Cannot update snapshot packages

Installing and Using OpenWrt
21

See https://openwrt.org/releases/snapshot for implications of snapshots.

snapshots are built daily, and that sets time limits to installing new packages with opkg. Due to kernel version checksums, you can only install “kmod” kernel modules and other kernel version dependent modules from the exactly same snapshot build. So, a few hours after flashing the firmware you may not be able to install new modules with opkg any more (as the next snapshot has been built into the download repo and has different checksums).

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22

Snapshot kmod lifetime is actually currently 3 months ( http://lists.openwrt.org/pipermail/openwrt-adm/2021-February/001882.html ) , but the other target related library packages may get lost daily.

But that does not explain the "read-only file system" error originally received :frowning:

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23

I see, so the only way to upgrade is to flash new snapshot..?

24

If you tried a systemupdate installation that failed, what happened after that (how did you came to OPKG update)? Do you have a working OWRT router at all or is it bricked?

Snapshot means bleeding edge so thats is right, but it doesn’t mean “working ok” more like “maybe working”.

Please see link for Snapshot definition above.

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25

The router is working, as I have screenshots posted above. I tried doing a sysupgrade from LuCI, it keeps doing something forever, so I rebooted the router in between, and it got bricked. Then I flashed the stock rom back via TFTP, and again installed the OpenWRT snapshot. But I can't keep doing this.

26

Yes. To update, re-flash the whole OS then install your extra packages. The config files will be saved so you should not need to reconfigure much.

27

The good news is that we are now in Snapshot 21.02 so we are getting closer to more stable releases in the near future.

28

There are continuously snapshots in master, 21.02 and 19.07 branches... All are downloadable from different directories.

(Most people mean master snapshots by the "snapshot", as that download directory is easily found. Others are semi-hidden)

"Snapshot" by itself does not tell much about the content, except that it is an automated build testing build.

29

I wouldn't be surprised if the issue of not being able to upgrade packages stems from the previous efforts to upgrade packages.

Upgrading packages (via the CLI opkg upgrade command or the LuCI Upgrade... button) can result in major problems. It is generally highly discouraged, unless you know what you are doing or if there is specific instruction to do so.

The best plan at this point is to make a backup and then reset the device to defaults. After that is done, hopefully the sysupgrade should work properly and the latest snapshot can be installed. Packages can be installed, but they shouldn't be blindly updated. The backup should presumably still be valid as long as the old snapshot isn't too old and the new one is on the same branch.