[10.04 64bit] Automate upgrade of openssh-server

[Scott Moser]

On Sun, 17 Apr 2011, Hilco Wijbenga wrote:

> [Resent with a proper subject.]
>
> Hi all,
>
> I'm trying to automate the setup of an Ubuntu Server 10.04 64bit
> system. I am unable to run apt-get upgrade sucessfully (i.e. without
> manual intervention). Every time it blocks because of openssh-server
> (and portmap):
>
> Setting up openssh-server (1:5.3p1-3ubuntu6) ...
>
> Configuration file `/etc/init/ssh.conf'
>  ==> Modified (by you or by a script) since installation.
>  ==> Package distributor has shipped an updated version.
>   What would you like to do about it ?  Your options are:
>    Y or I  : install the package maintainer's version
>    N or O  : keep your currently-installed version
>      D     : show the differences between the versions
>      Z     : background this process to examine the situation
>  The default action is to keep your current version.
> *** ssh.conf (Y/I/N/O/D/Z) [default=N] ?

It depends on what you want (to keep the old config file or accept the
new), but you can do:

apt-get -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confnew"
or
apt-get -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold"

To force dpkg to install one or the other.

Probably invoke like this:

DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get \
   --option Dpkg::Options::=--force-confold --assume-yes upgrade

Personally, I'd probably save off your old config and then use
force-confnew.  dpkg might save it for you anyway, i'm not sure.

> I tried '-y' and '--force-yes'. I tried using aptitude instead of
> apt-get. I tried aptitude's safe-upgrade. I tried setting debconf to
> Noninteractive. Nothing seems to make any difference. How do I make
> sure the upgrade continues automatically?