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diff --git a/includes/squeeze/common/doc/FAQ/html/ch-uptodate.en.html b/includes/squeeze/common/doc/FAQ/html/ch-uptodate.en.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5f13eb5 --- /dev/null +++ b/includes/squeeze/common/doc/FAQ/html/ch-uptodate.en.html @@ -0,0 +1,636 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN"> + +<html> + +<head> + +<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<title>The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ - Keeping your Debian system up-to-date</title> + +<link href="index.en.html" rel="start"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html" rel="prev"> +<link href="ch-kernel.en.html" rel="next"> +<link href="index.en.html#contents" rel="contents"> +<link href="index.en.html#copyright" rel="copyright"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html" rel="chapter" title="1 Definitions and overview"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html" rel="chapter" title="2 Getting and installing Debian GNU/Linux"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html" rel="chapter" title="3 Choosing a Debian distribution"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html" rel="chapter" title="4 Compatibility issues"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html" rel="chapter" title="5 Software available in the Debian system"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html" rel="chapter" title="6 The Debian FTP archives"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html" rel="chapter" title="7 Basics of the Debian package management system"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html" rel="chapter" title="8 The Debian package management tools"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html" rel="chapter" title="9 Keeping your Debian system up-to-date"> +<link href="ch-kernel.en.html" rel="chapter" title="10 Debian and the kernel"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html" rel="chapter" title="11 Customizing your installation of Debian GNU/Linux"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html" rel="chapter" title="12 Getting support for Debian GNU/Linux"> +<link href="ch-contributing.en.html" rel="chapter" title="13 Contributing to the Debian Project"> +<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html" rel="chapter" title="14 Redistributing Debian GNU/Linux in a commercial product"> +<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html" rel="chapter" title="15 Changes expected in the next major release of Debian"> +<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html" rel="chapter" title="16 General information about the FAQ"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-whatisfaq" rel="section" title="1.1 What is this FAQ?"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-whatisdebian" rel="section" title="1.2 What is Debian GNU/Linux?"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-linux" rel="section" title="1.3 OK, now I know what Debian is... what is Linux?!"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-non-linux" rel="section" title="1.4 Does Debian just do GNU/Linux?"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-difference" rel="section" title="1.5 What is the difference between Debian GNU/Linux and other Linux distributions? Why should I choose Debian over some other distribution?"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-gnu" rel="section" title="1.6 How does the Debian project fit in or compare with the Free Software Foundation's GNU project?"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-pronunciation" rel="section" title="1.7 How does one pronounce Debian and what does this word mean?"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-version" rel="section" title="2.1 What is the latest version of Debian?"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-updatestable" rel="section" title="2.2 Are there package upgrades in `stable'?"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-boot-floppies" rel="section" title="2.3 Where/how can I get the Debian installation disks?"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-cdrom" rel="section" title="2.4 How do I install the Debian from CD-ROMs?"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-cdimage-symlinks" rel="section" title="2.5 Why does the official stable released CD-ROM contain symlinks for `frozen' and `unstable'? I thought this CD contains just `stable'!"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-remoteinstall" rel="section" title="2.6 Can I get and install Debian directly from a remote Internet site?"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-alternativebootinstaller" rel="section" title="2.7 Are there any alternative strategies for booting the system installer?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1" rel="section" title="3.1 Which Debian distribution (stable/testing/unstable) is better for me?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2" rel="section" title="3.2 But what about Knoppix, Linex, Ubuntu, and others?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-arches" rel="section" title="4.1 On what hardware architectures/systems does Debian GNU/Linux run?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherdistribs" rel="section" title="4.2 How compatible is Debian with other distributions of Linux?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherunices" rel="section" title="4.3 How source code compatible is Debian with other Unix systems?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherpackages" rel="section" title="4.4 Can I use Debian packages (".deb" files) on my Red Hat/Slackware/... Linux system? Can I use Red Hat packages (".rpm" files) on my Debian GNU/Linux system?