Simply installing New Releases

[limotux]

....
In my opinion, anyone that wants a 'rolling' MX should set all Debian repos to Debian Testing immediately after installation and just roll.
But, it would no longer be MX.

I was thinking the same but found it would not be really rolling as the repo has bullseye in the link. So, I would need to change repos after the new release (not a problem really).
But after changing the repos to the xxxx testing repos of the new release would it just upgrade as an update without the need to reinstall?

Ah, I just got it (I hope I am right), when a new release comes out do the following in order:
1- Cahnge repos to the new release repos
2- Do the update
OR
1- Change the repos to bullseye testing repos
2- Update
3- Cahnge repos to the new release repos (just the new release repos not the testing repos)
4- Update again.

I don't know if any of this would update the wholes system or not?

[j2mcgreg]

....
In my opinion, anyone that wants a 'rolling' MX should set all Debian repos to Debian Testing immediately after installation and just roll.
But, it would no longer be MX.

I was thinking the same but found it would not be really rolling as the repo has bullseye in the link. So, I would need to change repos after the new release (not a problem really).
But after changing the repos to the xxxx testing repos of the new release would it just upgrade as an update without the need to reinstall?

Ah, I just got it (I hope I am right), when a new release comes out do the following in order:
1- Cahnge repos to the new release repos
2- Do the update
OR
1- Change the repos to bullseye testing repos
2- Update
3- Cahnge repos to the new release repos (just the new release repos not the testing repos)
4- Update again.

I don't know if any of this would update the wholes system or not?

You need to read this article from the Debian Wiki and then maybe you will see why many of us advise against your idea:
https://wiki.debian.org/DebianTesting

[anzus101]

For me, when I am ready to move to a new MX version, I run this script on my old machine, which shows me what *I* have installed, and then use it to decide what I want to install on my new machine.

Code: Select all

comm -23 <(apt-mark showmanual | sed 's/[: \t].*$//' | sort -u) <( { sed 's/[: \t].*$//' /usr/share/antiX/installed-packages.txt ; dpkg-query -W -f '${Depends}\n' | sed 's/([^)]*)//g; s/ //g; s/,/\n/g' | grep -vF '|' ; } | sort -u) > Packages-installed-by-me.txt

I then use this file to create a script to install apps that I still want, and then use the script to install it all.

I also create my new machine 100% in a VM, then once it is tested and ready to roll, I snapshot it, write it out to a pocket drive and then install to my machine. (Testing several times along the way on other machines before I overwrite mine:-) )

And, of course, I have backups and have also just copied out my home folder and everything under it.

I used your script and it is not working for me. I have got this output comm: /dev/fd/63: No such file or directory

[anzus101]

I have figure out a way to migrate, please comment on this proposed approach


1.-Run this script on the old machine, which shows what is installed

You need to type Ctrl + Shift + V (to avoid weird characters from appearing)

Code: Select all

# Run the command and store the output
output=$(apt list --installed)

# Define the path to the output file
output_file="$HOME/Desktop/packages_install_script.txt"

# Write the script header to the output file
echo "#!/bin/bash" > "$output_file"
echo "" >> "$output_file"

# Loop through each line of the command output
while IFS= read -r line; do
  # Extract the package name from each line
  package=$(echo "$line" | awk '{print $1}')

  # Skip the lines that don't contain package names
  if [[ -n $package ]]; then
    # Append the installation command for each package to the output file
    echo "sudo apt install $package -y" >> "$output_file"
  fi
done <<< "$output"

# Provide execution permission to the output file
chmod +x "$output_file"

# Display a success message
echo "Package installation script generated successfully at $output_file"

2.- Install the APT Packages that are not found into the new mx version

Code: Select all

 Define the path to the packages_install_script.txt file
script_file="$HOME/Desktop/packages_install_script.txt"

# Check if the script file exists
if [ -f "$script_file" ]; then
  # Read the package names from the script file
  package_names=$(grep 'sudo apt install' "$script_file" | awk '{print $4}')
  
  # Loop through each package name
  for package in $package_names; do
    # Check if the package is already installed
    if ! dpkg -s "$package" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
      # Install the package
      sudo apt install "$package" -y
    fi
  done
  
  echo "Package installation completed."
else
  echo "Error: packages_install_script.txt file not found on the Desktop."
fi

#

[Melber]

@anzus101
Have you tried the MX tool User Installed Packages?

[Jakob77]

Anyway, I have it now on the "new" old laptop, leaving it as is with defaults. I will see how things go when the next release comes out.

Congratulation.
Don't forget there are many defaults you can change and backup for the next install without loosing support.
MX is designed for that. I guess you can even find defaults so annoying that everybody wants to change them.
This video is for MX19 Xfce but about MX defaults and changing them it can still be relevant:

Things to do after installing MX Linux
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aESEb8lTvz4

[limotux]

Well, I am doing something.
I just created file bookworm.list in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ containing only deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free

Then:

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade

I will let you know how it goes!

[MadMax]

Note that with the bookworm release non-free drivers have been moved from repository non-free to non-free-firmware. You might want to add that in your sources. You probably also need the security and updates lists down the line.

Also the official Debian documentation says to run sudo apt full-upgrade for a release upgrade. This enables the packet manager to remove conflicting packages. Also I don't exactly know how the existance of both bullseye and bookwork sources is being handled. The documentation states to replace and not just add the new release.

I just updated my Debian machine yesterday, so I know that pretty accurately :D

[limotux]

Well, as I have been warned, after doing this I got lots of errors trying to update!
I better stick with the "official" procedures
I will play with it a little before I reinstall!
You know why I am doing all this! I strongly believe doing something will teach you much better than just studying it.

[Eadwine Rose]

It'll at least teach how to install really well *giggle*