Running rdiff-backup version 1 (say 1.2.8) on Ubuntu 20.04

Question

I need to run rdiff-backup version 1 (say 1.2.8) on Ubuntu 20.04 to allow the Ubuntu 20.04 box to be backed up by a legacy backup server.

I tried to follow the post here: https://askubuntu.com/a/1280195/1564231, but this gave me the error:

# apt install -y librsync1=0.9.7-10build1 rdiff-backup=1.2.8-7
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
E: Version '0.9.7-10build1' for 'librsync1' was not found

(and I don't have the reputation to comment on that answer)

So I tried to find and download the specific packages needed, which I did:

# wget http://cz.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/libr/librsync/librsync1_0.9.7-10build1_amd64.deb
# dpkg -i librsync1_0.9.7-10build1_amd64.deb
Selecting previously unselected package librsync1:amd64.
(Reading database ... 135179 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack librsync1_0.9.7-10build1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking librsync1:amd64 (0.9.7-10build1) ...
Setting up librsync1:amd64 (0.9.7-10build1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.31-0ubuntu9.2) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.9.1-1) ...
# dpkg -i rdiff_0.9.7-10build1_amd64.deb
(Reading database ... 135189 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack rdiff_0.9.7-10build1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking rdiff (0.9.7-10build1) over (0.9.7-10build1) ...
Setting up rdiff (0.9.7-10build1) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.9.1-1) ...

and that seemed to work ok. So I then did the same with rdiff-backup

# dpkg -i rdiff-backup_1.2.8-7_amd64.deb
Selecting previously unselected package rdiff-backup.
(Reading database ... 135189 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack rdiff-backup_1.2.8-7_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking rdiff-backup (1.2.8-7) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of rdiff-backup:
 rdiff-backup depends on python (>= 2.7.1-0ubuntu2); however:
  Package python is not installed.
 rdiff-backup depends on python (<< 2.8); however:
  Package python is not installed.
dpkg: error processing package rdiff-backup (--install):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for man-db (2.9.1-1) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 rdiff-backup

Which didn't go so well, but it is now installed:

# rdiff-backup
bash: /usr/bin/rdiff-backup: /usr/bin/python: bad interpreter: No such file or directory

So setting up alternatives:

# update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python2 1
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/python2 to provide /usr/bin/python (python) in auto mode
# update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python /usr/bin/python3 2
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/python3 to provide /usr/bin/python (python) in auto mode
# update-alternatives --config python
There are 2 choices for the alternative python (providing /usr/bin/python).
Selection    Path              Priority   Status

0            /usr/bin/python3   2         auto mode
1            /usr/bin/python2   1         manual mode
2            /usr/bin/python3   2         manual mode

Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number: 1
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/python2 to provide /usr/bin/python (python) in manual mode

and:

# rdiff-backup --version
rdiff-backup 1.2.8

but, it leaves me with a problem of apt complaining whenever I try to do other things:

root@tek:/usr/local/src/rdiff-backup# apt upgrade wget
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
You might want to run 'apt --fix-broken install' to correct these.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 rdiff-backup : Depends: python (>= 2.7.1-0ubuntu2)
                Depends: python (< 2.8)
                Recommends: python-pylibacl but it is not installed
                Recommends: python-pyxattr
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt --fix-broken install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

Should I have done things differently earlier? Can I fix the apt problem?

I have done a

# apt-mark hold rdiff-backup

to stop apt upgrading rdiff to version 2.

Thanks very much Kevin

Answer 1

You have to get Ubuntu 20.04 LTS fully upgraded and sane first by

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -f
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

then download rdiff-backup and librsync1 packages from 18.04 LTS repository, install them by

cd ~/Downloads
wget -c http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/r/rdiff-backup/rdiff-backup_1.2.8-7_amd64.deb
wget -c http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/libr/librsync/librsync1_0.9.7-10build1_amd64.deb
sudo apt-get install ./rdiff-backup_1.2.8-7_amd64.deb ./librsync1_0.9.7-10build1_amd64.deb

and finally pin their versions by single below command

cat <<EOF | sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/pin-rdiff-rsync
Package: rdiff-backup
Pin: version 1.2.8-7
Pin-Priority: 1337
Package: librsync1
Pin: version 0.9.7-10build1
Pin-Priority: 1337
EOF