Ubuntu
procps package

sysctl.conf does not override sysctl.d as claimed

Bug #292470 reported by Matt LaPlante on 2008-11-02

This bug affects 2 people

Affects		Status	Importance	Assigned to	Milestone
	procps (Ubuntu)	Fix Released	Undecided	Unassigned

Bug Description

Binary package hint: procps

/etc/sysctl.d/README states that "End-users can use 60-*.conf and above, or use /etc/sysctl.conf directly, which overrides anything in this directory."

This is false. /etc/init.d/procps sources /etc/sysctl.conf *first*, which means anything in it is overridden by the contents of /etc/sysctl.d.

...
for file in /etc/sysctl.conf /etc/sysctl.d/*.conf
...

Bug #256025 appears related to this, but oddly it complains that the README behavior actually occurs, which in the final release of Intrepid it does not. The fix should be one of the following, depending on the outcome of that debate:

1- Fix the init script to source /etc/sysctl.conf last, not first.
2- Fix the README to correctly state that sysctl.d overrides sysctl.conf

Related branches

lp:ubuntu/karmic/procps

Revision history for this message

Joel Wirāmu Pauling (aenertia) (aenertia) wrote on 2009-01-18:

Confirm that this behaviour is present in intrepid

Revision history for this message

higuita (higuita) wrote on 2009-06-15:

fix for the README text Edit (612 bytes, text/plain)

i confirm that this also affects jaunty

i attached a patch to fix the README to the reality

Revision history for this message

Philipp Kohlbecher (xt28) wrote on 2009-08-31:

I would prefer a solution that adapts the actual behaviour to the documentation. User settings in /etc/sysctl.conf ought to take precedence over package settings in /etc/sysctl.d/. Switching the order in /etc/init.d/procps should do the trick. I'll test this and report back.

Revision history for this message

Scott James Remnant (Canonical) (canonical-scott) wrote on 2009-08-31:

Note that the ubuntu-boot contains a different script for this package with the same bug, so will need fixing (since that's what'll end up in karmic)

Revision history for this message

Philipp Kohlbecher (xt28) wrote on 2009-09-08: [Bug 292470] Re: sysctl.conf does not override sysctl.d as claimed

Scott James Remnant wrote:
> Note that the ubuntu-boot contains a different script for this package
> with the same bug, so will need fixing (since that's what'll end up in
> karmic)

http://packages.ubuntu.com/search?keywords=ubuntu-boot says:

You have searched for packages that names contain ubuntu-boot in all
suites, all sections, and all architectures.

Sorry, your search gave no results

Where would one find that package?

Revision history for this message

Scott James Remnant (Canonical) (canonical-scott) wrote on 2009-09-08:

On Tue, 2009-09-08 at 10:17 +0000, Philipp Kohlbecher wrote:

> Scott James Remnant wrote:
> > Note that the ubuntu-boot contains a different script for this package
> > with the same bug, so will need fixing (since that's what'll end up in
> > karmic)
>
> http://packages.ubuntu.com/search?keywords=ubuntu-boot says:
>
> You have searched for packages that names contain ubuntu-boot in all
> suites, all sections, and all architectures.
>
> Sorry, your search gave no results
>
>
> Where would one find that package?
>
It's a Launchpad team, the package is in the team's PPA

Scott
--
Scott James Remnant
<email address hidden>

Revision history for this message

Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote on 2009-09-15:

This bug was fixed in the package procps - 1:3.2.8-1ubuntu3

---------------
procps (1:3.2.8-1ubuntu3) karmic; urgency=low

FFE LP: #427356.

  * Replace init script with Upstart job.
    - Do not start after upgrade.
  * debian/control:
    - Add missing ${misc:Depends}
    - Bump build-dependency on debhelper for Upstart-aware dh_installinit
  * Use contents of /etc/sysctl.conf after contents of files in /etc/sysctl.d
    LP: #292470.

-- Scott James Remnant <email address hidden> Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:26:56 +0100