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-non-debian-programs" rel="section" title="4.5 How should I install a non-Debian program?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-termcap" rel="section" title="4.6 Why can't I compile programs that require libtermcap?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-accelx" rel="section" title="4.7 Why can't I install AccelX?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-motifnls" rel="section" title="4.8 Why do my old XFree 2.1 Motif applications crash?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-apps" rel="section" title="5.1 What types of applications and development software are available for Debian GNU/Linux?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-softwareauthors" rel="section" title="5.2 Who wrote all that software?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-pkglist" rel="section" title="5.3 How can I get a current list of programs that have been packaged for Debian?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-buildenv" rel="section" title="5.4 How can I install a developer's environment to build packages?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-missing" rel="section" title="5.5 What is missing from Debian GNU/Linux?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-no-devs" rel="section" title="5.6 Why do I get "ld: cannot find -lfoo" messages when compiling programs? Why aren't there any libfoo.so files in Debian library packages?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-java" rel="section" title="5.7 (How) Does Debian support Java?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-isitdebian" rel="section" title="5.8 How can I check that I am using a Debian system, and what version is it?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-nonenglish" rel="section" title="5.9 How does Debian support non-English languages?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-pine" rel="section" title="5.10 Where is pine?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-qmail" rel="section" title="5.11 Where is qmail/ezmlm/djbdns?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-flash" rel="section" title="5.12 Where is a player for Flash (SWF)?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-googleearth" rel="section" title="5.13 Where is Google Earth?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-voip" rel="section" title="5.14 Where is VoIP software?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-nonfreewireless" rel="section" title="5.15 I have a wireless network card which doesn't work with Linux. What should I do?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-dists" rel="section" title="6.1 How many Debian distributions are there?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-codenames" rel="section" title="6.2 What are all those names like etch, lenny, etc.?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-sid" rel="section" title="6.3 What about "sid"?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-stable" rel="section" title="6.4 What does the stable directory contain?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-testing" rel="section" title="6.5 What does the testing distribution contain?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-unstable" rel="section" title="6.6 What does the unstable distribution contain?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-dirtree" rel="section" title="6.7 What are all those directories at the Debian FTP archives?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-archsections" rel="section" title="6.8 What are all those directories inside <samp>dists/stable/main</samp>?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-source" rel="section" title="6.9 Where is the source code?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-pools" rel="section" title="6.10 What's in the <samp>pool</samp> directory?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-incoming" rel="section" title="6.11 What is "incoming"?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-ownrepository" rel="section" title="6.12 How do I set up my own apt-able repository?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-package" rel="section" title="7.1 What is a Debian package?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-deb-format" rel="section" title="7.2 What is the format of a Debian binary package?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pkgname" rel="section" title="7.3 Why are Debian package file names so long?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-controlfile" rel="section" title="7.4 What is a Debian control file?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-conffile" rel="section" title="7.5 What is a Debian conffile?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-maintscripts" rel="section" title="7.6 What is a Debian preinst, postinst, prerm, and postrm script?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-priority" rel="section" title="7.7 What is an <em>Essential</em>, <em>Required</em>, <em>Important</em>, <em>Standard</em>, <em>Optional</em>, or <em>Extra</em> package?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-virtual" rel="section" title="7.8 What is a Virtual Package?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-depends" rel="section" title="7.9 What is meant by saying that a package <em>Depends</em>, <em>Recommends</em>, <em>Suggests</em>, <em>Conflicts</em>, <em>Replaces</em> or <em>Provides</em> another package?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pre-depends" rel="section" title="7.10 What is meant by Pre-Depends?