[sf-lug] seeking update advice

[Bobbie Sellers]

On 03/14/2013 12:47 PM, jim wrote:
>
> Hiya,
>      I'm running Ubuntu 10.04 on an Atom-based laptop.
> Support lapses sometime before May of 2013. I like
> support.
>
>      I've got multiple partitions on my 500GB hard drive:
> /dev/sda1 on / ext4  --37GB total, 7GB used
> /dev/sda2 swap  --1GB
> /dev/sda3 on /home ext4 (rw, user_xattr)  -- 111GB total, 55GB used
> /dev/sda4 on /xtra ext4 (rw)  -- 19GB total, 1GB used
> /dev/sda5 on /z_s ext4 (rw)  -- 76GB total 180MB used
>
>      I don't upgrade. I backup all files except OS files,
> then wipe the drive, then reinstall a new OS from some
> external media, then copy my files from backup to
> whatever partitions I've dreamed up this time.
>
>      I'm entertaining the idea of two OSs, Ubuntu 13.04
> and Knoppix 7.0.5; I want to get hard media for each.
>
> QUESTIONS:
> * Are these releases okay or good? (Should I get older
>    releases or wait for an upcoming release?)
     Knoppix is good but is 7.05 out?
     I think if you want to run Ubunto you should stick with
12.04 the long term support version and I would use
Kubuntu.
     And I will point out that these are both Debian in disguise.
Knoppix will give you a Debian install.
     I don't really know without booting it up if a 'buntu 12.04
has a facility to move the DVD contents to a bootable Flash drive
but Knoppix does that.

> * What are your recommendations for getting each distro
>    on physical media (CD or DVD or USB stick)? I don't
>    like downloading ISOs--my experience includes problems,
>    primarily with corrupt images. I like paying money to
>    support the development communities.
     Well too bad otherwise I would offer to download the
ISOs you want and check them for errors as I do for the
stuff I download for myself.
     And I will point out that these are both Debian in disguise.
Knoppix will give you a Debian install.
> * For previous Ubuntu releases I have added packages for
>    word processors, graphics, and other applications.
>      There is a lot of software overlap between Ubuntu and
>    Knoppix and some differences: for example, I like Abi
>    Word, which comes with Knoppix but not with Unbuntu
>    (not 10.04, anyway).
>      There may be differences in included libraries.
>
>      The clean, simple, stupid (a good thing, fewer bugs)
>    way is to install each distro in separate partitions and
>    use dual boot to work with either.
>      The complex, uber-smart, potentially hair-pulling
>    way is to install each such that they use the same
>    directories such as /var/ and /usr/ and /lib/ and
>    possibly /etc/ and so on, differing only in the /boot/
>    directories for grub and kernel and other differences.
>    This complex way will have to accommodate installation
>    of new packages

     Do that the simple way but create a separate partition
labeled /home/data for the stuff you want to keep then
create once your install(s) are complete, creat  /data directory
on /home/Jim/ or whatever your user name may be.
and link the directory on home to the partition.  I can bring
information to the meeting about the further details of
making your systems aware of the partition.  Or you could
look it up online yourself under "installing multiple Linux OSes",
     You might want to create separate swap partitions for
each installation.  That way if you use Hibernate or Suspend
the activities on the one system won't corrupt the swap
files from the other system.

>      I'm sure there's a lot of middle ground between the two
>    above install cases. There's even install Ubuntu 13.04
>    and carry a Knoppix USB stick (I don't like this one much).
     Well following online advice I formerly had ExeLinux installed
and it only takes at most 20 GiB then it will make sure that whatever
other OSes you are installing are listed in Grub.
     When I tried to test an advanced version of Mandriva it overwrote
my Grub so that I could no access my present version nor unfortunately
was I able to configure it usefully.  Unfortunately I had no time or energy
to mess around but was able to get back to the workable version.
>      GOT IDEAS? RECOMMENDATIONS? THE EASY WAY? A MORE COMPLEX
>    WAY THAT HAS BENEFITS?
>
> with thanks,
> jim
>
>
>
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>
        Bobbie Sellers