Re: Redhat and Debian: Switching
Glenn R. Williams wrote:
>
> Hi Folks,
>
> Does anyone have experience switching from Redhat Linux to
> Debian? Is it best to do a full re-install, or can I do it less
> drastically? I am currently running Redhat 4.1 (Vanderbilt) on
> an Ascentia A laptop with no network. I like the ideas and
> energy of Debian and am contemplating a shift.
I did exactly this a week ago.
I pulled a document off the net explaining how to upgrade in place.
Unfortunately it didn't work well. I ended up formating my / and /usr
partions. A doing a clean install. Then I just compared my old config
files to the new debian ones.
Things I noticed.
Bind Debian arranged the /var/named files in a flat structure rather
than using directories.
Squid The cache is owned by a different user.
Passwd file Debian has quite a few entries in the /etc/passwd by
default. Also it starts adding users at UID1000 whereas RedHat starts at
500.
Printer Config Redhat has the nice printer config tool. On debian I just
needed to get lprng, magicfilter and alladin-gs, type magicfilterconfig.
That easy but it seemed harder at first.
NIS Redhat uses NYS, Debian uses NIS, so on debian you need to run
ypbind. This caused me some grief too, but it seems better now it's
working.
Bottom line.
Converting seems like a lot of stuffing around. As a result of this
conversion afterstep and xload are still not functioning correctly, but
I'd say they will eventually. I still have redhat systems on my network,
and eventually I will convert them to debian. If you go with the "if it
ain't broke, don't fix it" rule, then don't convert. But it sounds like
you know that and you going to anyway.
Good Luck
David..
--
Binary Bar - Australia's first free access internet bar/cafe/gallery.
243 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia. 12:00pm - 11:00pm
http://www.binary.net.au
--
TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to
debian-user-request@lists.debian.org .
Trouble? e-mail to templin@bucknell.edu .
Reply to: