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So I see running "apt-get update && apt-get -s upgrade" that my Ubuntu 14.04 system wants to update the "grub-pc" package.

It seems that it wants to go from the currently installed version 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.7 to version 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.12.

$ apt-cache policy grub-pc
grub-pc:
  Installed: 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.7
  Candidate: 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.12
  Version table:
     2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.12 0
        500 http://es.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages
 *** 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.7 0
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.6 0
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/main amd64 Packages
     2.02~beta2-9 0
        500 http://es.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages

Updating the "grub-pc" makes me uneasy, because I have customized my "/etc/default/grub" file, and I will be asked questions, and I could choose the wrong answer, and my system could become unbootable.

So I'm currently considering doing "apt-mark hold grub-pc" prior to doing "apt-get update", just to be safe.

However, I am also wondering what does that updated version of grub-pc 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.12 bring? Perhaps it solves some security problem?

So my question is: how can I find out what's new in "grub-pc 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.12", prior to installing it?

Dalequedale
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2 Answers2

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You can find changelogs by this command :

apt changelog grub-pc

This shows somethings like this that shows what is changed from prior versions:

grub2 (2.02~beta3-4ubuntu2) zesty; urgency=medium

  • debian/build-efi-images: provide a new grub EFI image which enforces that loaded kernels are signed for Secure Boot: build gsb$arch.efi; which is the same as grub$arch.efi minus the 'linux' module. Without fallback to 'linux' for unsigned loading, this makes it effectively enforce having a signed kernel. (LP: #1401532)

    -- Mathieu Trudel-Lapierre Thu, 30 Mar 2017 17:45:23 -0400

If it's not work, you can use this command :

aptitude changelog grub-pc

It has the same output with apt.

Ali Razmdideh
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  • Thank you for your reply.

    It seems that particular invocation of "apt" is not working in Ubuntu 14.04 LTS:

    $ lsb_release -ds Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS

    $ apt changelog grub-pc E: Invalid operation changelog ///Hmmm, I cannot enter line returns...?

     – Dalequedale May 27 '17 at 14:10
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    What about aptitude ? Please try this one aptitude changelog grub-pc – Ali Razmdideh May 27 '17 at 14:15
  • yes, "aptitude changelog grub-pc" works great, in the console and without having to install any additional package. Thanks. – Dalequedale May 27 '17 at 14:28
  • These commands just show the changelog corresponding to the version of the package that is already installed. You need to add the desired version number. From man aptitude, "By default, the changelog for the version which would be installed with “aptitude install” is downloaded. You can select a particular version of a package by appending = to the package name; you can select the version from a particular archive or release by appending / or / to the package name (for instance, /unstable or /sid)." – Faheem Mitha May 27 '17 at 21:22
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    @faheem-mitha Not so - I'm still on version 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.7 of "grub-pc", and "aptitude changelog grub-pc" shows me the changelog up to version 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.12 of "grub-pc", which is currently the candidate to be installed as soon as I run "apt-get upgrade" (according to the output of "apt-cache policy grub-pc". – Dalequedale May 28 '17 at 10:50
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    Yes, I see. ""By default, the changelog for the version which would be installed with “aptitude install” is downloaded." means the version that is cheduled to be installed, assuming the version is not already up to date, I suppose. – Faheem Mitha May 28 '17 at 11:55
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In its most general sense, you can consult the changelog for the proposed new package - for example Package: grub-pc (2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.12) on packages.ubuntu.com

If you want to automate the process (so that changelogs are presented at the time of upgrade), you can use apt-listchanges as explained in Seeing apt-get changelogs for to-be-upgraded packages

steeldriver
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  • Thank you. That web URL is just what I was looking for. Also the "apt-listchanges" package looks interesting, but the web URL suffices for me. /// Also, I see that this console command does the same: $ aptitude changelog grub-pc – Dalequedale May 27 '17 at 14:19