How to let the Debian unstable
 

Well, I use and I really like slackware but I'm not seeing it very often on enterprise bussines, and I'm thinking on get an LPI. So I did install Debian Sarge but it sucks... those packages are too much older... and the dri driver of xorg run pretty better on my ati, I started on downloading a few things like xorg (unstable) but it also upgraded a lot of stuff on my pc. And now any thing I install gives a locale problem that I can't understand.
The thing is.. how I get my Debian uptodate in a secure way. I downloaded that ds:hu testing version but it didn't hv 2.6 kernel and also didn't give me the option of manully partition the system...
What Debian users do in this case?

Hi,

I have never done a Debian install where I could not manually partition my hard drive if I so choose. Is it possible you missed the option?

You mention unstable in your subject and testing in your message?

There are two ways to go. Either should work fine.

The easiest way is to download an unstable/testing netinstall cd and re-install. You may need to type "linux26" at the boot prompt, without quotes, to get the 2.6 kernel. When at the boot prompt there is a help option. That will tell you exactly what to type to get the 2.6 kernel, if the 2.6 kernel is available. Depending on how you partitioned your drive this option may destroy your data. It's always recommended to backup your data before doing an install. I have a seperate home partition and have installed a few distros several times keeping my data. I of course did this because it was my play machine at the time and didn't have anything too important on it.

The second way is to upgrade. One of the great things about Debian is that you can totally upgrade your system without re-installing, if you want. The good part is that it actually works I wouls say >90% of the time.

I'm sure linuxquestions has a guide for upgrading. You can also check google.com. Be sure to read the release notes for the release you want to upgrade to!

Here's a link where others explain the upgrade path.

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.o...691c39fc2916c6

Short version. You need to upgrade one release at a time to be safe. Debian tests upgrading like this and has notes for upgrading in the release notes section.

I run unstable and just love it. I have had a few minor problems. They are usually fixed in a few days with an upgrade of the offending package. I have yet to loose any data or even the use of my machine although I had to re-configure my x-server once. Thankfully, I am not afraid of the cli. That was actually when I was running Sarge, before it became stable.

Good luck. You have already found the best resource on the web right here.

Steve

I use the standard Debian 3.1 Netinstall CD
Boot from the CD and at the boot: prompt I use the commands linux26 expert

Linux26 means to install using the 2.6 kernel
expert tells the system to ask me a lot more questions during install, one of those questions will be stable, testing or unstable ?

only a single 100 MB iso is needed to install any of the 3 branches of Debian if you use those two options at the boot prompt..

I try and install the branch I want from the start to avoid any upgrade hassles..

And as far as servers go I don't install X on my servers, it's not necessary. and I wouldn't run testing or unstable on a server either.

check out backports.org for up to dae software you can install on the stable build.