to update or reinstall that is the question 13.0 to 13.1

rob.rice · 08-31-2010, 11:47 PM

it doesn't look like I can copy and past my way to updating slack
like I did in the past

reinstalling has the advantage of installing software that was not included in 13.0

astrogeek · 09-01-2010, 12:04 AM

I know it is supposed to be easy to upgrade Slackware, but (another) habit which has also been a best practice has been to start off with a fresh install, preserving my home directories, databases, etc.

I find it a safer path for me, and if it is more effort as some might say, then it is not much more.

On the other hand, I don't do it often - I stretch a well configured box until I have some reason to upgade beyond the fact that a new version is released!

brianL · 09-01-2010, 04:41 AM

I always chicken-out of doing upgrades and do fresh installs.

Ahmed · 09-01-2010, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob.rice

reinstalling has the advantage of installing software that was not included in 13.0

For that, there is always the command

Code:

# slackpkg install-new

Though, +1 for reinstalling with a preserved /home.

-A

ponce · 09-01-2010, 04:56 AM

being on -current is the third option

btw +1 reinstall/move personal data

stormbr · 09-01-2010, 05:15 AM

I always reinstall. Having set separate home partitions since a long time, I find it more productive to reinstall and apply what meager mods I need.

This way we can keep bitrot at bay a little more time.

hughetorrance · 09-01-2010, 05:27 AM

The time honoured way in Linux is to reinstall and that's what I usually do,I save what I want then blow it away and have a nice new clean install... lovely.

hitest · 09-01-2010, 08:31 AM

I have my home partition mounted on its own so I usually do a clean install. My -current boxes stay up to date.

linus72 · 09-01-2010, 08:53 AM

I only use -current but have upgraded from 13.0 to -current with no issues except I had to edit xfce4's xinitrc

I say upgrade, its easy

TSquaredF · 09-01-2010, 09:31 AM

Well, it's all fairly easy, once you have done it a few dozen times, & broken your system while tweaking it a few dozen times. That being said, I have usually reinstalled, but until recently I was not running -current, which I am now. Maybe I can now just keep upgrading, as long as I remember to add the new packages. (I am not a slackpkg user.)
Regards,
Bill

hitest · 09-01-2010, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSquaredF

Well, it's all fairly easy, once you have done it a few dozen times, & broken your system while tweaking it a few dozen times. That being said, I have usually reinstalled, but until recently I was not running -current, which I am now. Maybe I can now just keep upgrading, as long as I remember to add the new packages. (I am not a slackpkg user.)
Regards,
Bill

I was like you, that is, I always manually downloaded, and upgraded packages. I've been using slackpkg for awhile now and it has never failed to work properly. I *really* appreciate the md5 checksum capability of slackpkg, that is, slackpkg notifies you of package corruption when you're upgrading, installing packages. Slackpkg is wonderful.

damgar · 09-01-2010, 11:38 AM

+1 on slackpkg. I run current on 2 boxes, so slackpkg update/upgrade-all is really nice, and it works so well there, that I do the same thing to my home server when it's time to upgrade. My laptop is for work, and it still runs 13 with GSB 2.26 and I have no plans to upgrade really, it just has a very nice feel to it exactly as it was installed.

So upgrade is my vote.

piratesmack · 09-01-2010, 11:41 AM

When using Debian or something, I always reinstall, but with Slackware I feel safe upgrading.

If you follow upgrade.txt carefully, there should be no problems.

dive · 09-01-2010, 12:19 PM

I vote upgrade.

gegechris99 · 09-01-2010, 04:01 PM

I prefer the upgrade using slackpkg update / upgrade-all / install-new.

Of course, as mentioned by piratesmack, I read UPGRADE.TXT and CHANGES_AND_HINTS.TXT for identifying any additional manual operation.

For example, upgrade from 13.0 to 13.1 required paying attention to the change of the device naming convention for IDE hard drives (/dev/hd* => /dev/sd*)