Upgrading Distros

[gaf at blu.org (Jerry Feldman)]

At the Linux Demo Days last week, someone mentioned that Mandrake 
recommends a full install.
Wass wrote:
> 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
> 
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-- 
Jerry Feldman <gaf at blu.org>
Boston Linux and Unix user group
http://www.blu.org


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