[clug] Advice request on upgrade to Debian Squeeze - local mirrors?

[Felix Karpfen]

On Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:42:54 +1100, Scott Ferguson wrote:
 
> Amongst other methods - just do a **basic install** (you don't say what 
the
> intended purpose of the build is)
> Presuming you wish only a desktop machine - and your choice of desktop
> is kde:-
> 
> Boot from the first DVD (suggest you set BIOS to boot from your hard
> drive first, use F8 or whatever to temporarily select the DVD as the
> boot).

After reading all the helpful advice that has been offered, I fear that 
there has been a major communication failure.  

The feature that made Debian my preferred OS is that "installing a newly-
released version" and "upgrading an existing installed version to convert 
it to the newly-released version" are two totally different animals that 
have little in common.

Full instructions for both routines are always present on the first disk 
(CD or DVD).  The (English) "install" routine - called "Debian GNU/Linux 
Installation Guide" can be found in "/doc/manual/en"; the (English) 
upgrade routine is described in "/doc/release-notes/en.

The end-result of the two strategies will ultimately to be the same; but 
the time taken to get to that point is very different on any system that 
deviates from the suggested "default preferences".  

My system is *very* lean and deviates markedly from the defaults supplied 
by a "clean install"; e.g. 

- I have dispensed with "Open Office" and "samba" (red-face; shame!);
- I have only a minimal install of "Gnome" and "KDE" (because I sometimes 
  use some of their packages);
- my "Windows Manager" is JWM; I never use either Gnome or KDE;
- etc, etc.

It would take a lot of personal input to start with a clean "new install" 
and get back to my preferred packages/configurations; the upgrade routine 
- as described in the "release notes" - makes this input unnecessary.

I know that there are Linux gurus who use a CD/DVD to do a minimal 
upgrade and then use the Internet to finish the upgrade.  But this does 
not appear a favoured approach with the CLUG members who read my query.  
My alternative - load all 8 Squeeze DVDs - is quite straight-forward and 
I do not think that my attempts at parsimony merit any further attention.

Felix


 

-- 
Felix Karpfen
Public Key 72FDF9DF (DH/DSA)