upgrading between SuSE versions
Hi folks, Sorry if this one has been covered many times before, but I couldn't find a clear answer in the archives. I'm wondering what is the normal process for upgrading between SuSE version, such as 9.0 to 9.1. I'm still not entirely clear on whether 9.1 is actually out or not. I'm hearing May 9th, but on www.suse.com, it looks like it's out already. Regardless of whether it's actually out yet, what I'm curious about is this, is there an automated update process or can it only be upgraded from a physical CD? From a technical standpoint, I had assumed that new releases like that would simple by available to "YOU" and I would wake up one morning to find I had 9.1 installed. From a business standpoint, I understand that SuSE also wants to maintain their revenue stream. This is fine with me, although I don't intend to pay $US80 every time a minor version comes out (I paid it for 9.0, and will happily do so for 10.0). I suppose that personally I'd prefer an ongoing subscription cost. Anyway, not trying to change the world here, just wondering about what the done thing is currently, how it works, and how I can stay up to date as automatically as possible (and at a reasonable price). regards, Craig
On Thursday 29 April 2004 11:09, Craig Ambrose wrote:
Sorry if this one has been covered many times before, but I couldn't find a clear answer in the archives. I'm wondering what is the normal process for upgrading between SuSE version, such as 9.0 to 9.1. I'm still not entirely clear on whether 9.1 is actually out or not. I'm hearing May 9th, but on www.suse.com, it looks like it's out already.
It's been finalised, but here in the far-distant Antipodes I'm told we won't have the DVDs in our hands till May 15.
Regardless of whether it's actually out yet, what I'm curious about is this, is there an automated update process or can it only be upgraded from a physical CD? From a technical standpoint, I had assumed that new releases like that would simple by available to "YOU" and I would wake up one morning to find I had 9.1 installed.
No, there are too many changes (2.4 to 2.6 kernel, new look and feel to KDE etc) to impose an upgrade on everybody. You need to use the CD to upgrade or do a fresh install. FWIW I keep my HD with 2 sets of system partitions (/ and /boot) and do the new fresh install over the older version. That way I can boot back if it's a complete disaster (never happened yet) and refer back (the old system is kept mounted on /altOS) for configuration details (which happens all the time).
From a business standpoint, I understand that SuSE also wants to maintain their revenue stream. This is fine with me, although I don't intend to pay $US80 every time a minor version comes out (I paid it for 9.0, and will happily do so for 10.0). I suppose that personally I'd prefer an ongoing subscription cost.
Generally Suse put out a new release every 6 months. They up the major number as necessary to keep it bigger than RedHat's. ;^) Suse (and all Lincies) are moving ahead so fast that most releases are worth buying. For me there are several much anticipated features of 9.1 2.6 kernel; I played with this on 9.0 until driver issues forced me back, it's noticeably faster. samba 3; at work I want my samba server to join an Active Domain. I'm hoping for better spam tools and courier imap integration with postfix. For a single computer you can regard your $80/6 months as a subscription but it's actually better than that, you get the shrink wrapped box and the right to install it on as many computers as you can lay your hands on, (72 in my case, but I run a cluster) also lend it to as many friends as your enthusiasm can sway. If they are sold enough to buy in 6 months time, the system is working well.
Anyway, not trying to change the world here, just wondering about what the done thing is currently, how it works, and how I can stay up to date as automatically as possible (and at a reasonable price).
It's a simple model, and for all the criticisms that are levelled at it it seems to work better than the other models. It is serving to fund a dynamic and well integrated product. my $AU 159.95 worth, michaelj -- Michael James michael.james@csiro.au System Administrator voice: 02 6246 5040 CSIRO Bioinformatics Facility fax: 02 6246 5166
On Thursday 29 April 2004 04.20, Michael James wrote:
It's been finalised, but here in the far-distant Antipodes I'm told we won't have the DVDs in our hands till May 15.
Yes, you can tell from the fact that there are updates published on the ftp site. They wouldn't publish YOU updates for 9.1 if they were still working on the iso files :)
No, there are too many changes (2.4 to 2.6 kernel, new look and feel to KDE etc) to impose an upgrade on everybody. You need to use the CD to upgrade or do a fresh install.
Things like that are never ever published through YOU, whether it's possible or not. But you most certainly don't need the CDs, it is quite possible to do a network install from ftp or nfs, when the files become available. What you would do is add the directory on the ftp or nfs server as an installation source in yast, enable it, and disable the old installation source. Then select "System update" in yast, let it run, then after one single reboot you're good to go with the new version. Naturally a backup of your important files and configuration data is advisable whenever you do something major like a system upgrade
On Thursday 29 April 2004 12:28 pm, Anders Johansson wrote:
Things like that are never ever published through YOU, whether it's possible or not. But you most certainly don't need the CDs, it is quite possible to do a network install from ftp or nfs, when the files become available.
What you would do is add the directory on the ftp or nfs server as an installation source in yast, enable it, and disable the old installation source. Then select "System update" in yast, let it run, then after one single reboot you're good to go with the new version.
I'd really love to do this, and I've had a stab at it, but I must admit that I couldn't figure out what directory on the SuSE ftp server to use as the "New Installation Source". I'm still just using my cd's as my only installation souce (although I have YOU working fine for online updates). Would you be able to point me at a particular path? Or define what YaST's requirements are for such a path? Craig
On Thursday 29 April 2004 05.09, Craig Ambrose wrote:
On Thursday 29 April 2004 12:28 pm, Anders Johansson wrote:
Things like that are never ever published through YOU, whether it's possible or not. But you most certainly don't need the CDs, it is quite possible to do a network install from ftp or nfs, when the files become available.
What you would do is add the directory on the ftp or nfs server as an installation source in yast, enable it, and disable the old installation source. Then select "System update" in yast, let it run, then after one single reboot you're good to go with the new version.
I'd really love to do this, and I've had a stab at it, but I must admit that I couldn't figure out what directory on the SuSE ftp server to use as the "New Installation Source".
Don't use suse's ftp server. It is constantly overloaded, and not the place you'd want to download gigabytes of data from
I'm still just using my cd's as my only installation souce (although I have YOU working fine for online updates).
Would you be able to point me at a particular path? Or define what YaST's requirements are for such a path?
The path is just the fully qualified path to the distribution directory. For example, using the gwdg.de mirror (though you will want to find a mirror physically closer to you) ftp://ftp.gwdg.de/linux/suse/ftp.suse.com/suse/i386/9.0 is the installation source for 9.0. In that directory there needs to be a certain structure, and a few files need to exist there aside from the packages themselves, but I'm a little hazy on the details, never having set one up manually Note that YaST has been inconsistent in its error messages, so if the ftp server you're connecting to answers "too many users right now, try again later", then yast may very well tell you that the path is bad
participants (3)
-
Anders Johansson -
Craig Ambrose -
Michael James