# Issue with Distribution Update page on Pioneer FreedomBox
**URL:** https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826
**Category:** Hardware Owners Support
**Created:** [August 19, 2025, 1:37pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826 "2025-08-19T13:37:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@fefekrzr](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/fefekrzr)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2025, 1:37pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/1 "2025-08-19T13:37:56Z")
## Quick rundown
1. On System \> Software Update \> Distribution Update, I see the warning:
“You need to have at least 5 Gb of free space available on primary disk to
perform a distribution update.”
2. The Start Distribution Update button stays inactive, even after freeing up space.
3. If I extract the link from the button in Developer Tools, I can manually navigate to the next page, but I’m hesitant to start since I’m not sure the condition is actually satisfied.
## My situation
Initially had \<5GB free.
What I tried:
- Removed several snapshots
- Reluctantly removed temporarily disabled apps.
- Checked for freedombox-dist-upgrade.service, but it doesn’t exist (so I suppose the upgrade never started).
Plinth’s Storage app now shows ~5GB free.
I’m still seeing the warning and disabled button.
I’d very much prefer not to remove any of the apps I have active as I rely on them and use all of them daily.
## Questions:
Does FreedomBox evaluate free space differently than what the Storage app reports?
What logs or commands can I run to confirm why the upgrade button remains disabled?
Will the button become enabled once I meet the storage space condition or is this a UI bug?
## System details
- Hardware: Pioneer FreedomBox
- FreedomBox version: 25.9.3
- Debian release: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
- Storage space:
- Storage app: 24.4 GiB / 29.6 GiB (free 5.2 GiB or ~5.5 Gb)
- `df -h /`: 25 G / 30 G (available 3.9 G)
Thanks for any guidance! I’d like to proceed safely without breaking the upgrade.
---
### Author:  [@David](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/David)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2025, 1:56pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/2 "2025-08-19T13:56:39Z")
You could copy your microSD to a 64 GB microSD with dd. I know that this uses a lot of care. This is how I do it: I open the drive manager (client computer), connect the device with the data I want to have a copy of, write it to the if= (in the example below /dev/sdc) and then I connect the empty device, where the copy should go to and write the device name to of= (in the example below /dev/sdd)
```auto
sudo dd if=/dev/sdc of=/dev/sdd bs=4096 status=progress
```
after the copy process you can easily expand the btrfs partition either in the cockpit or with
```auto
sudo btrfs filesystem resize max /
```
[https://btrfs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/btrfs-filesystem.html#man-filesystem-resize](https://btrfs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/btrfs-filesystem.html#man-filesystem-resize)
The good thing is, if something goes wrong with the update, you have a up to date copy (the 32 GB SD)
---
### Author:  [@Sunil](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/Sunil)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2025, 6:54pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/3 "2025-08-19T18:54:10Z")
- Only reason the message “You need to have at least 5 GB…” is shown is because there is not enough space. There are no other conditions that trigger this message.
- Free space is checked slightly differently from Storage app. The command that is run is `df –output=avail /`. Please run this command on the console (Cockpit, SSH, or direct Terminal) and ensure the value is greater than 5,000,000 (this value is in KiB).
- The value of 5 GB is our rough estimate for disk space required when there are a lot of apps installed (and need upgrading). In practice, few people actually need that much space. So, if you are close to it, feel free to violate that.
- The check is only in UI and if you bypass it, the backend process won’t stop you.
---
### Author:  [@Sunil](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/Sunil)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2025, 6:57pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/4 "2025-08-19T18:57:42Z")
> [@David](#):
>
> after the copy process you can easily expand the btrfs partition either in the cockpit or with
Note that if there is free space at the end of the disk like in this case, Storage app will show a message to expand the root partition and will allow you to expand with a simple click (this can also be done by re-running setup for the Storage app).
---
### Author:  [@fefekrzr](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/fefekrzr)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2025, 7:18pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/5 "2025-08-19T19:18:07Z")
Thank you very much for the reply. I’ll move forward with the update tonight.
---
### Author:  [@Ged](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/Ged)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2025, 7:45pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/6 "2025-08-19T19:45:01Z")
good luck. just started my update a moment ago. fingers crossed : )
---
### Author:  [@fefekrzr](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/fefekrzr)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2025, 12:25pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/7 "2025-08-20T12:25:44Z")
Hello! I tried bypassing the UI and started the distribution upgrade process. This morning, everything was the same. I checked for `freedombox-dist-upgrade.service` and it didn’t exist.
