Recent move of raspberrypi-bootloader* orphans them [SOLVED]

[graysky]

The recent move of the bootloader and firmware packages to alarm seems to have orphaned them. For example, checking for orphan packages per the wiki is done via:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'pacman -Qdtq')

After the recent update wherein these have been moved to alarm these are now coming up as orphaned meaning no package needs them, but I'm pretty sure that removing these would render the system unbootable:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', ':: Replace raspberrypi-firmware-bootloader with alarm/raspberrypi-bootloader? [Y/n]
:: Replace raspberrypi-firmware-bootloader-x with alarm/raspberrypi-bootloader-x? [Y/n]
:: Replace raspberrypi-firmware-tools with alarm/raspberrypi-firmware? [Y/n]
')

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', '% pacman -Qdtq
raspberrypi-bootloader-x
raspberrypi-firmware-examples')

[Strubbl]

Yes, i did remove that orphaned packages and it did not boot anymore. Of course. Restoring the boot partition helped get the Pi up again.

[graysky]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Strubbl', 'Y')es, i did remove that orphaned packages and it did not boot anymore. Of course. Restoring the boot partition helped get the Pi up again.

[WarheadsSE]

The bootloader packages were replaced, and you can't specify "Yo, make this other package depend on me". I am looking for any previous dependency declaration that a PROVIDES might address, but it looks to me like a blind removal of all orphans is much at fault here.

raspberrypi-firmware used to depend on raspberrypi-firmware-bootloader*, which are what was replaced. It no longer depends on any of that family. Adding a provides to the new packages won't change the state moving forward, as the dependency is no longer there. The raspberrypi-firmware package as it is now (only containing the headers, tools, and libraries, not bootloaders) is not needed for booting. Making either a required dependency of the other does not make logical sense.

[graysky]

Thanks for the explanation, WarheadsSE. While I agree that a blind removal is never a good idea, something as core as the bootloader shouldn't come up in `pacman -Qdtq` ... Is it possible to build a dependency into the kernel as a way to circumvent this?

[WarheadsSE]

What if you're using the mainline kernel? That breaks.

The fact is, that previously, the raspberrypi-firmware package was installed explicitly, and then the bootloader just happened to have come with it. That dependency was broken. There is no longer any dependency, and the new bootloader package was not explicitly installed. Viola. New install/images would not be affected by this.

[graysky]

I guess I am confused... if I explicitly install the bootloader package, shouldn't that remove it from being detected as an orphan? I tried that but it still comes up as such :/

EDIT: Ah, I see that installing raspberrypi-bootloader-x which depends on raspberrypi-bootloader fixes this... and it seems that the fireware-examples package is simple no longer provided.

[CaptainRage]

I tried reinstalling raspberrypi-bootloader-x but it still shows up as an unneeded package. This leaves me confused also. Can I remove it and leave only raspberrypi-bootloader installed (for the system to be able to boot)?

[graysky]

@CR - The official image includes raspberrypi-bootloader-x so I would advise that you keep it as well.