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pkgstatus" rel="section" title="7.11 What is meant by <em>unknown</em>, <em>install</em>, <em>remove</em>, <em>purge</em> and <em>hold</em> in the package status?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-puttingonhold" rel="section" title="7.12 How do I put a package on hold?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-sourcepkgs" rel="section" title="7.13 How do I install a source package?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-sourcebuild" rel="section" title="7.14 How do I build binary packages from a source package?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-creatingdebs" rel="section" title="7.15 How do I create Debian packages myself?"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-pkgprogs" rel="section" title="8.1 What programs does Debian provide for managing its packages?"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-updaterunning" rel="section" title="8.2 Debian claims to be able to update a running program; how is this accomplished?"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-whatpackages" rel="section" title="8.3 How can I tell what packages are already installed on a Debian system?"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-listfiles" rel="section" title="8.4 How to display the files of a package installed?"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-filesearch" rel="section" title="8.5 How can I find out what package produced a particular file?"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-datapackages" rel="section" title="8.6 Why doesn't get `foo-data' removed when I uninstall `foo'? How do I make sure old unused library-packages get purged?"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-howtocurrent" rel="section" title="9.1 How can I keep my Debian system current?"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-upgradesingle" rel="section" title="9.2 Must I go into single user mode in order to upgrade a package?"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-savedebs" rel="section" title="9.3 Do I have to keep all those .deb archive files on my disk?"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-keepingalog" rel="section" title="9.4 How can I keep a log of the packages I added to the system? I'd like to know when which package upgrades and removals have occured!"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-autoupdate" rel="section" title="9.5 Can I automatically update the system?"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-aptproxy" rel="section" title="9.6 I have several machines how can I download the updates only one time?"> +<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-non-debian-kernel" rel="section" title="10.1 Can I install and compile a kernel without some Debian-specific tweaking?"> +<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-customkernel" rel="section" title="10.2 What tools does Debian provide to build custom kernels?"> +<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-custombootdisk" rel="section" title="10.3 How can I make a custom boot floppy?"> +<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-modules" rel="section" title="10.4 What special provisions does Debian provide to deal with modules?"> +<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-removeoldkernel" rel="section" title="10.5 Can I safely de-install an old kernel package, and if so, how?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-papersize" rel="section" title="11.1 How can I ensure that all programs use the same paper size?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-hardwareaccess" rel="section" title="11.2 How can I provide access to hardware peripherals, without compromising security?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-consolefont" rel="section" title="11.3 How do I load a console font on startup the Debian way?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-appdefaults" rel="section" title="11.4 How can I configure an X11 program's application defaults?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-booting" rel="section" title="11.5 Every distribution seems to have a different boot-up method. Tell me about Debian's."> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-custombootscripts" rel="section" title="11.6 It looks as if Debian does not use <samp>rc.local</samp> to customize the boot process; what facilities are provided?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-interconffiles" rel="section" title="11.7 How does the package management system deal with packages that contain configuration files for other packages?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-divert" rel="section" title="11.8 How do I override a file installed by a package, so that a different version can be used instead?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-localpackages" rel="section" title="11.9 How can I have my locally-built package included in the list of available packages that the package management system knows about?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-diverse" rel="section" title="11.10 Some users like mawk, others like gawk; some like vim, others like elvis; some like trn, others like tin; how does Debian support diversity?"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-debiandocs" rel="section" title="12.1 What other documentation exists on and for a Debian system?"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-onlineresources" rel="section" title="12.2 Are there any on-line resources for discussing Debian?"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-searchtools" rel="section" title="12.3 Is there a quick way to search for information on Debian GNU/Linux?"