Slackware-Current upgrade procedure that I use safe enough?
by deNiro from LinuxQuestions.org on (#5DV75)
Two days ago I finally moved my main PC to Slackware-current. Honestly, it runs better then ever. :thumbsup:
Anyway, I was a bit worried about the update procedure, which was always the main reason to stay on stable. And yesterday there was a batch of updates, including kernel, so the right moment to test it. It went quick and painless. no problems at all.
But since I never really ran Current, except in a vm to quickly check it out, I wanted to be sure if I left some important thing out of the update procedure that could break my system.
Perhaps a bit too extensive, and I am using multilib, nvidia970gtx and generic kernel, but here is what I use, from my notes:
Code:###### Old! SW-current upgrade procedure ######
## 1. check slackware-current changelog
## 2. (ONLY with kernel upgrade or possible systembreaking stuff)
drop to init:id:3, which I start at anyway
## 3. update packages cache
slackpkg update
## 4. check if there is a update to slackpkg
slackpkg upgrade slackpkg
## 5. make sure new packages from blacklist
## are not installed. So,blacklist again
## in my case kde/plasma and emacs
slackpkg blacklist kde emacs
## 6. (ONLY with kernel upgrade) remove nvidia driver
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-xxx.run --uninstall
(answer no to restoring original xorg config)
## 7. install new packages
slackpkg install-new
## 8. upgrade all packages
slackpkg upgrade-all
## 9. (ONLY) with kernel upgrade)
## generate mkinitrd and update bootloader
go to /boot directory and generate initrd with:
mkinitrd -c -k 5.10.xx -m ext4 (my root is ext4)
and then update bootloader:
lilo -v
## 10. (ONLY with kernelupgrade)
## install the nvidia driver again
first, reboot, and then
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-xxx.run
(answer NO to configure xorg config, mine is still there)
reboot again
## 11. Check if multilib is still up-to-date and resolve if neededbtw, I have these in my blacklist [0-9]+_SBo , [0-9]+alien , [0-9]+compat32, [0-9]+ponce and kde/plasmastuff and emacs
Is this 99.9% safe? or did I leave something important out?
##############################################################
##############################################################
EDIT:
So, after some remarks, with the corrections incorporated
The notes I now use to upgrade: Slackware-current, with multilib, nvidia 970gtx , and kde/plasma and emacs disabled. And using generic kernel instead of huge.
/etc/slackpkg/blacklist contains:
( + also kernel packages, unless I planned kernel upgrade)
[0-9]+_SBo
sbopkg
[0-9]+alien
[0-9]+compat32
[0-9]+ponce
+ list of kde and emacs packages ( generated with "slackpkg blacklist kde e")
Code:###### Slackware-current upgrade procedure ######
## 1. check slackware-current changelog
## 2. (ONLY with kernel upgrade or possible system breaking stuff)
drop to init:id:3, which I start at anyway
## 3. (ONLY with kernel upgrade, and optional)
## remove nvidia driver
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-xxx.run --uninstall
(answer "NO" to restoring original xorg config)
## 4. update packages cache
slackpkg update
## 5. make sure new packages from blacklist
## will not install. So, rerun blacklist again
## in my case kde/plasma and emacs packages
slackpkg blacklist kde e
## 6. install new packages
slackpkg install-new
## 7. upgrade all packages
slackpkg upgrade-all
## 8. (ONLY with kernel upgrade)
## generate mkinitrd and update bootloader
go to /boot directory and generate initrd with:
mkinitrd -c -k 5.10.xx -m ext4 (my root is ext4)
and then update bootloader:
lilo -v
Then reboot
## 9. (ONLY with kernelupgrade)
## install the nvidia driver again
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-xxx.run
(answer NO to configure xorg config, mine is still there)
reboot again
## 10. Check if multilib is still up-to-date and resolve if needed
## 11. Clean system
## generates a list of all packages that are obsolete and can be safely removed
## non-official packages will be listed here unless blacklisted - check changelog
slackpkg clean-system


Anyway, I was a bit worried about the update procedure, which was always the main reason to stay on stable. And yesterday there was a batch of updates, including kernel, so the right moment to test it. It went quick and painless. no problems at all.
