Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage
On Tue 13 Jun 2017 at 12:28:41 (-0500), Richard Owlett wrote:
> On 06/13/2017 11:48 AM, Brian wrote:
> >On Tue 13 Jun 2017 at 09:20:43 -0500, Richard Owlett wrote:
> >
> >>I am running Stretch that was fully updated/upgraded less than
> >>a week ago. I have the flash drive used to do the original
> >>install of Stretch. I have not _intentionally_ purged any files
> >>from cache.
> >
> >The cache will contain those files the installer got for you when
> >you selected and installed software, plus anything else you obtained
> >after the first reboot. For the sake of example let us suppose you
> >installed the mate desktop and the standard utilities.
>
> That is my intention. I don't recall all of what I chose during the
> original install, but what I intend is guaranteed to be no more than
> the original.
>
> >
> >The cache will not contain files from the base system, but that
> >doesn't matter because they are in the installer image, as is GRUB.
> >The standard system utilities are also in the image; no bandwidth
> >penalty there.
> >
> >>I wish to install Stretch on two additional machines. I am near
> >>my internet data cap and wish to make *ABSOLUTE MINIMAL* usage
> >>of available bandwidth.
Then take one of those large USB sticks that you have, and copy
the contents of /var/cache/apt/archives/ (omit partial/ and lock)
onto it before you lose them.
In future, when you install from scratch, you can make this copy
before you finish the installation with the following:
When the "Select and install software" step finishes, switch to VC2
for a shell. Insert the USB stick and mount it somewhere (like /mnt
or /instmnt).
# cp /target/var/cache/apt/archives/*deb /<your USB stick>/
Unmount the stick and remove after copying has finished.
Switch back to VC1 and continue.
> >I've not completely thought this through but you definitely would not
> >want to use the select and install software option, apart from leaving
> >standard utiliites ticked. You also would not want a network mirror
> >but, unless you are going to use sneakernet, you will want networking
> >in order to be able to connect to your primary machine.
>
> I generally favor sneakernet whenever possible. I neglected to
> mention that I do not currently have a LAN. The time may have come.
Regardless, on the next installation, during the "Configure the
package manager" step where you are asked whether you want to use
a network mirror, switch to VC2 for a shell. Insert the USB stick and
mount it somewhere (like /mnt or /instmnt).
# cp /<your USB stick>/*deb /target/var/cache/apt/archives/
Unmount the stick and remove after copying has finished.
Switch back to VC1 and continue.
> >>The purpose of this is to test the _installation process_ itself.
> >>That eliminates anything resembling cloning. A secondary benefit
> >>will be learning more about how Debian does things.
These two steps will get you started, and help preserve your precious
bandwidth while you get to learn about LANs, apt-cacher-ng and so on.
Cheers,
David.
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