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-buglogs" rel="section" title="12.4 Are there logs of known bugs?"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-bugreport" rel="section" title="12.5 How do I report a bug in Debian?"> +<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-contrib" rel="section" title="13.1 How can I become a Debian software developer?"> +<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-contribresources" rel="section" title="13.2 How can I contribute resources to the Debian project?"> +<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-supportingorganizations" rel="section" title="13.3 How can I contribute financially to the Debian project?"> +<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-sellcds" rel="section" title="14.1 Can I make and sell Debian CDs?"> +<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-packagednonfree" rel="section" title="14.2 Can Debian be packaged with non-free software?"> +<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-childistro" rel="section" title="14.3 I am making a special Linux distribution for a "vertical market". Can I use Debian GNU/Linux for the guts of a Linux system and add my own applications on top of it?"> +<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-commercialdebs" rel="section" title="14.4 Can I put my commercial program in a Debian "package" so that it installs effortlessly on any Debian system?"> +<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-i18n" rel="section" title="15.1 Extended support for non-English users"> +<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-dependencybasedboot" rel="section" title="15.2 Faster booting: Dependency based boot sequence"> +<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-di" rel="section" title="15.3 Improvements in the Debian Installer"> +<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-morearches" rel="section" title="15.4 More architectures"> +<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-morekernels" rel="section" title="15.5 More kernels"> +<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-authors" rel="section" title="16.1 Authors"> +<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-feedback" rel="section" title="16.2 Feedback"> +<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-latest" rel="section" title="16.3 Availability"> +<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-docformat" rel="section" title="16.4 Document format"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.1" rel="subsection" title="3.1.1 You asked me to install stable, but in stable so and so hardware is not detected/working. What should I do?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.2" rel="subsection" title="3.1.2 Will there be different different versions of packages in different distributions?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.3" rel="subsection" title="3.1.3 The stable distributions really contains outdated packages. Just look at Kde, Gnome, Xorg or even the kernel. They are very old. Why is it so?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.4" rel="subsection" title="3.1.4 If I were to decide to change to another distribution, Can I do that?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.5" rel="subsection" title="3.1.5 Could you tell me whether to install testing or unstable?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.6" rel="subsection" title="3.1.6 You are talking about testing being broken. What do you mean by that?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.7" rel="subsection" title="3.1.7 Why is it that testing could be broken for months? Wont the fixes introduced in unstable flow directly down into testing?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.8" rel="subsection" title="3.1.8 From an administrator's point of view, Which distribution requires more attention?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.9" rel="subsection" title="3.1.9 What happens when a new release is made?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.10" rel="subsection" title="3.1.10 I have a working Desktop/cluster with Debian installed. How do I know which distribution I am running?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.11" rel="subsection" title="3.1.11 I am currently tracking stable. Can I change to testing or unstable? If so, How?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.12" rel="subsection" title="3.1.12 I am currently tracking testing (lenny). What will happen when a release is made? Will I still be tracking testing or will my machine be running the new stable distribution?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.13" rel="subsection" title="3.1.13 I am still confused. What did you say I should install?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2.1" rel="subsection" title="3.2.1 I know that Knoppix/Linex/Ubuntu/... is Debian-based. So after installing it on the hard disk, can I use 'apt' package tools on it?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2.2" rel="subsection" title="3.2.2 I installed Knoppix/Linex/Ubuntu/... on my hard disk. Now I have a problem. What should I do?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2.3" rel="subsection" title="3.2.3 I'm using Knoppix/Linex/Ubuntu/... and now I want to use Debian. How do I migrate?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-oldcodenames" rel="subsection" title="6.2.1 Which other codenames have been used in the past?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-sourceforcodenames" rel="subsection" title="6.2.2 Where do these codenames come from?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-frozen" rel="subsection" title="6.5.1 What about "testing"? How is it `frozen'?"