Questions about running a mixed system

japetto · 01-15-2006, 01:47 PM

Hey again,

So I am currently running a testing system and would like to have the ability to install some apps that are only available in unstable or stable. I am planning on setting up a mixed system based on the explainations detailed within the Debian doc http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/ap...pt-get.en.html

So basically, I was wondering if:

#1. Anyone here does or have done this?
#2. Does it pose any issues I should take into consideration ( I do not want to kill my system

)

Thanks,
Japetto

anti.corp · 01-15-2006, 01:53 PM

Hi,

I think it's goin to make your system more 'stable' if you install a clean Debian Etch instead of mixing unstable packages into a stable system like Debian Sarge.

I have read some posts about upgrading from Sarge to Etch, and that it could cause/caused alot of problems, which could be avoided by doing a clean install.

What packages from the unstable are you thinking of?

Sincerely, Jorgen

japetto · 01-15-2006, 05:08 PM

Hi Jorgen,

I am already running a clean install of etch. I know that it is possible to install apps from different branches of Debian by simply adding the repo's for the packages from different branches to sources.list, then specifying packages to install with 'apt-get -t distribution install package'. My reason for posting is that I have not read about anyone using this method so I wanted to find out if any had any notible experiences doing so.

Quote:

What packages from the unstable are you thinking of?

VLC & Firefox 1.5

lestoil · 01-15-2006, 06:19 PM

japetto,I have done as you and did clean Etch install then added Sid and Marillat to /etc/apt/sources.list and gave Etch higher pinning than Sid in /etc/apt/preferences. But ugrades install more and more from Sid inspite of pinning. So system seems more and more Sid.
I am thankful for the apt-get -s install pkg.deb to let me see how much is dragged along with that pkg install. Good luck.

rickh · 01-15-2006, 09:45 PM

I'm not sure my method is 'good', but it works for me. I run etch, but when I want a program from sid, like k3b, I don't add sid permanently to the sources.lst. I temporarily change 'testing' to 'unstable' ... download the app I want ... then change the sources.list back to testing. Of course there are a couple of apt-get updates mixed in there.

That way, I figure to get the app I need but no updates until it gets to etch.

junkman4547 · 01-15-2006, 10:15 PM

I did exactly what Rickh did. I needed "unrar" package and
there are none available except from Sid repo. So I changed
my Sources.list to Sid and apt-get the package then I changed
it back to Etch...

japetto · 01-16-2006, 11:38 AM

Hmmm. I am not sure if I would just trust just changing sources.list back and forth.

Quote:

But ugrades install more and more from Sid inspite of pinning.

Lestoil, did you create apt.conf and add a line 'APT::default-release "version";' to it? That is supposed to set the default branch chosen for the system.