Recommended source.list and apt (pinning) setting for HD install?
Before 'grml2hd-utils' could fetch packets (e.g. for multimedia stuff) I had to modify my default? source.list by activating
---------- # MPEG, divx...: deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org sid main deb-src http://www.debian-multimedia.org sid main ---------
in this case.
Because I'm still using default (at installation time) settings for source.list and apt-pinning (preferences)
Question: Is there a recommended way of setting up (and maintain) packet assortment on a grml-HD-installation?
I'm searching for a solution to permanently void packet chaos (maybe) caused by incompatible packet / repository dependencies when using (complex) pinning as it is at grml.
* Robert Zöhrer robert.zoehrer@pronet.at [20070105 12:30]:
Before 'grml2hd-utils' could fetch packets (e.g. for multimedia stuff) I had to modify my default? source.list by activating
# MPEG, divx...: deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org sid main deb-src http://www.debian-multimedia.org sid main
in this case.
This shouldn't be the case as the script install-packages-useful (part of grml2hd-utils) uses its own temporary sources.list.
But multimedia stuff needs small adjustments because mplayer is part of Debian/unstable now, I'll upload a working grml2hd-utils package (fixing the multimedia stuff) soon.
Because I'm still using default (at installation time) settings for source.list and apt-pinning (preferences)
Question: Is there a recommended way of setting up (and maintain) packet assortment on a grml-HD-installation?
Using the defaults shipped by grml works great. ;)
It depends on your needs. If you want to "freeze your installation" activate only the grml-stable repository so you just receive bugfixes of grml-packages. If you want to stay up2date with Debian's pool as well just activate the unstable-pool as well - that's what grml ships by default.
If you want to get the latest packages of grml (including development stuff and new packages) activate grml-testing repository as well.
All the other repositories available in sources.list should be used with causition and only of you really need it.
You lost your sources.list or don't know what's state of the art at grml? Just take a look at /etc/apt/sources.list.grml - the file shipped by default at grml as /etc/apt/sources.list.
You can get the most current version of the file through the web (thanks to mercurial :)) as well:
http://hg.grml.org/grml-etc-core/file/tip/etc/apt/sources.list.grml
You can even follow updates of sources.list.grml through symlinking the file ('cd /etc/apt ; ln -s sources.list.grml sources.list') - as soon as you update package grml-etc-core and the package includes an updated version of sources.list.grml you have it available for use with apt-get/aptitude as well. ;) And of course you can use the file as base for your own sources.list version then.
I'm searching for a solution to permanently void packet chaos (maybe) caused by incompatible packet / repository dependencies when using (complex) pinning as it is at grml.
grml does not use complex pinning. :) It just looks like:
http://hg.grml.org/grml-etc-core/file/tip/etc/apt/preferences.grml
So we just make sure packages from *grml.org receive high priority, following unstable pool and on the end of the list the not-so-important stuff (in case someone uses those repositories).
regards, -mika-
Michael Prokop schrieb:
This shouldn't be the case as the script install-packages-useful (part of grml2hd-utils) uses its own temporary sources.list.
ah
But multimedia stuff needs small adjustments because mplayer is part of Debian/unstable now, I'll upload a working grml2hd-utils package
yes .. I noticed some error messages from apt caused by missing or wrong repository sources
(fixing the multimedia stuff) soon.
thx
Question: Is there a recommended way of setting up (and maintain) packet assortment on a grml-HD-installation?
Using the defaults shipped by grml works great. ;)
It depends on your needs. If you want to "freeze your installation" activate only the grml-stable repository so you just receive
bugfixes of grml-packages. If you want to stay up2date with Debian's pool as well just activate the unstable-pool as well - that's what grml ships by default.
Up2date with Debian unstable is my actual config
You can even follow updates of sources.list.grml through symlinking the file ('cd /etc/apt ; ln -s sources.list.grml sources.list') - as
yes .. I allready have this symlink as well as
preferences -> preferences.grml
I'm searching for a solution to permanently void packet chaos (maybe) caused by incompatible packet / repository dependencies when using (complex) pinning as it is at grml.
grml does not use complex pinning. :) It just looks like:
I had little fear of packet chaos and complex dependencies in time between grml releases when updating from debian unstable and the other (e.g. ubuntu) repositories.
But rather the whole question (for me) is when to update which (every or manualy selected?) packets to have a good compromise between system stability and up-to-dateness.
I think I'm not able to (or there is no time to) verify each packet which could be updated when using debian unstable if it's high risk for system stability and/or security.
Maybe it would be better (for me) to freeze (e.g. just a grml debian testing pinning) and install only security relevant updates.
But this question isn't really grml specific and further was dicussed some threads ago ;)
@mika: THX for your detailed answer
Robert
* Robert Zöhrer robert.zoehrer@pronet.at [20070107 20:15]:
But rather the whole question (for me) is when to update which (every or manualy selected?) packets to have a good compromise between system stability and up-to-dateness.
I think I'm not able to (or there is no time to) verify each packet which could be updated when using debian unstable if it's high risk for system stability and/or security.
Then the best choice for you might be to run a full upgrade ('aptitude update; aptitude dist-upgrade') at the time when a new grml release is available. (Of course you can update and install some selected packages in the meantime as well - I'm talking about the full-upgrade.)
At the time of a new grml-release http://wiki.grml.org/doku.php?id=upgrading should be up2date and you should not encounter any problems - but *if* *so* they are probably already mentioned on the wiki-page including a workaround for the problem. Of course it's not a guaranty that all the >2000 packages on your box work flawless (especially the ones not shipped by grml OOTB ;)), but at least the upgrade should run quite smooth. ;)
Using the mail produced by apt-listchanges allows you to identify new features of software and possible problems in your setup (if you notice any). Additionally apt-listbugs should prevent you from upgrading packages that are known to be broken.
That's BTW the way I usually handle my systems as well.
Maybe it would be better (for me) to freeze (e.g. just a grml debian testing pinning) and install only security relevant updates.
Then debsecan might be interesting for you as well.
regards, -mika-
Teilnehmer (2)
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"Robert Zöhrer | pronet.at" -
Michael Prokop