparing to unpack . /libwebkitgtk-3.0-0_2.4.9-3_amd64.deb . Unpacking libwebkitgtk-3.0-0:amd64 (2.4.9-3) over (2.4.9-3) . dpkg: warning: downgrading linux-image-amd64 from 4.4+71 to 4.3+70 Preparing to unpack . /linux-image-amd64_4.3+70_amd64.deb . Unpacking linux-image-amd64 (4.3+70) over (4.4+71) . dpkg: warning: downgrading linux-libc-dev:amd64 from 4.4.6-1 to 4.3.5-1 Preparing to unpack . /linux-libc-dev_4.3.5-1_amd64.deb . Unpacking linux-libc-dev:amd64 (4.3.5-1) over (4.4.6-1) . dpkg: warning: downgrading subversion from 1.9.3-3 to 1.9.3-2+b1 Preparing to unpack . /subversion_1.9.3-2+b1_amd64.deb . Unpacking subversion (1.9.3-2+b1) over (1.9.3-3) . dpkg: warning: downgrading traceroute from 1:2.1.0-1 to 1:2.0.22-1 Preparing to unpack . /traceroute_1%3a2.0.22-1_amd64.deb . Unpacking traceroute (1:2.0.22-1) over (1:2.1.0-1) . Setting up amd64-microcode (2.20141028.1) . update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated) amd64-microcode: microcode will be updated at next boot Setting up libjavascriptcoregtk-3.0-0:amd64 (2.4.9-3) . Setting up libsdl1.2debian:amd64 (1.2.15+dfsg1-3) . Setting up libsvn1:amd64 (1.9.3-2+b1) . dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of libwebkitgtk-3.0-0:amd64: libwebkitgtk-3.0-0:amd64 depends on libwebkitgtk-3.0-common (>= 2.4.9); however: Package libwebkitgtk-3.0-common is not installed. dpkg: error processing package libwebkitgtk-3.0-0:amd64 (--install): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured Setting up linux-image-amd64 (4.3+70) . Setting up linux-libc-dev:amd64 (4.3.5-1) . Setting up subversion (1.9.3-2+b1) . Setting up traceroute (1:2.0.22-1) . update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/traceroute.db to provide /usr/bin/traceroute (traceroute) in auto mode update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/lft.db to provide /usr/bin/lft (lft) in auto mode update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/traceproto.db to provide /usr/bin/traceproto (traceproto) in auto mode update-alternatives: using /usr/sbin/tcptraceroute.db to provide /usr/sbin/tcptraceroute (tcptraceroute) in auto mode Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.22-3) . Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) . Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.123) . update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-1-amd64 Errors were encountered while processing: libwebkitgtk-3.0-0:amd64 As the error message said, one of my packages depended on a -common package just before the upgrade, but the upgrade removed it (and apt-get can’t find it any more). Luckily, its package file is still in /var/cache/apt so I can just add it to the list and try again:
$ ls -ld /var/cache/apt/archives/libwebkitgtk-3.0-common* -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 452278 Dec 10 18:22 /var/cache/apt/archives/libwebkitgtk-3.0-common_2.4.9-3_all.deb $ sudo dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/amd64-microcode_2.20141028.1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libjavascriptcoregtk-3.0-0_2.4.9-3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libsdl1.2debian_1.2.15+dfsg1-3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libsvn1_1.9.3-2+b1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libwebkitgtk-3.0-0_2.4.9-3_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-amd64_4.3+70_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-libc-dev_4.3.5-1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/subversion_1.9.3-2+b1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/traceroute_1%3a2.0.22-1_amd64.deb /var/cache/apt/archives/libwebkitgtk-3.0-common_2.4.9-3_all.deb (Reading database . 139632 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack . /amd64-microcode_2.20141028.1_amd64.deb . Unpacking amd64-microcode (2.20141028.1) over (2.20141028.1) . Preparing to unpack . /libjavascriptcoregtk-3.0-0_2.4.9-3_amd64.deb . Unpacking libjavascriptcoregtk-3.0-0:amd64 (2.4.9-3) over (2.4.9-3) . Preparing to unpack . /libsdl1.2debian_1.2.15+dfsg1-3_amd64.deb . Unpacking libsdl1.2debian:amd64 (1.2.15+dfsg1-3) over (1.2.15+dfsg1-3) . Preparing to unpack . /libsvn1_1.9.3-2+b1_amd64.deb . Unpacking libsvn1:amd64 (1.9.3-2+b1) over (1.9.3-2+b1) . Preparing to unpack . /libwebkitgtk-3.0-0_2.4.9-3_amd64.deb . Unpacking libwebkitgtk-3.0-0:amd64 (2.4.9-3) over (2.4.9-3) . Preparing to unpack . /linux-image-amd64_4.3+70_amd64.deb . Unpacking linux-image-amd64 (4.3+70) over (4.3+70) . Preparing to unpack . /linux-libc-dev_4.3.5-1_amd64.deb . Unpacking linux-libc-dev:amd64 (4.3.5-1) over (4.3.5-1) . Preparing to unpack . /subversion_1.9.3-2+b1_amd64.deb . Unpacking subversion (1.9.3-2+b1) over (1.9.3-2+b1) . Preparing to unpack . /traceroute_1%3a2.0.22-1_amd64.deb . Unpacking traceroute (1:2.0.22-1) over (1:2.0.22-1) . Selecting previously unselected package libwebkitgtk-3.0-common. Preparing to unpack . /libwebkitgtk-3.0-common_2.4.9-3_all.deb . Unpacking libwebkitgtk-3.0-common (2.4.9-3) . Setting up amd64-microcode (2.20141028.1) . update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated) amd64-microcode: microcode will be updated at next boot Setting up libjavascriptcoregtk-3.0-0:amd64 (2.4.9-3) . Setting up libsdl1.2debian:amd64 (1.2.15+dfsg1-3) . Setting up libsvn1:amd64 (1.9.3-2+b1) . Setting up linux-image-amd64 (4.3+70) . Setting up linux-libc-dev:amd64 (4.3.5-1) . Setting up subversion (1.9.3-2+b1) . Setting up traceroute (1:2.0.22-1) . update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/traceroute.db to provide /usr/bin/traceroute (traceroute) in auto mode update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/lft.db to provide /usr/bin/lft (lft) in auto mode update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/traceproto.db to provide /usr/bin/traceproto (traceproto) in auto mode update-alternatives: using /usr/sbin/tcptraceroute.db to provide /usr/sbin/tcptraceroute (tcptraceroute) in auto mode Setting up libwebkitgtk-3.0-common (2.4.9-3) . Setting up libwebkitgtk-3.0-0:amd64 (2.4.9-3) . Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.22-3) . Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) . Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.123) . update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-1-amd64 Success! Actually this didn’t solve my problem. But it successfully downgraded the packages, QED.