# hald failing to start -- i just updated to new udev

## njcwotx

I just did a system update and had to add devtmpfs to the kernel config because udev, and now when I now boot I get  "Starting Hardware Abstraction Layer" and a long wait time then it finally fails with "hald failed to start"

I am not a kernel udev guru, but I do fairly well at getting things to run.  However, a little research suggests that hald is now incompatible with the new version of udev.  I assume that I need to uninstall hald and redo emerge -uDNv and revdep-rebuild?

is this a wise choice of action or am I going to break my system in the attempt?

Also, if hald is no longer used, shouldn't the emerge -uDNv system process remove the package if updating udev?

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## Gusar

Are you actually using hal for anything? The only use it has nowadays is for Amazon Instant Video. If you're not using that, remove hal and you're done. If you are using it: https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-p-7130206.html#7130206 <- you need to adjust the udev-update patch because Gentoo has udevadm in a different place than Arch.

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## The Doctor

Sorry to appear surprised but why do you still have hald? It was removed from the tree at least a year ago.

If you don't specifically need it, you should remove it. First, you should try emerge -ac  and carefully check the list before removing packages. hal should be one of them. If not, manually remove it and repeat. A round of revdep-rebuild afterwards would be in order.

 *Quote:*   

> Also, if hald is no longer used, shouldn't the emerge -uDNv system process remove the package if updating udev?

  I am not sure, but I don't think it removes orphaned dependencies. I thought it would warn you about packages no longer in the tree.

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## njcwotx

I never installed it on purpose, but this install was originally a build from a long time ago.  It got pulled in automatically some time back through a dependency.  I last updated dec 30 2012, but when I updated last week it brought in the newer udev and I guess thats when the trouble started.

I did an emerge -C hal hal-info and emerge -uDNv system & world and nothing came up.  running revdep didnt show any issues with hal either, so I guess I am good to go.

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## The Doctor

No quite yet. You should run depclean (emerge -ac) because there is probably a ton of left over stuff floating around. You probably don't want to maintain a few hundred packages you are not using.

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## njcwotx

ok ill run it through depclean.

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## eyoung100

besides a --depclean, may I also recommend:

```
eselect profile list

eselect profile set <new profile if needed>

emerge ufed && ufed <-- This will show you which USE Flags are new and which ones are "crusty"

(save use changes if any)

emerge -e system

emerge -e world
```

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## njcwotx

already have done the profile and the -e's.

I use ufed but never thought of it showing me old flags, unless its done without really my knowing it.

how does it show flags that can be removed?

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## eyoung100

 *njcwotx wrote:*   

> I use ufed but never thought of it showing me old flags, unless its done without really my knowing it.
> 
> how does it show flags that can be removed?

 

IIRC, scroll down the list and the flag description either shows blank or (invalid flag)

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