On Sun, 02 Oct 2005 20:21:02 -0600 Darryl Gregorash
On 09/30/2005 07:23 AM, Mikus Grinbergs wrote:
and I always fear to go a step to far and lauch an unwanted install :-)
I seem to remember doing an install where I told it to update an existing system (at the same version). What it did was to replace __all__ the packages that the previous install (at the same version) had already put there.
I wish an install (even if unwanted) would SKIP installing a package if the package already there was the same (or newer) version. [I'm assuming those who WANTED a replace could have done "remove" or "format".]
If the new OS version is compiled with a different version of glibc (and very often this is the case), then replacing installed packages is essential. The version number on the package is not an issue, how software is compiled and linked is critical.
The situation that happened to me was that I used the CDs to install (I forget what, probably 9.2). But I was dissatisfied with the install. [I don't remember the details any more, but the install terminated before completing (perhaps while trying to define the network).] In any case, I did the install again (*without* re-formatting the partitions) FROM EXACTLY THE SAME CDs. I was forced to endure re-installing 1000+ packages (and putting the various CDs in the drive again), all of which took time + effort that I begrudged. I would have been much happier if the second install had skipped re-installing the packages that were there already. [And I thought the OP would have less to fear if an unwanted install were to *avoid* over-writing an existing system.] mikus