But since I never really ran Current, except in a vm to quickly check it out, I wanted to be sure if I left some important thing out of the update procedure that could break my system.
Perhaps a bit too extensive, and I am using multilib, nvidia970gtx and generic kernel, but here is what I use, from my notes:
Code:###### Old! SW-current upgrade procedure ######
## 1. check slackware-current changelog
## 2. (ONLY with kernel upgrade or possible systembreaking stuff)
drop to init:id:3, which I start at anyway
## 3. update packages cache
slackpkg update
## 4. check if there is a update to slackpkg
slackpkg upgrade slackpkg
## 5. make sure new packages from blacklist
## are not installed. So,blacklist again
## in my case kde/plasma and emacs
slackpkg blacklist kde emacs
## 6. (ONLY with kernel upgrade) remove nvidia driver
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-xxx.run --uninstall
(answer no to restoring original xorg config)
## 7. install new packages
slackpkg install-new
## 8. upgrade all packages
slackpkg upgrade-all
## 9. (ONLY) with kernel upgrade)
## generate mkinitrd and update bootloader
go to /boot directory and generate initrd with:
mkinitrd -c -k 5.10.xx -m ext4 (my root is ext4)
and then update bootloader:
lilo -v
## 10. (ONLY with kernelupgrade)
## install the nvidia driver again
first, reboot, and then
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-xxx.run
(answer NO to configure xorg config, mine is still there)
reboot again
## 11. Check if multilib is still up-to-date and resolve if neededbtw, I have these in my blacklist [0-9]+_SBo , [0-9]+alien , [0-9]+compat32, [0-9]+ponce and kde/plasmastuff and emacs
Is this 99.9% safe? or did I leave something important out?
##############################################################
##############################################################
EDIT:
So, after some remarks, with the corrections incorporated
The notes I now use to upgrade: Slackware-current, with multilib, nvidia 970gtx , and kde/plasma and emacs disabled. And using generic kernel instead of huge.
/etc/slackpkg/blacklist contains:
( + also kernel packages, unless I planned kernel upgrade)
[0-9]+_SBo
sbopkg
[0-9]+alien
[0-9]+compat32
[0-9]+ponce
+ list of kde and emacs packages ( generated with "slackpkg blacklist kde e")
Code:###### Slackware-current upgrade procedure ######
## 1. check slackware-current changelog
## 2. (ONLY with kernel upgrade or possible system breaking stuff)
drop to init:id:3, which I start at anyway
## 3. (ONLY with kernel upgrade, and optional)
## remove nvidia driver
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-xxx.run --uninstall
(answer "NO" to restoring original xorg config)
## 4. update packages cache
slackpkg update
## 5. make sure new packages from blacklist
## will not install. So, rerun blacklist again
## in my case kde/plasma and emacs packages
slackpkg blacklist kde e
## 6. install new packages
slackpkg install-new
## 7. upgrade all packages
slackpkg upgrade-all
## 8. (ONLY with kernel upgrade)
## generate mkinitrd and update bootloader
go to /boot directory and generate initrd with:
mkinitrd -c -k 5.10.xx -m ext4 (my root is ext4)
and then update bootloader:
lilo -v
Then reboot
## 9. (ONLY with kernelupgrade)
## install the nvidia driver again
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-xxx.run
(answer NO to configure xorg config, mine is still there)
reboot again
## 10. Check if multilib is still up-to-date and resolve if needed
## 11. Clean system
## generates a list of all packages that are obsolete and can be safely removed
## non-official packages will be listed here unless blacklisted - check changelog
slackpkg clean-system