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> Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:02:30 -0500 > From: racerx@makeworld.com > CC: debian-user@lists.debian.org > Subject: Re: How to reduce a debian system to a base system > To: debian-user@lists.debian.org > > Mike Viau wrote: > > Hello Debian users, > > > > I was looking for a way to purge or remove all the packages that were > > installed on a Debian system _after_ the initial (bare bone) minimal > > system installation. I have searched on Google for "How to reduce a > > Debian system to a base system" but it seems like the topic of interest > > was to reduce the memory consumption of the installed system, which is > > not my consern. > > > > In essence I would like to revert my system back to a freshly installed > > state, without reinstalling. Ultimatly is this possible? > > > > I have tried a few options already, which did not work : > > > > 1) > > > > I ran > > > > dpkg --get-selections > to file > > > > from a (bare bone) minimal installation of Debian Lenny or Squeeze, and then ran > > > > dpkg --set-selections < from file > > > > on the non fresh system. > > > > *This method _only adds_ and upgrades packages, it _will not remove_ packages that do not exist in the list > > > > > > 2) > > > > I executed dselect (a dpkg frontend), entered the select menu and pressed "-" ( or "_" to purge) at the top where "All packages" was, but this turns out to be a very distructive removal process taking the linux kernel, grub bootloader, and even further package management utilities like apt. > > This is not was I was expecting after reading: > > > > Note that it's not possible to remove "All Packages". If you try that, your system will instead be reduced to the initial installed base packages. [1] > > > > 3) > > > > Even with the powers of aptitude I am unable to revert the systems package state. Perhaps I missed something with this tool? > > > > > > Your help is much appreciated! > > > > > > [1] - http://www.debian.org/doc/FAQ/ch-pkgtools.en.html > > > > > > > > > > -M > > If this is for deployment, I would say: create your bare bones system. > Clonezilla it. Then you at least have an image to restore from in under > 5 minutes. via a CD boot or flash drive. And of course, the images will > more then likely fit on a 4 gig flash but certainly an 8. > > > -- I was hoping to find a solution for a currently running Debian system rather then to create a bare bone baseline or image... -M Take your contacts everywhere. Try Messenger for mobile |