* Mark or2uvma02@sneakemail.com [20051127 01:37]:
A new theme now, user upgrades. This note is not about grml2hd, just how to keep my users current over time.
Suppose that, for my users, I execute grml2hd to install GRML; and then, on top of GRML, Debian desktop packages (mostly GNOME, maybe Ubuntu if it will work). This is my current plan.
The question I have is what problems/issues you foresee in terms of upgrading users over time where GRML is the underlying Debian system. I need to avoid full system re-installs (grml2hd all over again). I believe this job is easy. I just thought I would ask. Experience teaches me that others often think of things that I do not foresee. The main items I want to keep upgraded are (1) kernel and (2) GRML h/w autodetection. These are the critical ones. Both affect driver/hardware support.
You can upgrade your systems the same way as on plain Debian systems. 'apt-get update ; apt-get upgrade' (or even better: use aptitude).
The grml-related stuff:
There's a virtual package named 'grml' which was introduced with grml 0.5 to make sure that an upgrade to a new release won't break anything. Run 'apt-get update ; apt-get install grml' when a new grml release is available and your grml packages will be up2date.
All grml-related packages start with name 'grml-'. (That's a policy.) This allows you to do stuff like (untested command line, just to get an idea):
# for package in `dpkg --get-selections|grep '^grml'` ; do echo $package hold | dpkg --set-selections ; done
This examples would put all grml packages to status hold. Upgrades won't affect grml related packages then.
Kernel:
Stable grml kernels can be upgraded through the grml repostory like as normal packages.
Not yet officially released kernels - the beta-releases - can be found at http://dufo.tugraz.at/~prokop/grml-kernel/ These are also the ones used on grml-develreleases BTW.
And of course you can install and run kernels provided by Debian:
% apt-cache search linux image
Then install and use the one which corresponds best to the used hardware.
regards, -mika-