I've been trying to update using the Mandrake Update, but as I'm only on a dial-up modem it takes too long to download and my connection cuts out. Is there any way round this?

Helen

mmm, I don't know. Maybe if you can get access to a high speed connection elsewhere, copy the updates from the repository with all your files to a CDRW and add that CD as a source for update... then update that CDRW at regular intervals.
I'm not exactly sure how to do it though, I didn't really look into this as I have DSL at home and LAN at school. Maybe you can also download the rpms from a high-speed connection to a CD and then manually install them from the CD you copied them onto at home. Otherwise some magazine CDs may have updates you could use. Good luck!

If you have an e-mail account you can set your mail client to check for new mail every 10-minutes or so, thereby keeping the connection alive.

If this option is not available, a cron job that sends a command such as "ping -c 2 <some.nearby.domain>" every ten minutes could work, but will fill up your logs with failed attempts when you are offline.

If the utility you use to dial-in has a "run command upon dial-up" facility, you may be able to craft a script to send the pings only when online, terminating the script upon disconnect. KPPP has this feature. I don't know about others.

Since I've always had a pop3 account the first option was the only one I used when on dial-up.

Good luck!

I have the same problem. The thing is that here in the UK 99% of all ISPs operate a 2 hour disconnect. So after 2 hours of being online you get disconnected at the other end, regardless of usage. This can severely limit what you can do on the internet.

So is there anyway that this update can be performed in a way in which it'll update itself?

I live in a rural part of England, and broadband access is still not available yet. And probably won't be for another 3-4 years.