[xen-tools] Literally copying /etc/groups breaks VMs build on Ubuntu Dapper

[Sven Hartge]

Hello.

I was helping a collegue installing a Xen host on Ubuntu Dapper using=20
backported xen-tools from unstable.

debootstrapping Sarge VMs works without any problems, but the copied
/etc/group from the host system lacks some groups, for example=20
"Debian-exim" (Ubuntus default MTA is Postfix) which is needed by exim4.

The Debian-exim group is present in the /etc/group after the debootstrap=20
run but is clobbered by 60-copy-host-files and thus after booting such a=20
VM you have no exim4 and for some reason also no running sshd.

The same also happens if you bootstrap VMs on a Debian system without=20
installed Exim4 or if the /etc/group of the host system is non-standard.

(Question: Why is /etc/group copied in the first place? Wouldn't it be=20
better to use an approach like with /etc/passwd and just append all=20
groups with a gid>1024?)

Gr=FC=DFe,
Sven.

--=20
Sven Hartge -- professioneller Unix-Geek
Meine Gedanken im Netz: http://www.svenhartge.de/

Achtung, neue Mail-Adresse: sven at svenhartge.de