ssh exiting 0 is not proof the capture is usable — the inspect script can emit
nothing and both refresh scripts would mv that over a good system-details.txt and
report 'ok (0 bytes)'. Every reader tests the snapshot with -s, so the writer was
producing an artifact its own readers call invalid: a guard whose test disagrees
with its writer's contract has quietly stopped guarding. Prompted by
brokkr-smithy-dev hitting the same shape from the other side (a -s test against a
sentinel written with touch, a precondition that could never pass).
- empty capture -> refused, previous snapshot kept, host counted as failed (exit 1)
- capture under 1/4 of the previous -> promoted but flagged, since a host can
legitimately shed services and the script should not guess
- header + CLAUDE.md contract lines corrected to say what is actually guaranteed
- verified red (empty inspect -> FAIL, snapshot intact, rc=1) then green (real host
-> ok 6727 bytes)
vh
9b9f0625c9