Re: Entropy error blocks lang/python38 installation

["Thomas Mueller" <mueller6725%twc.com@localhost>]

> Hi,

> This problem was reported/discussed several time I believe and I guess
> it does not have final solution yet (you can check this thread:
> http://mail-index.netbsd.org/tech-security/2021/01/11/msg001100.html).
> However, there are workarounds to build python38 now.

> One described here
> https://mail-index.netbsd.org/current-users/2020/05/01/msg038495.html,
> you can fool system into believing that it has enough entropy:
>   dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/random bs=32 count=1
>   sysctl -w kern.entropy.consolidate=1

-> These two lines enabled me to build lang/python38 where otherwise it would lead to a system crash and unclean reboot.

   Now onto other packages.  I have a file /extra/entropy.txt on the partition where I keep pkgsrc tree, so I know what to do and don't have to remember perfectly.

> Another workaround which also makes python to compile was described in
> pkg/55847: https://gnats.netbsd.org/cgi-bin/query-pr-single.pl?number=55847

> Regards,
> Andrius V

> On Mon, Jun 14, 2021 at 08:15:27AM +0000, Thomas Mueller wrote:
> > [ 386.3532035] entropy: pid 24617 (python) blocking due to lack of entropy

> This means your setup is incomplete. You need to seed entropy, e.g.
> by one of the methods in entropy(7) in the "Adding entropy" subsection.

> Python is probably stupid, but that is a harder battle to fight.

> Martin

Thanks for the suggestions!  I will surely try when I get the chance. -> succeeded.

I want to be able to build packages besides and beyond lang/python38.

This entropy thing seems crazy to me, but then having to sanitize Linux kernel headers to be usable for userspace programs also impressed me as crazy.

On the other computer, I was on FreeBSD-current mass-building packages with synth.

Partially successful, some sloppy bugs, packages failed to install, and graphical web browsers all were skipped because lang/rust, a dependency, failed.

Tom