Setting up local own Debian Package repo

kushalkoolwal · 08-20-2007, 07:58 PM

I am generally involved in a task where I need to download/install/remove/configure packages a lot of times as I experiment those packages. Every now and then when I break my system I just re-install it from the Debian repo through the internet. Now downloading packages from internet takes time (at least if you are starting from scratch.)

What I would like to do is to copy all the packages from the Debian repos (the Debian mirror) on to my machine at my home (I have a spare computer for this.) and then I am planning to do apt-get install just as the way we do usually with the only difference that this time the packages will be pulled from my home machine (whatever the IP is) instead of ftp.debian.org or something like that.

How can I achieve this?

I have found this link but I am not sure if they are what I am looking for or is there any better pointer:
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/re...pository-howto

http://www.debuntu.org/how-to-set-up...ith-apt-cacher

Please suggest.

Thanks

Dutch Master · 08-20-2007, 08:13 PM

Create the Debian repository just like in the first link, then edit your sources.list to point it to the IP of your server. That means that any reference to your current repository (e.g. http://ftp.debian.ca) has to be changed to http://192.168.1.10 (if that's the address of the server).

kushalkoolwal · 08-20-2007, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Master

Create the Debian repository just like in the first link, then edit your sources.list to point it to the IP of your server. That means that any reference to your current repository (e.g. http://ftp.debian.ca) has to be changed to http://192.168.1.10 (if that's the address of the server).

Hmm..Actually that tutorial is not a detailed one. It assumes many steps will be performed by user on their own without any help. For example, it does not show the actual command usage which will copy all the packages (.deb) from the official debian repo to my local server.

Thanks

Dutch Master · 08-20-2007, 09:04 PM

True. But you are actually building a private-use mirror, so this page might be helpful: http://www.debian.org/mirror/ftpmirror Read especially the "how to mirror" section and the script named in it. It automates a lot for you, based on the preferences you've put into it. The script has plenty comments and for you the section on how and what to exclude might be especially useful.

kushalkoolwal · 08-21-2007, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Master

True. But you are actually building a private-use mirror, so this page might be helpful: http://www.debian.org/mirror/ftpmirror Read especially the "how to mirror" section and the script named in it. It automates a lot for you, based on the preferences you've put into it. The script has plenty comments and for you the section on how and what to exclude might be especially useful.

thanks. Also I found this one

Do you think that is a good one too?

Dutch Master · 08-21-2007, 10:11 PM

Yeah, I quickly skimmed through it and it looks pretty comprihensive to me. However, it does refer to the repository-howto on debian.org and I suggest you'd read that too. Btw, the link you gave is incorrect, it has a http part too many