Linux software inventory not updated

davidconnolly2 · 2017-10-20T11:16:09.000Z

Sorry to bang a well banged drum, but I can’t get my spiceworks inventory to update the software inventory of linux machines

Initial scan correctly inventories all software on my Ubuntu desktops.

I spot users with out of date software, get them to update and rescan. No change to the installed version.

Per previous advise, I changed

network scan speed to slow,
disabled Delta updates,
removed and re-created the scan range
Restarted spiceworks
even did a “scan now” of the updated machine.

Still no change.

Trawling through the logs, I see the old version is what is shown in the logs, so I figure the linux machine is sending the wrong data. However If I do an apt list --installed I see the updated version. If I do an apt-cache show application I see the updated version. But spiceworks still has the old version.

I removed the machine from the inventory and rescanned and hey presto, the updated software is shown.

Obviously I don’t want to have to remove and rebuild my inventory every time I want to check whether users have updated their packages.

Is this a bug? Is my expectation wrong that I should see software updates that have changed between scans show up on the next scan?

Running 7.5.00101 (up to date) on a beefy windows desktop.

jaimedelapaz · 2017-10-20T12:59:36.000Z

Are the devices scanned properly? Meaning is the scan date updated and correct on Linux devices? I’m wondering if ongoing scans are running properly.

davidconnolly2 · 2017-10-20T14:56:51.000Z

Yes - scans are working fine. Last scanned field is updated. Scan logs show the device is being scanned.

dbeato · 2017-10-20T15:09:37.000Z

Welcome to the community!! I have seen this before with WIndows devices. The only fix for me is what you suggested, it might be something cached in Spiceworks instead.

davidconnolly2 · 2017-10-20T15:15:25.000Z

Thanks for the welcome! I’d like to get to the bottom of this - particularly if there was a safe method of purging cache if that is the cause. Spiceworks rocks when it works, and once its set up right is stays working. But I find it hard to get under the covers to debug what’s going on.

I know most people use it for Windows environments - that’s where I’ve predominantly used SW before. And I’m aware of how MS and others leave behind ghost registry keys which confuse tools like SW. But Linux is fairly straightforward. Does Spiceworks use the apt command to get the software list? does it create a cache of some sort?

jaimedelapaz · 2017-10-23T16:04:13.000Z

I did some further research in to this. We have an open bug around this issued. We are having issues scanning software from a variety of Linux distros (including Ubuntu). Our devs are looking in to this issue, but there isn’t a fix scheduled at this time.

davidconnolly2 · 2017-10-24T06:55:20.000Z

Thanks Jaime - at least I’m not going mad Will we leave this topic open?

jaimedelapaz · 2017-10-24T14:01:43.000Z

You should mark a best answer on this topic when you get a response that answers your question, just for the benefit of people who stumble upon this. Other than that, keeping an eye on the release notes page is the best way to find out when this bug is fixed.