single file download to update ?

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misterpah
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single file download to update ?

Post#1 by misterpah » 17 Jan 2014, 05:08

Hi again.
I really love what you were doing here :
http://www.porteus.org/component/conten ... ually.html , http://dl.porteus.org/i486/current/modules/

now i can download modules and customize according to my heart content.

does this means we only have to download the latest 000-kernel.xzm to update the kernel to our old porteus?
* does the module interchangeable with the outdated porteus ?

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Ahau
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Re: single file download to update ?

Post#2 by Ahau » 17 Jan 2014, 06:29

If you are only looking to update your kernel and not the rest of your porteus system, you must replace, at a minimum, /boot/syslinux/vmlinuz (the kernel itself) and /porteus/base/000-kernel.xzm (the kernel modules aka drivers) -- these two are a matched pair and if you put the wrong kernel with the wrong kernel module you'll wind up with lots of broken things. So really, it's a two file replacement to update the kernel. Note that this will of course break other things that are built against the old kernel, like custom drivers and vbox.
Please take a look at our online documentation, here. Suggestions are welcome!

misterpah
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Re: single file download to update ?

Post#3 by misterpah » 17 Jan 2014, 11:03

great to know that..

so, if i update all the module inside the /CD_DRIVE/porteus/base/* (kernel,core,xorg,kde) ,
and doesn't change anything else() , will it work ? :crazy:

i was thinking that porteus might be configured to be a Semi-rolling distro..
just think the possibilities..
Porteus user never have to re-flash new ISO again, and update for porteus can be ported from PC to PC.
just like the OSX upgrade.
all of it without updating/destroying their previous porteus.

but, i cant be sure about the changes made to the modules. or the configuration saved inside previous porteus.

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brokenman
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Re: single file download to update ?

Post#4 by brokenman » 17 Jan 2014, 16:20

and doesn't change anything else() , will it work ?
No. As Ahau said above you also need to replace vmlinuz (which is not in base folder, it is at /mnt/sdxY/boot/syslinux).
So you would need to replace boot/syslinux/vmlinuz porteus/base/{000-kernel,001-core,002-xorg}
Of course this may lead to disaster in the case that whatever 003-desktop module you have was compiled against lesser versions than your updated files in the 00* modules. Updating 003-desktop relies on upstream keeping current with EVERY new package release that is updated in 001,002 which is unlikely.

The ideal system would be to push a button, have your system update to the latest version, and have no adverse consequences. Not very likely. Possible but not likely to happen this century.

There are many advantages and disadvantages to a rolling release. For Porteus (with a slackware base) we are sticking to the slackware release schedule. Slackware still remains one of the most stable distros available.
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brokenman
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Re: single file download to update ?

Post#5 by brokenman » 18 Jan 2014, 13:15

Never had an issue. Fingers crossed.
You're one of the lucky ones. I've also never had a problem here. Our server runs debian and I know Hamza has had a few minor problems. Nothing he couldn't fix quickly but he is certainly no average Joe. Somebody looking for a 'click one button and update is done' option is most likely NOT going to be using the standard debian. My main point was that updates are volatile no matter which system you are using. Windows even has 'automatic' updates where you don't have to do ANYTHING at all to screw your system up.

The current modular nature of linux means that this problem will not go away too soon. The fact that we use the word 'upstream' and 'package' means that updating one thing can often break another, even if it is not immediately evident. This is especially relevant when you bring a 'kernel' into the picture that is updated regularly.
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