# Delta Updates without a initial rootfs update

**URL:** <https://hub.mender.io/t/delta-updates-without-a-initial-rootfs-update/4571>\
**Category:** General Discussions\
**Tags:** yocto, deltaupdate\
**Created:** [February 3, 2022, 8:09pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/delta-updates-without-a-initial-rootfs-update/4571 "2022-02-03T20:09:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![B-Stefan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/hub.mender.io/b-stefan/32/1473_2.png) [@B-Stefan](https://hub.mender.io/u/B-Stefan)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2022, 8:09pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/delta-updates-without-a-initial-rootfs-update/4571/1 "2022-02-03T20:09:24Z")

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If I understood the guide correctly you need to apply a initial rootfs update before you can use the delta updates.

Source: [Robust delta update rootfs](https://hub.mender.io/t/robust-delta-update-rootfs/1144#error-message-artifact-dependency-rootfs_image_checksum-not-satisfied-by-currently-installed-artifact-12)

Our process is right now:

1. Create a .uefi image with yocto
2. Flash the image on an SSD
3. Install the SSD
4. Boot the device
5. **Apply a full rootfs update manually via ethernet connection**
6. Ship the device to the customer
7. Apply delta-updates via a mobile connection

If we skip step 5. we can’t apply any delta updates later because the device does not provide the right `rootfs.checksum`.

My question is: Why we are doing this? The initial image (.uefi) is exactly the same as the first full rootfs update (.mender)

Or is there a workaround that I did not see?

Thanks for all the help!

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**Author:** ![oleorhagen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/hub.mender.io/oleorhagen/32/297_2.png) [@oleorhagen](https://hub.mender.io/u/oleorhagen)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 12:15pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/delta-updates-without-a-initial-rootfs-update/4571/2 "2022-02-04T12:15:29Z")

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Hello, the reason is that the database is not populated at build-time, and hence, an update is needed in order to populate it.

More information, and the fix, when it is prioritized, can be found here:

[https://tracker.mender.io/browse/MEN-2582](https://tracker.mender.io/browse/MEN-2582)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![B-Stefan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/hub.mender.io/b-stefan/32/1473_2.png) [@B-Stefan](https://hub.mender.io/u/B-Stefan)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 5:56pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/delta-updates-without-a-initial-rootfs-update/4571/3 "2022-02-06T17:56:27Z")

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> [@oleorhagen](#):
>
> More information, and the fix, when it is prioritized, can be found here:

Thanks for the quick update. Is there a known work around e.g. remove the depends on property of the first delta-update artefact ?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![oleorhagen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/hub.mender.io/oleorhagen/32/297_2.png) [@oleorhagen](https://hub.mender.io/u/oleorhagen)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2022, 2:25pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/delta-updates-without-a-initial-rootfs-update/4571/4 "2022-02-08T14:25:51Z")

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Unfortunately not 🙁

But @eystein (Product Owner) will likely be interested in this discussion.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![eystein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e5b9ba/32.png) [@eystein](https://hub.mender.io/u/eystein)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2022, 4:49pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/delta-updates-without-a-initial-rootfs-update/4571/5 "2022-02-08T16:49:25Z")

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Thanks for the feedback @B-Stefan !  
It is something we plan to improve and I have noted your request for it as well.

Currently you need to do the process you outlined above for a while longer I think.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![B-Stefan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/hub.mender.io/b-stefan/32/1473_2.png) [@B-Stefan](https://hub.mender.io/u/B-Stefan)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 8:01pm UTC](https://hub.mender.io/t/delta-updates-without-a-initial-rootfs-update/4571/6 "2022-02-11T20:01:31Z")

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Thanks for the quick response @eystein.

Unfortunately, the process described above was not an option for us.  
I found a workaround, so for everybody that encounter this issue here is a potential process to avoid the initial full rootfs update:

1. Create a .uefi image with yocto
2. Flash the image on an SSD
3. Install the SSD
4. Boot the device

In case of the first delta update:

1. Create a delta update via mender-delta binary, according to documentation
2. Read the delta update via `mender-artefact read yourDeltaUpdateName.mender`
3. Create a new Script update with an empty script that provides the required `rootfs.checksum`
4. Apply the script update to your devices
5. Apply the delta update to your devices

### Create script update

```auto
mender-artifact write module-image -T script \
 -n release-45-rootfs-fix \
  -t <device_type> \
  -o ./release-45-rootfs-fix.mender \
  --provides rootfs-image.checksum:3d009272e05a2fdbb37b98775a73ec788f34fcea67446d76ee26e6f36c9a4d6b \
  --depends artifact_name:release-6.45 \
  --provides rootfs-image.version:release-6.45 \
  --clears-provides artifact_group \
  --clears-provides "rootfs-image.*" \
   -f ./blank.bash

```