keeping up with the distros

[chris27]

With new versions coming out almost regularly now for just about all of the distros, how feasible is it to upgrade one's own system manually to keep in tandum with the most current release of one's distro? I have never attempted to do a manually upgrade just because it seems that so much changes that I wouldnt know where to begin with what appears to be a tedius and time consuming task of udating all the files and libraries. However, if someone can tell me that its actualy quite easy and quick to do, my pocketbook would be grateful..:)

[KarrottoP]

it kinda depends on your distro. I use debian and all I have to do is issue the following commands

apt-get update
apt-get upgrade
apt-get dist-upgrade

I think that that may be rhetorical somewhere but it basically upgrades all of my applications to the latest version....You can stay up to date with stable, unstable, and developmental depending on your needs. The only other thing to do is keep you kernel where you want it.....and Debian is not commercial so it won't hurt you pocketbook at all.

[chris27]

At the moment Im using Mandrake and Im not sure that I can update it as easily as you can update yours. At least, that whats I think. Does anyone else know how involved it is to upgrade mandrake? Especaially from 8.2 to current?

[bosox79]

Originally posted by chris27
At the moment Im using Mandrake and Im not sure that I can update it as easily as you can update yours. At least, that whats I think. Does anyone else know how involved it is to upgrade mandrake? Especaially from 8.2 to current?


if you want to do a full upgrade of pretty much any RPM based distro eg mandrake you will need to download the latest ISO images or purchase a set from a site like http://www.cheapbytes.com/ or an other number of sites you can pick up the CD's for like $5. Another option would be to just upgrade the programs you use most often with an RPM package. You should still be able to get the latest security & bug fix's for MD 8.2 for a while still. if you decide to update your whole distro via CD's you have two options 1. save all your personal file eg home directory to another hd partition or back it up to a CDR so you can restore it later after the update or 2. you can just upgrade your current distro via the upgrade option from the installer. This has caused problems for me in the past though;) just a heads up.

hope that helps you:cool:

[chrism01]

Well, for RH, use the up2date tool. Nice graphical interface, and handles dependencies for you :)
You have to register with RH, but I think the 1st machine is free. I added my 2nd machine for about 60 USD for 1 yr ( i think; can't remember how much exactly)
Works a treat. Also, you get email notifications if a security patch has been anounced/released.

[z0mbix]

Originally posted by chrism01
Well, for RH, use the up2date tool. Nice graphical interface, and handles dependencies for you :)
You have to register with RH, but I think the 1st machine is free. I added my 2nd machine for about 60 USD for 1 yr ( i think; can't remember how much exactly)
Works a treat. Also, you get email notifications if a security patch has been anounced/released.

up2date is quite good but you won't be able to upgrade your whole distro with it like with Debian's apt-get.