Upgrading Distros

[jeffwass at MIT.EDU (Wass)]

Hi,

	I've decided to upgrade my distro from Mandrake 6.0 to Mandrake
6.1.  However, there is very little information on the mandrake website
how to go about this process.  I've spent about 5 hours this morning 
diddling around with it, and gotten nowhere.
	What is the standard method for upgrading distro's like this,
while keeping old data and files?   I'd like to not have to wipe
my HD everytime I upgrade.
	First I decided to download the RPM directory in
install_base/Mandrake/RPMS via FTP.  However, I was unsure if I was to just
install these RPMS, or if more RPMS were needed (there was a redhat 
subdirectory under the mandrake base on the FTP sites, just like on my
mandrake 6.0 CD).  Or if something completely different needs to be done.
So after downloading this RPM directory (lots of stuff), I decided to hold
off for a bit.
	Searching around on the redhat website, i found a hint of
information, indicating that the system should boot off one of the
floppy boot images, and then the option is presented to upgrade
instead of install.
	I tried this, and made the netboot floppy, so I could upgrade
via FTP.  However, there is something wrong going on.  After I
connect to the FTP server, it downloads some ramdisk package, then
asks if I have SCSI drives.  Then it says "retrieving base/hdlists",
and stays here for nearly 20 minutes or so.  After this point, it 
returns to asking me if I have SCSI drives, and when i say no again, it
tries to get that hdlists file again.  upon failure the second time,
it says that the device is busy.  (note - during the retrieving
hdlists message, there are lots of network transfers occuring).
	I then tried to install via hard disk, because I did download
that RPM directory.  I used the boot.img image floppy, but for some
reason the installer can't find the mandrake directory tree on my
hard disk.  Is there a certain directory it needs to be?  right now
it's under my user directory.  I'm also not sure which of the
subdirectories I need from the FTP sites.  Do i need all?  there's
quite alot of bytes to download, if that's the case.  I'm also curious
if I need that redhat directory.  it's weird, on the README in the
parent node of the base tree, it doesn't list the redhat subdirectory,
but it's there on the server.
	I'm a bit frustrated, especially by the lack of info that I could
find for this process.  If anyone can point me to some info for upgrading,
especially Mandrake specific, I'd really appreciate it!!  Has
anyone successfully installed mandrake 6.1 yet??

	Thanks,

	- wass

-
Subcription/unsubscription/info requests: send e-mail with
"subscribe", "unsubscribe", or "info" on the first line of the
message body to discuss-request at blu.org (Subject line is ignored).