I guess the merge needs to be adapted/completed.

# apt policy
Paketdateien:
 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     release a=now
 500 http://deb.devuan.org/merged daedalus/non-free-firmware amd64 Packages
     release v=5.0,o=Devuan,a=testing,n=daedalus,l=Devuan,c=non-free-firmware,b=amd64
     origin deb.devuan.org
 500 http://deb.devuan.org/merged daedalus/non-free amd64 Packages
     release v=5.0,o=Devuan,a=testing,n=daedalus,l=Devuan,c=non-free,b=amd64
     origin deb.devuan.org
 500 http://deb.devuan.org/merged daedalus/contrib amd64 Packages
     release v=5.0,o=Devuan,a=testing,n=daedalus,l=Devuan,c=contrib,b=amd64
     origin deb.devuan.org
 500 http://deb.devuan.org/merged daedalus/main amd64 Packages
     release v=5.0,o=Devuan,a=testing,n=daedalus,l=Devuan,c=main,b=amd64
     origin deb.devuan.org
Mit Pinning verwaltete Pakete:

Can only recommend to use UUIDs or labels, everything else is coincidence. Device detection order is ambiguous since a while already.

Linux can deal with both, does not make a real difference.

Meanwhile I have adopted the habit to use gpt wherever possible, even if its not really necessary. The advantage is that you do not have to deal with the limitations of the old MSDOS partitioning scheme: not more than 4 partitions. Or you use 3 plus an extended with logical drives in there (i.e. sda5 as first logical partition in an extended), or sometimes one in the middle is missing. gpt is linear, you just count up.

For such jobs I have a gparted life cd available to boot on usb. Write a new partition table, and then restart the Devuan installer and use manual partitioning.

And to get to another console while installing: use ALT-F2. There you can enter available commands. Back to installer with ALT-F1.

You might need to look for the uuid instead of the device. Check your fstab.

Short update: tried to install the weekly Bookworm into VBox for a check if Debian behaves the same, and failed. The iso is throwing machine checks and complains about the display. Will drill a bit deeper into that and update when I have results.

I am not really an expert on logging, I just use whats available every now and then.

Devuan uses its own package called rsyslog. There is also a doc package for this. Maybe that is a start for you. Somehow the stuff can be configured, and maybe yours is off for some reason.

To the raid: I have had my share of experiences with using Raid0 and later on trying Raid1/10 mainly on U320 SCSI, I would call it a disaster. Thats why I personally would walk away from any Raid if I have the choice of using SSDs instead. A single SSD never will cause the kind of hickups you can experience with Raids. A good backup always is required anyhow, and this is the lifesaver, not a Raid1.

And I think good SSDs are more reliable than any disk drive.

The logger creates a new file when the log reaches a specified size, and adds a number to the older log. e.g. syslog becomes syslog.1, the current contents remains in a new file syslog. if there was a syslog.1 before it becomes syslog.2. As many versions are kept as specified.

This function is called log-rotate.

Yes I didn't ... to little trouble recently ...

Don't worry, troubleshooting is adventure ...

Well, in summary, the required packages are present, the service is working as required. Still the same, when I try the date and time tool from the gnome-system-tools trying to go away from manual mode, the program is complaining about ntp not being present.

Thanks, I did not think about to use apt list to check if the program is coming directly under the same name. Just looked into the rcx.d directories.

And you can be sure I read the Beowulf release notes to find out about su -. I usually never use sudo, all my machines have a separate root account, and I have configured them with all tricks I have learned. I am an early adopter ...

Well, I haven't had any trouble yet with services not working, so I am blank in that aspect of the system. rc-status tells me the ntpsec service is running under the default level. And sysv-rc-conf lists an x for 2,3,4 and 5.

Well, just saw that the installation of sysv-rc-conf removed openrc. Well, reinstalled it and am being told to reboot immediately....