Sixty-six is a collection of system tools built around s6 and s6-rc created to make the implementation and manipulation of service files on your machine easier. It is meant to be a toolbox for the declaration, implementation and administration of services where separate programs can be joined to achieve powerful functionality with small amounts of code.
-- project page
66 manages services in trees: collections of services, analogous to runlevels or targets in other init systems/service managers.
The boot-66serv and void-66-services packages are needed to boot and use 66 as init and service manager on Void Linux.
boot-66serv contains the boot@ module service, which, along with other frontend files and scripts, are used for the first stage of booting a system. It is roughly analogous to the runit-void package for runit: it initialises the system (setting hostname, timezone, open LUKS devices, etc.) and starts agetty on TTYs 1-4 by default. The package was created as a portable stage1 for 66 and is used in the Obarun distribution.
The package also contains some scripts written in order to make the services work for Void Linux.
void-66-services contains service frontend files for Void Linux.
Currently these packages are in a PR. In order to install them one can build them from the PR or install them from the unofficial void-66 repo. Packages are available for i686, x86_64, aarch64, x86_64-musl and aarch64-musl.
Add the repo:
(commands prefixed by # must be run with elevated privileges, as root)
# xbps-install -Sy --repository=https://avyssos.eu/repos/voidlinux/66/ void-unofficial-repo-66
You will be prompted to accept the new key:
https://avyssos.eu/repos/voidlinux/66 ' repository has been RSA signed by "mobinmob"
Fingerprint: c7:39:79:a3:2a:cf:f1:65:a6:df:3a:1a:6e:93:36:28
Do you want to import this public key? [Y/n]
After accepting it, install the new packages:
# xbps-install -S boot-66serv void-66-services s6-rc
There are two ways to create the recommended basic trees for 66: an automatic and a manual one. The automatic configuration is strongly recommended.
Run the 66boot-initial-setup script:
(commands prefixed by # must be run with elevated privileges, as root)
# 66boot-initial-setup
The script creates the necessary trees, enables in them some services and created the target for the basic configuration file symlink.
After running the 66boot-initial-setup , you can run two other scripts:
-
66boot-storage-autoconfwhich discovers LVM, dmraid, LUKS, zfs and btrfs volumes for the current hw and configures the boot proccess automatically and -
66boot-rcdotconfthat configures boot@system using the configuration of the standard voidlinux /etc/rc.conf.
After each of them or all of them you should finalise the configuration by running:
(commands prefixed by # must be run with elevated privileges, as root)
# 66-enable -t boot -F boot@system
Please do not try doing a manual configuration right after doing automatic configuration!
Create a mandatory new tree boot and enable the boot@system service in it:
# 66-tree -n boot
# 66-enable -F -t boot boot@system
Create a permanent boot@system configuration file:
# cp /etc/66/conf/boot@system/version/.boot@system /etc/66/conf/boot@system/version/boot@system
More services can be enabled in a different tree, that starts after the boot tree. default is a nice name for it, as it is used for the ... default collection of services in void.
Create the new tree, Enable it and make it current:
# 66-tree -nEc default
Enable services in the new tree -the switch-initutils service is recommended:
# 66-enable switch-initutils
66 can work with the existing runit services. That is useful as there are not yet frontend service files for all the packages that have a runit service directory.
To use runit services, a separate runit tree can be created, the runit service enabled and started in it and make the tree start after default:
# 66-tree -nE runit
# 66-enable -t runit runit
# 66-tree -S default runit
The runit services are started the normal way, by symlinking the service directories under /var/service/.
Both methods lead to the same basic trees created and services enabled. But before changing the init system, some more configuration must happen.
Edit /etc/66rc.conf with a text editor, save it and re-enable the boot@system service file in the boot tree:
(commands prefixed by # must be run with elevated privileges, as root)
# 66-enable -t boot -F boot@system
Please consult the boot@ man page and the comments of the configuration file. Wrong configuration can result in an unbootable or problematic system!
To boot the system with 66 instead of runit after the configuration, you just add init=/usr/bin/66 to the kernel command line. To switch back, remove it.
If a user decides that a permanent and clean switch to 66 is the way to go, they should consult void-66-base-system.md.