<snip> > > > > As I said, it's far easier (... and faster!) to do a fresh install on a > > spare partition and migrate all the configuration files to the new > > installation. > > I have to agree with Gilboa here. An upgrade installs the new packages > and then removes the old packages, while an install wipes the selected > filesystems and simply installs into the clean space. > > This solves several nagging problems that can effect an upgraded system. > > As for backup, the minimal set of stuff that really requires a backup > are: /etc #Configuration data > /var #spool, www, ftp and such > /home #if not on a separate file system that can be preserved > /usr/local #again, if not on a separate filesystem > > The remaining filesystems that should usually be on mounted sections > (root, usr, srv, usr, boot) can be wiped/reformatted. > > I will note that the "default" filesystem layout selected by the F8 > installer (anaconda version) is *not* quite as robust as it could be. > It seems too much like another commercial OS in that it only makes two > filesystems (boot and root) and crams everything together in root. This > requires the user to make full backups at upgrade time. The above statement is not true. I have only on / filesystem and I back up /home /root /etc/ and anything else I want to backup using tar before each upgrade. This is especially useful when you want to restore your old home directory in the directory the installed created. Untarring with the -k option does not overwrite the files already existing in the directory so the new versions of the gnome configuration files (for example) are preserved. > At a minimum I recommend three partitions: boot, root and home > At "best" I use: root, boot, usr, usr/local, home, var, tmp, srv > > There are good reasons for such separation, and there are some standard > recommendations for sizes, but that is another discussion. > > -- > Wolfe > -- ======================================================================= A wise person makes his own decisions, a weak one obeys public opinion. -- Chinese proverb ======================================================================= Aaron Konstam telephone: (210) 656-0355 e-mail: akonstam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
