Updating question

I have Mandrake 10 running and it is FINALLY (after a year or so) set up the way I like it and it all works for me. If I wanted to update the whole box and dice to the latest Mandriva version, is there a simple way that would keep all my;

*user data (files, documents, emails, email addresses, web site favourites etc)
*configuration settings (hardware drivers, internet setup, user accounts etc)
*stuff I have added like Java Development Kit and various media players?

Or would it be like starting over (no thanks, I'm not that Linux savvy yet or time rich). I tend to think "why bother, you just know something will go wrong creating hours of research and work", but maybe it is simple. I am even prepared to buy the full distro if needed.

I would recommend a clean installation because the upgrade from 10 to 2006 would probably not go smoothly. If you stored your user directories on a seperate /home partition, then all their data will be preserved (as long as you make sure you do not format the partition that contains this data when installing a new distro). As for config files, back up any important ones.

Well
very important 1) you really need to have /home in a different partition.
If not, do not bother updating: you would loose all your data.
In any case backup first

2) configuration settings: most should stay or be even easier to update
Saying that, I would backup the whole /etc
and on paper ISP details, account name etc
backup your email
backup your bookmarks

3) stuff I have added like Java Development Kit and various media players
well, YMMV.
For example if you have 10.2 with firefox 1.5 at the time, and put
mandy 2006, you will downgrade firefox!

Saying all that, the update facility is quite good (try this with Zindows).

People recommand a full install rather than update if large version difference.
From 10.0 to mandy 2006 I suggest a full install
(have you got 5 or 6 Gb spare, create a new partition)
but an update would probably work

A safe approach is to use the exclude list in /etc/urpmi/

Here you can type in things like, xorg, kde, kernel, xfree,

If you change xorg or xfree, if you have 3D Nvidia or ATI acceleration,

you'll have to setup your graphics card again, by reconfiguring X.

If you update kde, some of your settings may be saved as "something~" files that you may

be able to rename later, like with xine and other media and networking stuff.

If you upgrade the kernel, dev tools may need updating too.

You might also have to re-install 3D graphics modules into the kernel...etc.

kde might be ok. I usually have dependency problems. (maybe just me!)

if you were to go the urpmi way, in addition, there
is also an option to urpmi called repackage (I think)
than can build rpms for the previous version,
should you want to go backward after a problem / mistake
(this is a command line thing, flexible but starting
to entail quite some effort compared to just a fresh install)

BTW, what motivates the upgrade? If your system is all
fine and dancing, maybe there is only kde or whatever you
are interested in...

I have been wondering about listing anything I do
on my box (setup wise) into a script so if I were
to do a new install I could just run the script
(to say disable services x and y, etc.)

Anyhow linux flexibility here is a trade-off.
You would not update the kernel everyday.
So I suppose, the priece of an upgrade is the admin work,
YMMV depending on versions and specific version.

In my case 2005LE stays until 2007 or whatever comes,
2006LE is set in another partition for development/learning/comparison.
Main system stays on 2005LE for now, and I update it as I go.

Thanks everyone. As the old saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". I will wait until I have more time to play and experiment with your suggestions.