LinuxQuestions.org

LinuxQuestions.org (/questions/)
-   Linux - Distributions (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-distributions-5/)
-   -   Safe to emerge-upgrade a running program? (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-distributions-5/safe-to-emerge-upgrade-a-running-program-148780/)

wapcaplet 02-21-2004 12:12 PM

Safe to emerge-upgrade a running program?
 
I'm using Gentoo and emerge. How safe is it to upgrade a program that is currently running? Say, for example, I want to upgrade KDE while running KDE.

Presumably it's safe for many smaller programs - upgrading bash while running bash, etc. I just wondered if it'd be a better idea to shut down KDE before trying to upgrade it.

b0uncer 02-21-2004 01:04 PM

haven't tried this out. though, linux is said to be capable to "change files on the run", so that even running apps can be updated while they're in use..so basically I'd understand it so that you should be able to do it. I haven't heard of anybody who had said it won't work...

I'd say that if you definitely want everything to run ok, then the only way to be sure (if it's even possible) is to first shut down KDE. but on the other hand, why not? :) I'm quite sure it works.

there's still one thing - I read this while upgrading my graphics card's drivers. when updating this kind of stuff, you shouldn't use the app it's affecting...in my driver's case, it said I should shut X down until the driver install & configuration was ready, to avoid problems. that is, because the drivers work somehow on a "lower level" or something...don't know how to put it :) like they'd be more vital or something. argh, can't get it said right...

but anyway, I think you don't have anything big to be afraid of (unless someone has better information)....KDE is still a bunch of apps running on your X, and if updating apps works (you can update your portage through portage :) hehe), KDE should be no exception.

wapcaplet 02-21-2004 01:36 PM

Yeah, I suspect it'd be okay... running programs are loaded into memory, so upgrading the versions on the disk would be fine, I'd think. I don't know about the driver thing - I've been able to install the nvidia driver while in XFree; just gotta restart afterwards. I mostly wondered because I'm hoping to upgrade my wife's machine to KDE 3.2, and since it takes many hours to compile KDE, I didn't want to leave her without a GUI during that time. It'll be a while before I'm ready to do it though, so I hope someone else can offer an authoritative answer...

2k. 02-24-2004 10:39 AM

when i upgraded to kde 3.2 i was using kde 3.1 and it worked fine.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:14 PM.