Bug#406131: - Document how to do partial updates for users tight on space

[Giovanni Rapagnani <rapagnani@gmail.com>]

On 26/11/08 15:43, Javier Fernández-Sanguino Peña wrote:
> I would skip the 'mv /var/cache/apt/archives'step. It might be wiser just to
> mount the temporary hard disk over at /var/cache/apt/archives. The original
> location will be "hidden" to the filesystem. Then, when the upgrade is
> finished you just have to umount the temporary hard disk and you don't have
> to restore (i.e. mv /var/cache/apt/archives.orig to /var/cache/apt/archives)
>
> This is my proposed procedure:
>
>> Disable the current archives directory and mount the temporary one over it:
>> #  umount /media/usbkey
>> #  mount /dev/sdc1 /var/cache/apt/archives
>>
>> After the upgrade, clean the disk and
>> restore the original /var/cache/apt/archives directory:
>> #  apt-get clean
>> #  umount /var/cache/apt/archives
>
> I think that would be the only needed steps.
Thanks for that. I didn't know it was possible to do it this way.

> Notice that an alternate solution (if no external drive is available but
> there is sufficiente space in a current drive) is to 'bind mount' a new
> location over at /var/cache/apt/archives.
>
> For example, if /home had enough space you could also do this
> (untested, but would be done following from after the clean):
>
> # Create a temporary location at /home
> mkdir /home/temp_archives
> cp -ax /var/cache/apt/archives /home/temp_archives
>
> # Mount the separate space in the file system to replace the archive
> # directorio
> mount --bind /home/temp_archives/archives /var/cache/apt/archives
>
> [ upgrade ]
>
> # Unmount the temporary space and clean the temporary location
> umount /home/temp_archives/archives
> rm -rf /home/temp_archives/
Ok. I will add this possibility in the text.


On 27/11/08 09:14, Andrei Popescu wrote:
> On Wed,26.Nov.08, 15:43:17, Javier Fernández-Sanguino Peña wrote:
>  
> > # Unmount the temporary space and clean the temporary location
> > umount /home/temp_archives/archives 
> > rm -rf /home/temp_archives/
>
> How about clean and umount?
>
> <apt-tool> clean
This step won't remove the 'partial' directory and the 'lock' file.

> umount /home/temp_archives/archives
>
> (I tend to avoid any rm -rf ;)
I can just write 'remove the temporary directory and its content', leaving to 
the user the choice to do it like he wants.

I will update the procedure taking into account your advices. Thank you, both of 
you.

--
Giovanni