Upgrade Live USB to Ascii for testing?

mtbvfr · 2017-07-29 22:06:14

Hi All,

Can I upgrade a Live USB to Ascii for testing?

If so, which is the best method to use for providing any feedback incase of problems?

Should I manually modify the sources.list file to point to ascii instead of jessie and then use the following commands in Terminal?

apt-get update
apt-get upgrade
apt-get dist-upgrade

Can the same be achieved using Synaptic via the Repositories menu option?

Thanks, MTB.

fsmithred · 2017-07-30 00:17:10

Depends on how you made the live usb. If you used the isohybrid feature (dd or cat the iso to /dev/sdX) then no. It's a read-only system. Any changes you make are lost on reboot. If you set up a persistent volume, then yes you could upgrade the live system, but it really doesn't make sense to do it that way. The persistent volume keeps copies of any files you add or change, so it would end up holding a copy of nearly the entire system.

You really need to install it and upgrade, then make a new live iso. Install to a spare partition, into a virtual machine or even onto another usb stick. Your upgrade procedure is correct. You might need to install the newer kernel manually - if so, look for linux-image-4.9-something. And you can always add the -s option (--simulate) to see what will happen before you really do it.

I don't remember what synaptic does, but you can probably do it all with that.

Oh yeah. I'm not sure of the current status of rsyslog. If it looks like it wants to cause problems, you can install rsyslog from backports (or else replace it with syslog-ng or busybox-syslogd.

Maybe some other problems. It's been a few weeks since I've tried an upgrade to ascii. Be flexible and you'll get there.

mtbvfr · 2017-07-30 01:35:28

fsmithred wrote:

You might need to install the newer kernel manually - if so, look for linux-image-4.9-something. And you can always add the -s option (--simulate) to see what will happen before you really do it.

Can and should 4.9 be installed before updating the sources.list file and running the apt-get commands?

Or should it be done after the apt-get commands?

fsmithred wrote:

Oh yeah. I'm not sure of the current status of rsyslog. If it looks like it wants to cause problems, you can install rsyslog from backports (or else replace it with syslog-ng or busybox-syslogd.
Maybe some other problems. It's been a few weeks since I've tried an upgrade to ascii. Be flexible and you'll get there.

Which of the following should be used for rsyslog?

https://auto.mirror.devuan.org/merged/d … 4/Packages
https://auto.mirror.devuan.org/merged/d … 4/Packages

Thanks, MTB.

fsmithred · 2017-07-30 02:20:09

You can install the kernel after you're finished with the upgrade. That's assuming it doesn't get installed with the upgrade.

Before the upgrade:
Add this to /etc/apt/sources.list

# jessie backports
deb http://packages.devuan.org/merged jessie-backports main

apt-get update
apt-get -t jessie-backports install rsyslog

You will get 8.23.0-2~bpo8+1

After you install it, comment out the backports line in sources.list, change the jessie lines to ascii and continue with the upgrade.

fungus · 2017-07-30 14:49:34

From jessie to ascii 4.9 comes automatically in my experience, and I believe 4.11 comes with ceres, but
you will still be running 3.16 while you are doing an upgrade. When I do such hops I don't care about the next kernel as much as about the transition. I like to update/upgrade what is most essential for the transition, even though in 99% of times it may not matter. I like to upgrade apt,dpkg,synaptic,,.... first and then rerun the update/upgrade with whatever tool is used. The new tool is always safer doing the edition hop, even though it is running on an older kernel which I have yet to see a problem with. I always keep 1-2 kernels backup just in case the new runs into a bug.

mtbvfr · 2017-07-30 17:30:50

fungus wrote:

From jessie to ascii 4.9 comes automatically in my experience, and I believe 4.11 comes with ceres, but
you will still be running 3.16 while you are doing an upgrade. When I do such hops I don't care about the next kernel as much as about the transition. I like to update/upgrade what is most essential for the transition, even though in 99% of times it may not matter. I like to upgrade apt,dpkg,synaptic,,.... first and then rerun the update/upgrade with whatever tool is used. The new tool is always safer doing the edition hop, even though it is running on an older kernel which I have yet to see a problem with. I always keep 1-2 kernels backup just in case the new runs into a bug.

So, to clarify things then, your plan would be as follows?

Install rsyslog as per the instructions of @fsmithred.

Modify the sources.list file to point to ascii.

Upgrade apt using the apt-get upgrade command.
Upgrade dpkg using the apt-get upgrade command.
Upgrade synaptic using the apt-get upgrade command.

Run the following commands in Terminal.
apt-get update
apt-get upgrade
apt-get dist-upgrade

Install the 4.9 kernel.

Which command should I use for installing the 4.9 kernel, apt-get update or apt-get upgrade?

Thanks, MTB.

fungus · 2017-07-30 21:08:11

Update only updates the repository lists of packages, upgrade actually replaces your instaled packages with new ones.
dist-upgrade is used when you are shifting from something like stable to testing or testing to unstable.
It is always best to do one step at a time.
I am relatively sure that both upgrade and dist-upgrade will have the same results, and the new kernel will be installed together with everything else. The old kernel can never be uninstalled by such a command as it is the kernel the system will be running at the momment.
When you boot with the new kernel apt autoclean/ autoremove/ purge will clean up all unused pkgs and dependencies.
If you are running with a desktop use synaptic, reload --> mark upgrades --> apply after you have edited the repositories in synaptic or manually editing /etc/apt/sources.list

Don't sweat too much, this thing is built like a tank.

fsmithred · 2017-07-30 21:21:00

upgrade will only upgrade installed packages. dist-upgrade will install any new packages. You are likely to see differences between the two when moving from one release to another. Not so much (hardly ever) when upgrading within a release. Doing it in stages as fungus described is the safest way to do it.

The kernel will be upgraded to the latest version available if you have the kernel metapackage installed. (e.g. linux-image-amd64). Without the metapackage you need to install the newer kernel using your preferred method for installing packages: apt, apt-get, aptitude or synaptic.

mtbvfr · 2017-07-31 19:38:10

I hope to give this a go later today/tonight. I'll let U know how it goes.

MTB.

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#1 2017-07-29 22:06:14

Upgrade Live USB to Ascii for testing?

#2 2017-07-30 00:17:10

Re: Upgrade Live USB to Ascii for testing?

#3 2017-07-30 01:35:28

Re: Upgrade Live USB to Ascii for testing?

#4 2017-07-30 02:20:09

Re: Upgrade Live USB to Ascii for testing?

#5 2017-07-30 14:49:34

Re: Upgrade Live USB to Ascii for testing?

#6 2017-07-30 17:30:50

Re: Upgrade Live USB to Ascii for testing?

#7 2017-07-30 21:08:11

Re: Upgrade Live USB to Ascii for testing?

#8 2017-07-30 21:21:00

Re: Upgrade Live USB to Ascii for testing?

#9 2017-07-31 19:38:10

Re: Upgrade Live USB to Ascii for testing?

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