dracut insufficient error message if libpam-systemd is missing / undeclared dependency

[adrelanos]

Describe the bug

When attempting to install dracut while libpam-systemd isn't installed, dracut will show an error message and the resulting image will be unable to boot.

The Debian package might have an undeclared dependency.

Distribution used Debian bookworm.

Dracut version 059

Init system systemd

To Reproduce

Without libpam-systemd dracut will fail to install inside chroot.

dracut-install: ERROR: installing 'poweroff'
dracut-install: ERROR: installing 'reboot'
dracut-install: ERROR: installing 'halt'
dracut: FAILED: /usr/lib/dracut/dracut-install -D /tmp/user/0/dracut.Yir3ea/initramfs -a umount poweroff reboot halt losetup stat sleep timeout
+ dracut --no-hostonly --kver 6.1.0-13-amd64 --fstab --add-fstab /etc/fstab --force --reproducible

The system will not be bootable.

I don't know if that is a bug in dracut or if it can at all work without systemd.

Should systemd (or any init system) installation be declared explicit rather than implicit in packages file?

I am using a shorter packages file and it took me a while to figure out why dracut fails.

Expected behavior

• A better error message.
• Upstream (this repository) providing a list of dependencies

# Additional context

• https://github.com/grml/grml-debootstrap/issues/233

[LaszloGombos]

Respectfully, I do not think managing Debian package dependencies are in scope for Dracut upstream.

dracut-install: ERROR: installing ...

I think this is a very clear error message already.

Others have already asked you to file a Debian issue - https://github.com/grml/grml-debootstrap/issues/233#issuecomment-1806769531 .

Debian has a lot of issues with packaging - see e.g. https://salsa.debian.org/debian/dracut/-/merge_requests/29

[adrelanos]

Done.

Debian bug report: missing dependency on init / systemd-sysv / libpam-systemd

[LaszloGombos]

Closing as this is a distro specific packaging issue.