11 — Updates and packages

Before a major upgrade, read Arch news, make a current configuration backup, and check free space. Package inventory in the stored audit confirms Pacman and Flatpak data were collected; it does not prove that a future upgrade will be problem-free.

READ ONLYCheck files owned by installed packages

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pacman -Qk

Expected: Missing files require interpretation; they do not automatically prove package corruption.

Interpretation: Investigate the named package and path before deciding on a repair.

READ ONLYFind orphaned dependencies

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pacman -Qdt

Expected: A list only; nothing is removed.

Interpretation: Review why each package was installed; an orphan can still be intentionally useful.

READ ONLYList Flatpak applications

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flatpak list

Expected: Applications, runtimes, and versions.

READ ONLYList failed system services

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systemctl --failed --no-pager

Expected: No failed units is the healthy result; listed units need their own logs inspected.

READ ONLYList failed services in the current user session

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systemctl --user --failed --no-pager

Expected: No failed units, or a list of user units requiring inspection.

Interpretation: The stored audit could not connect to the user service manager; repeat this only inside a functioning user session.

ROOT REQUIREDPerform a supported full Arch upgrade

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sudo pacman -Syu

Context: Run only after reviewing Arch news, free space, backups, and the proposed package transaction.

Expected: Database synchronization followed by a complete package upgrade, or a specific error that must be resolved before retrying.

Verify: Check failed services, Hyprland parser errors, terminal, launcher, displays, file manager, and browser.

Rollback: Package downgrade is package-specific. Use cached packages and the official Arch procedure only after identifying the regressing package.

DANGER

Do not use pacman -Sy package without -u; that creates an unsupported partial upgrade. The manual never runs upgrades automatically.

After an update

• confirm the transaction completed without an unresolved error;
• inspect failed system and user services;
• run hyprctl configerrors from a working Hyprland session;
• test the terminal, launcher, displays, Thunar, and LibreWolf;
• record unusual behaviour and the package transaction date.

journalctl -b -p warning..alert --no-pager is a READ ONLY broad warning view. Narrow it by unit and time before treating a message as the cause. A log line proves that an event was recorded, not that it caused the visible symptom.

See Troubleshooting for evidence-based interpretation and Backup and recovery before a major change.