Re: Net install question
On Wed, Mar 23, 2005 at 08:51:46PM +0000, Wulfy wrote:
> Hi.
>
> I'm a Linux newbie. Did my first install about a month ago using the
> Knoppix 3.7 disk. It's been an interesting experience! :)
>
> Due to my tinkering, I think I broke something. I decided to try a net
> install of Debian Sarge and downloaded the iso... long time as I've
> only got an analogue modem.
>
> Now, my question is, what do I have to do to the cached .debs I have to
> make them available after the original install from the Sarge disk? I'd
> rather not have to download them all again, if they're already available
> on my disk!
>
> I've seen a number of questions since I joined this list that are quite
> close to what I want, but not quite. I've done Google searches of both
> the net and the Debian-users list and scoured the FAQs on the Debian
> site and I'm just confused.
>
> I *think* the way forward would be to use apt-move to make a new local
> pool, but when I run that I get an error message about "obsolete 64 bit
> headers" perhaps encoding? Or is there a simpler way? Simple == good! :)
>
There are two packages that maintain a local cache of debian packages with
very little manual maintenance: apt-proxy and apt-cacher. Apt-proxy is
available only in woody and apt-cacher is available only in sarge/sid.
I am currently using apt-cacher in sarge and it is working very nicely.
But I have a rather more mature/expensive system than you. I have three
Linux boxes and apt-cacher is running on one of them. It allows me to
install the same packages on all machines with only one download.
It does cache the packages that are installed on the same machine that
it is running on, but it does not allow you to redo the netinstall from
cached packages. This is because netinstall will (I think) overwrite
the installed apt-cacher software during the initial phases of net install.
You may be able to install apt-cacher as one of the first packages that
you install, prior to pulling in X-windows, etc. Then, apt-cacher would
make cached copies of almost everything optional in your install. I
recommend that you use apt-cacher and install it as early as you can, so
that it will cache copies of as much as possible.
On the other hand, Sarge is not yet stable, so you may be downloading
updated copies of a lot of stuff anyway, because you want the latest
versions.
Other considerations: apt-cacher needs apache server to serve the local
repository that it generates. This may be more than your hardware can
handle.
--
Paul E Condon
pecondon@mesanetworks.net
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