I checked the logs via the Cockpit terminal using `journalctl -f` and re-run the distribution upgrade. Once again, the process didn’t complete.
The one error that stood out to me was:
```auto
Aug 20 09:47:06 freedombox systemd-inhibit[17900]: {"result": "exception", "exception": {"module": "builtins", "name": "RuntimeError", "args": ["Apt command failed with return code: 100"], "traceback": [" File \"/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/plinth/actions.py\", line 398, in _privileged_call\n return_values = func(*arguments['args'], **arguments['kwargs'])\n ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n", " File \"/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/plinth/modules/upgrades/privileged.py\", line 262, in dist_upgrade\n distupgrade.perform()\n", " File \"/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/plinth/modules/upgrades/distupgrade.py\", line 419, in perform\n _apt_full_upgrade()\n", " File \"/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/plinth/modules/upgrades/distupgrade.py\", line 360, in _apt_full_upgrade\n _apt_run(['full-upgrade', '-o', 'Dpkg::Options::=--force-confnew'])\n", " File \"/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/plinth/modules/upgrades/distupgrade.py\", line 78, in _apt_run\n raise RuntimeError(\n"]}}
```
Do you know what could be causing the issue?
---
### Author:  [@Sunil](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/Sunil)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2025, 8:55pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/8 "2025-08-20T20:55:41Z")
The error simply says that the command ‘apt-get full-upgrade has failed’. Will you be able to send me more complete journal containing actual apt-get command failure and its reason?
---
### Author:  [@fefekrzr](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/fefekrzr)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2025, 10:49pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/9 "2025-08-20T22:49:12Z")
I’m not sure how to do this. I’ve run `journal | grep apt`. If there’s a better way to do this, I’ll re-upload.
[Pastebin with logs](https://code.wt.pt/?6c79e6c565a469c5#EjMXBvLbLjicjEFnrSRfYb4AtkiA7FjLpHfQCABxHWvF)
---
### Author:  [@Sunil](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/Sunil)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2025, 1:22am UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/10 "2025-08-21T01:22:08Z")
Unfortunately, that didn’t have enough information. Could you please collect it like this:
```auto
sudo journalctl -n 10000 > debug.log
```
---
### Author:  [@fefekrzr](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/fefekrzr)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2025, 2:16am UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/11 "2025-08-21T02:16:44Z")
> [@Sunil](#):
>
> `sudo journalctl -n 10000 > debug.log`
Here’s the output:
[Pastebin with larger log](https://code.wt.pt/?ab47fbd546a1280c#9AywbA2ykZ7bsMH3GnBriqXarB5AxbfoFsyG167TrTX4)
---
### Author:  [@Sunil](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/Sunil)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2025, 7:34pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/12 "2025-08-21T19:34:37Z")
@fefekrzr I have noticed that FreedomBox is trying to upgrade Bind and MiniDLNA apps (because they have configuration file prompts that can’t be dealt by unattended-upgrade). However, both the operations are failing because apt in an state that can’t be recovered from. Apt throws the following error:
```auto
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.
```
Please try the following:
```auto
apt-mark showhold
```
For each package that is held, run:
```auto
apt-mark unhold {package_name}
```
Then run:
```auto
dpkg --configure -a
apt -f install
```
During this if there are configuration file prompts for MiniDLNA, choose “Install new configuration”. For Bind choose “Keep old configuration”. After that re-run setup for both the apps in FreedomBox. If all this succeeds, try Distribution Upgrade again. Post any errors otherwise.
---
### Author:  [@fefekrzr](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/fefekrzr)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2025, 10:47pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/13 "2025-08-21T22:47:50Z")
> [@Sunil](#):
>
> Please try the following:
>
> ```auto
> apt-mark showhold
>
> ```
This commands show empty output. I imagine there are no packages on hold.
I tested running `apt-mark unhold bind9` and got this output:
```bash
bind9 was already not on hold.
```
However, I can see in the “Software Update” page’s logs that these packages are supposedly held back:
```bash
2025-08-21 23:31:56,772 INFO Package bind9 is kept back because a related package is kept back or due to local apt_preferences(5).
2025-08-21 23:31:56,786 INFO Package bind9-dnsutils is kept back because a related package is kept back or due to local apt_preferences(5).
2025-08-21 23:31:56,798 INFO Package bind9-host is kept back because a related package is kept back or due to local apt_preferences(5).
2025-08-21 23:31:56,812 INFO Package bind9-libs is kept back because a related package is kept back or due to local apt_preferences(5).
2025-08-21 23:31:56,825 INFO Package bind9-utils is kept back because a related package is kept back or due to local apt_preferences(5).
2025-08-21 23:31:57,038 INFO Package exim4-base is kept back because a related package is kept back or due to local apt_preferences(5).
2025-08-21 23:31:57,053 INFO Package exim4-daemon-light is kept back because a related package is kept back or due to local apt_preferences(5).
2025-08-21 23:31:57,375 INFO Package highlight is kept back because a related package is kept back or due to local apt_preferences(5).
2025-08-21 23:31:57,389 INFO Package highlight-common is kept back because a related package is kept back or due to local apt_preferences(5).
2025-08-21 23:31:58,160 INFO Package libgl1-mesa-dri is kept back because a related package is kept back or due to local apt_preferences(5).
```
Can I manually trigger the upgrade of the supposedly held back packages from the command line so that I can answer the prompts?
---
### Author:  [@Sunil](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/Sunil)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2025, 10:52pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/14 "2025-08-21T22:52:25Z")
@fefekrzr Umm… machine is still on Bookworm and no other sources have been added to the list right?
Please go ahead and run ‘apt install’ on packages that have been kept back. It should be safe.
---
### Author:  [@fefekrzr](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/fefekrzr)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2025, 11:06pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/15 "2025-08-21T23:06:12Z")
I’m still on Bookworm. My machine is as Vanilla as it gets.
I’ll start upgrading the packages and report the results. Thanks for the help!
---
### Author:  [@fefekrzr](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/fefekrzr)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2025, 11:09pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/16 "2025-08-21T23:09:51Z")
This is the output of `apt install bind9`:
```bash
Waiting for cache lock: Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend. It is held by process 22399 (apt-get)
Waiting for cache lock: Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock-frontend. It is held by process 22399 (apt-get)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
bind9 : Depends: adduser but it is not going to be installed
Depends: iproute2 but it is not going to be installed
login : PreDepends: libpam-runtime but it is not going to be installed
PreDepends: libpam-modules but it is not going to be installed
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.
```
---
### Author:  [@Sunil](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/Sunil)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2025, 11:19pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/17 "2025-08-21T23:19:33Z")
```auto
apt install login libpam-runtime libpam-modules
```
Also:
```auto
cat /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*
```
---
### Author:  [@fefekrzr](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/fefekrzr)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2025, 11:24pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/18 "2025-08-21T23:24:47Z")
These are the outputs:
> [@Sunil](#):
>
> `apt install login libpam-runtime libpam-modules`
```bash
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
apt : Depends: libgnutls30 (>= 3.7.5) but it is not going to be installed
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.
```
> [@Sunil](#):
>
> `cat /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*`
```bash
deb tor+http://deb.debian.org/debian stable main
deb-src tor+http://deb.debian.org/debian stable main
deb tor+http://deb.debian.org/debian stable-updates main
deb-src tor+http://deb.debian.org/debian stable-updates main
deb tor+http://security.debian.org/debian-security/ stable-security main
deb-src tor+http://security.debian.org/debian-security/ stable-security main
# This file is managed by FreedomBox, do not edit.
# Allow carefully selected updates to 'freedombox' from backports.
deb tor+http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports main
deb-src tor+http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports main
```
---
### Author:  [@Sunil](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/Sunil)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2025, 11:31pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/19 "2025-08-21T23:31:20Z")
Okay, the sources.list has “stable” as distribution. That means as soon as Trixie got release, “stable” pointed to “Trixie” instead of “Bookworm”. And now there are some packages from Bookworm and some from “Trixie”. Was this official FreedomBox image or from Debian installer? What hardware is this?
Now, to recover from this, first take a backup of all the apps in FreedomBox. Also take an SD card copy. Then try manually:
```auto
apt full-upgrade
```
This will likely fail. Then try to installing just the problematic packages (and their dependencies with just one apt-get command) until full-upgrade succeeds. If all else fails, I guess the best thing to do is a fresh installation.
---
### Author:  [@fefekrzr](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/fefekrzr)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2025, 11:40pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826/20 "2025-08-21T23:40:05Z")
Hardware is Pioneer Edition FreedomBox and the image is the Pioneer image taken from the FreedomBox website.
I purposefully keep this FreedomBox as vanilla as possible so that it stays predictable for all the scripting. I let FreedomBox take care of all updates and never trigger them manually (except just now for this testing).
I’ll get to backing up then. Thank you for your help!
[Next page](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/issue-with-distribution-update-page-on-pioneer-freedombox/3826.md?page=2)