On: Ask HN: What do you want to see in Ubuntu 17.10?

[majewsky]

No, it will work even if stuff is installed in /etc. The actual check is `test -f /etc/machine-id`: https://github.com/systemd/systemd/blob/5978bdd05fed013d301f...

I'll file a bugreport with systemd about the inaccurate documentation.

EDIT: Here it is: https://github.com/systemd/systemd/issues/5696

[JdeBP → majewsky]

More immediately, the actual check is a test for one of the flag files that I mentioned at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13473273 : /run/systemd/first-boot . This file is initially created/unlinked to correspond with the result of the check that you mention, but is also modified later on.

A prior bug report discussing the "misleading" doco in this very area was https://github.com/systemd/systemd/issues/5562 , which was closed as "not a bug".

[stephenr → majewsky]

Good to know, thanks.