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg" rel="subsection" title="8.1.1 dpkg"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-apt-get" rel="subsection" title="8.1.2 APT"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-aptitude" rel="subsection" title="8.1.3 aptitude"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-synaptic" rel="subsection" title="8.1.4 synaptic"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-tasksel" rel="subsection" title="8.1.5 tasksel"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg-extra" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6 Other package management tools"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dselect" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6.1 dselect"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg-deb" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6.2 dpkg-deb"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg-split" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6.3 dpkg-split"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-aptitude-upgrade" rel="subsection" title="9.1.1 aptitude"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-apt" rel="subsection" title="9.1.2 apt-get, dselect and apt-cdrom"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-update_aptitude" rel="subsection" title="9.1.3 aptitude"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-mirror" rel="subsection" title="9.1.4 mirror"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-dpkg-mountable" rel="subsection" title="9.1.5 dpkg-mountable"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.1" rel="subsection" title="12.2.1 Mailing lists"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-mailinglistconduct" rel="subsection" title="12.2.1.1 What is the code of conduct for the mailing lists?"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.2" rel="subsection" title="12.2.2 Web forums"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.3" rel="subsection" title="12.2.3 Wiki"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.4" rel="subsection" title="12.2.4 Maintainers"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.5" rel="subsection" title="12.2.5 Usenet newsgroups"> +<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-SPI" rel="subsection" title="13.3.1 Software in the Public Interest"> +<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-FSF" rel="subsection" title="13.3.2 Free Software Foundation"> + +</head> + +<body> + +<p><a name="ch-uptodate"></a></p> +<hr> + +<p> +[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">previous</a> ] +[ <a href="index.en.html#contents">Contents</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html">1</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-getting.en.html">2</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-choosing.en.html">3</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-compat.en.html">4</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">5</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">6</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html">7</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">8</a> ] +[ 9 ] +[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">10</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-customizing.en.html">11</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-support.en.html">12</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">13</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">14</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">15</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">16</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">next</a> ] +</p> + +<hr> + +<h1> +The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ +<br>Chapter 9 - Keeping your Debian system up-to-date +</h1> + +<hr> + +<p> +A Debian goal is to provide a consistent upgrade path and a secure upgrade +process. We always do our best to make upgrading to new releases a smooth +procedure. In case there's some important note to add to the upgrade process, +the packages will alert the user, and often provide a solution to a possible +problem. +</p> + +<p> +You should also read the Release Notes document that describes the details of +specific upgrades. It is shipped on all Debian CDs and available on the WWW at +<code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/releasenotes">http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/releasenotes</a></code>. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-howtocurrent"></a>9.1 How can I keep my Debian system current?</h2> + +<p> +One could simply execute an anonymous ftp call to a Debian archive, then peruse +the directories until one finds the desired file, and then fetch it, and +finally install it using <samp>dpkg</samp>. Note that <samp>dpkg</samp> will +install upgrade files in place, even on a running system. Sometimes, a revised +package will require the installation of a newly revised version of another +package, in which case the installation will fail until/unless the other +package is installed. +</p> + +<p> +Many people find this approach much too time-consuming, since Debian evolves so +quickly -- typically, a dozen or more new packages are uploaded every week. +This number is larger just before a new major release. To deal with this +avalanche, many people prefer to use a more automated method. Several +different packages are available for this purpose: +</p> + +<hr> + +<h3><a name="s-aptitude-upgrade"></a>9.1.1 aptitude</h3> + +<p> +APT is an advanced interface to the Debian packaging system. It features +complete installation ordering, multiple source capability and several other +unique features, see the User's Guide in +<samp>/usr/share/doc/apt-doc/guide.html/index.html</samp> (you will have to +install the <samp>apt-doc</samp> package). +</p> + +<p> +<code>aptitude</code> is the recommended package manager for Debian GNU/Linux +systems. It is a text-based interface to APT using the curses library, and can +be used to perform management tasks in a fast and easy way. +</p> + +<p> +Before you can use <code>aptitude</code>, you'll have to edit the +<samp>/etc/apt/sources.list</samp> file to set it up. If you wish to upgrade +to the latest stable version of Debian, you'll probably want to use a source +like this one: +</p> + +<pre> + http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian stable main contrib non-free +</pre> + +<p> +You can replace ftp.us.debian.org with the name of a faster Debian mirror near +you. See the mirror list at <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/mirror/list">http://www.debian.org/mirror/list</a></code> +for more information. +</p> + +<p> +More details on this can be found in the <code>sources.list(8)</code> manual +page. +</p> + +<p> +To update your system, run +</p> + +<pre> + aptitude update +</pre> + +<p> +followed by +</p> + +<pre> + aptitude dist-upgrade +</pre> + +<p> +Answer any questions that might come up, and your system will be upgraded. See +also <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-aptitude">aptitude, Section 8.1.3</a>. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h3><a name="s-apt"></a>9.1.2 apt-get, dselect and apt-cdrom</h3> + +<p> +<code>apt-get</code> is an APT-based command-line tool for handling packages, +and the APT dselect method is an interface to APT through <code>dselect</code>. +Both of these provide a simple, safe way to install and upgrade packages. +</p> + +<p> +To use <code>apt-get</code>, install the <code>apt</code> package, and edit the +<samp>/etc/apt/sources.list</samp> file to set it up, just as for <a +href="#s-aptitude-upgrade">aptitude, Section 9.1.1</a>. +</p> + +<p> +Then run +</p> + +<pre> + apt-get update +</pre> + +<p> +followed by +</p> + +<pre> + apt-get dist-upgrade +</pre> + +<p> +Answer any questions that might come up, and your system will be upgraded. See +also the <code>apt-get(8)</code> manual page, as well as <a +href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-apt-get">APT, Section 8.1.2</a>. +</p> + +<p> +To use APT with <code>dselect</code>, choose the APT access method in dselect's +method selection screen (option 0) and then specify the sources that should be +used. The configuration file is <code>/etc/apt/sources.list</code>. See also +<a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dselect">dselect, Section 8.1.6.1</a>. +</p> + +<p> +If you want to use CDs to install packages, you can use <code>apt-cdrom</code>. +For details, please see the Release Notes, section "Setting up for an +upgrade from a local mirror". +</p> + +<p> +Please note that when you get and install the packages, you'll still have them +kept in your /var directory hierarchy. To keep your partition from +overflowing, remember to delete extra files using <samp>apt-get clean</samp> +and <samp>apt-get autoclean</samp>, or to move them someplace else (hint: use +<code>apt-move</code>). +</p> + +<hr> + +<h3><a name="s-update_aptitude"></a>9.1.3 aptitude</h3> + +<p> +<code>aptitude</code> is a text-based interface to the Debian package system. +It allows the user to view the list of packages and to perform package +management tasks such as installing, upgrading, and removing packages (see <a +href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-aptitude">aptitude, Section 8.1.3</a>). Actions +may be performed from a visual interface or from the command-line. +</p> + +<p> +In command line, the actions are similar to that of APT, so to upgrade your +system run +</p> + +<pre> + aptitude update +</pre> + +<p> +followed by +</p> + +<pre> + aptitude dist-upgrade +</pre> + +<p> +To upgrade from a preview release, <code>aptitude</code> is the tool +recommended. Read the Release Notes at <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/releasenotes">http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/releasenotes</a></code>. +</p> + +<p> +For details, see the manual page <code>aptitude(8)</code>, and the file +<code>/usr/share/aptitude/README</code> +</p> + +<hr> + +<h3><a name="s-mirror"></a>9.1.4 mirror</h3> + +<p> +This Perl script, and its (optional) manager program called +<code>mirror-master</code>, can be used to fetch user-specified parts of a +directory tree from a specified host <em>via</em> anonymous FTP. +</p> + +<p> +<code>mirror</code> is particularly useful for downloading large volumes of +software. After the first time files have been downloaded from a site, a file +called <samp>.mirrorinfo</samp> is stored on the local host. Changes to the +remote file system are tracked automatically by <code>mirror</code>, which +compares this file to a similar file on the remote system and downloads only +changed files. +</p> + +<p> +The <code>mirror</code> program is generally useful for updating local copies +of remote directory trees. The files fetched need not be Debian files. (Since +<code>mirror</code> is a Perl script, it can also run on non-Unix systems.) +Though the <code>mirror</code> program provides mechanisms for excluding files +names of which match user-specified strings, this program is most useful when +the objective is to download whole directory trees, rather than selected +packages. