Is there a way to replace /etc configuration files from a package, overwriting my local changes? I've tried apt-get install --reinstall mypackage but it doesn't update the files.
How can I do this?
- 1See unix.stackexchange.com/a/12748/4671Faheem Mitha– Faheem Mitha2011-12-28 02:22:30 +00:00Commented Dec 28, 2011 at 2:22
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3 Answers
A related serverfault question describes how to restore package conffiles if you've removed them, and requires that you track down the actual .deb file.
All you need to do:
Find the list of conffiles provided by the package:
dpkg --status <package>(look under the
Conffiles:section).Remove those conffiles yourself.
Reinstall the package. If you've found the
.debfile,dpkg -i --force-confmiss <package_deb>.debAlternatively, passing the
dpkgoption viaaptshould work:apt-get install --reinstall -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confmiss" <package>
- Nice, thanks. What if you don't know in particular which package provides a file?Naftuli Kay– Naftuli Kay2011-12-27 19:33:45 +00:00Commented Dec 27, 2011 at 19:33
- 10
dpkg -S /file/to/searchgive you the package nameDom– Dom2011-12-27 19:51:22 +00:00Commented Dec 27, 2011 at 19:51
Besides remove apt-get also offers the purge command which cleans out your config customizations, which can then be followed by an apt-get install
- 1
purgecertainly works for many packages but not the essential ones that you can't remove without seriously breaking things.jw013– jw0132011-12-28 01:06:36 +00:00Commented Dec 28, 2011 at 1:06
apt-get install -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confnew" packagename 
- 1Didn't work for me on raspberry pi os at leastBritton Kerin– Britton Kerin2021-10-14 22:55:46 +00:00Commented Oct 14, 2021 at 22:55
- Newer ones need
DPKG_FORCE=confmiss apt-get install --reinstall packagename.Bill McGonigle– Bill McGonigle2022-08-08 19:59:32 +00:00Commented Aug 8, 2022 at 19:59