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h3><a name="s-dpkg-mountable"></a>9.1.5 dpkg-mountable</h3> + +<p> +dpkg-mountable adds an access method called `mountable' to dselect's list, +which allows you to install from any file system specified in /etc/fstab. For +example, the archive could be a normal hard disk partition or an NFS server, +which it will automatically mount and umount for you if necessary. +</p> + +<p> +It also has some extra features not found in the standard dselect methods, such +as provision for a local file tree (either parallel to the main distribution or +totally separate), and only getting packages which are required, rather than +the time-consuming recursive directory scan, as well as logging of all dpkg +actions in the install method. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-upgradesingle"></a>9.2 Must I go into single user mode in order to upgrade a package?</h2> + +<p> +No. Packages can be upgraded in place, even in running systems. Debian has a +<samp>start-stop-daemon</samp> program that is invoked to stop, then restart +running process if necessary during a package upgrade. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-savedebs"></a>9.3 Do I have to keep all those .deb archive files on my disk?</h2> + +<p> +No. If you have downloaded the files to your disk then after you have +installed the packages, you can remove them from your system, e.g. by running +<samp>aptitude clean</samp>. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-keepingalog"></a>9.4 How can I keep a log of the packages I added to the system? I'd like to know when which package upgrades and removals have occured!</h2> + +<p> +Passing the <samp>--log</samp>-option to <code>dpkg</code> makes +<code>dpkg</code> log status change updates and actions. It logs both the +<code>dpkg</code>-invokation (e.g. +</p> + +<pre> + 2005-12-30 18:10:33 install hello 1.3.18 2.1.1-4 +</pre> + +<p> +) and the results (e.g. +</p> + +<pre> + 2005-12-30 18:10:35 status installed hello 2.1.1-4 +</pre> + +<p> +) If you'd like to log all your <code>dpkg</code> invokations (even those done +using frontends like <code>aptitude</code>), you could add +</p> + +<pre> + log /var/log/dpkg.log +</pre> + +<p> +to your <code>/etc/dpkg/dpkg.cfg</code>. Be sure the created logfile gets +rotated periodically. If you're using <code>logrotate</code>, this can be +achieved by creating a file <code>/etc/logrotate.d/dpkg</code> with contents +</p> + +<pre> + /var/log/dpkg { + missingok + notifempty + } +</pre> + +<p> +More details on <code>dpkg</code> logging can be found in the +<code>dpkg(1)</code> manual page. +</p> + +<p> +<code>aptitude</code> logs the package installations, removals, and upgrades +that it intends to perform to <code>/var/log/aptitude</code>. Note that the +<em>results</em> of those actions are not recorded in this file! +</p> + +<p> +Another way to record your actions is to run your package management session +within the <code>script(1)</code> program. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-autoupdate"></a>9.5 Can I automatically update the system?</h2> + +<p> +Yes. You can use <code>cron-apt</code>, this tool updates the system at +regular interval by using a cron job. By default it just updates the package +list and download new packages without installing. +</p> + +<p> +Note: Automatic upgrade of packages is <strong>NOT</strong> recommended in +<em>testing</em> or <em>unstable</em> systems as this might bring unexpected +behaviour and remove packages without notice. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-aptproxy"></a>9.6 I have several machines how can I download the updates only one time?</h2> + +<p> +If you have more than one Debian machine on your network, it is useful to use +<code>apt-proxy</code> to keep all of your Debian systems up-to-date. +</p> + +<p> +<code>apt-proxy</code> reduces the bandwidth requirements of Debian mirrors by +restricting the frequency of Packages, Releases and Sources file updates from +the back end and only doing a single fetch for any file, independently of the +actual request it from the proxy. <code>apt-proxy</code> automatically builds +a Debian HTTP mirror based on requests which pass through the proxy. +</p> + +<p> +For more details, see the apt-proxy homepage at <code><a +href="http://apt-proxy.sourceforge.net/">http://apt-proxy.sourceforge.net/</a></code> +</p> + +<p> +Of course, you can get the same benefit if you are already using a standard +caching proxy and all your systems are configured to use it. +</p> + +<hr> + +<p> +[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">previous</a> ] +[ <a href="index.en.html#contents">Contents</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html">1</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-getting.en.html">2</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-choosing.en.html">3</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-compat.en.html">4</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">5</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">6</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html">7</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">8</a> ] +[ 9 ] +[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">10</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-customizing.en.html">11</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-support.en.html">12</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">13</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">14</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">15</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">16</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">next</a> ] +</p> + +<hr> + +<p> +The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ +</p> + +<address> +version 4.0.4+nmu1, 3 January 2010<br> +<br> +Authors are listed at <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-authors">Debian FAQ Authors</a><br> +<br> +</address> +<hr> + +</body> + +</html> + |