When should you update a package

disparv · 2012-01-12 19:58:00

I've been using arch for a couple of months now, and only did a full update the day I installed arch.
The reason I haven't done a update yet is because I am scared I'm gonna screw up my pc

So I got some newb questions:
1: Is it smart to do a full update?
2: When should you do an update?
3: Where can I find the source of an old package?
4: If I do an update, should I backup anything?

-- thanks in advance --

Last edited by disparv (2012-01-12 19:58:54)

olive · 2012-01-12 20:10:57

disparv wrote:

I've been using arch for a couple of months now, and only did a full update the day I installed arch.
The reason I haven't done a update yet is because I am scared I'm gonna screw up my pc
So I got some newb questions:
1: Is it smart to do a full update?
2: When should you do an update?
3: Where can I find the source of an old package?
4: If I do an update, should I backup anything?
-- thanks in advance --

My very personal answers.

1. Yes ! (but read below)
2. Personal answer. If you need a feature present in the next version of a package for example.
3. If you need a precompiled old package read: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Do … g_Packages. If you want the source of an old package, you can get old build script by svn: http://www.archlinux.org/svn/ .
4. Many people will say no. But, especially if core packages will be updated, I backup the whole system on a hard disk before updating.

Bear also in mind that you cannot usually mix old and new packages (If you downgrade a particular package and that nothing depends on it and if the old version is still functioning, there is no problems; but if you completely mix old and new packages, including libraries you will have problems).

lifeafter2am · 2012-01-12 20:16:22

The dev's will always tell you to ALWAYS do a full update. Period.

I've been running Arch for damn near 3 years, always done full updates, never had any real problems. Never had to downgrade, have never done system backups.

Trilby · 2012-01-12 20:17:42

I do a full update at least once a day.

Generally there may only be one or two packages to update so it is quick and easy, and if anything goes wrong (which is actually quite rare) I know *exactly* what the culprit is.

Having not updated for a couple months, a full system upgrade is going to be rather large. You will have to check the front page for the two manual interventions, and due to the kernel major version upgrade there may be other minor issues to fix.

But, that's what the forum is here for. If you face any problems, the odds are that someone else already struggled with the same issue.

So all in all, will an update "screw up" your PC? Certainly not in a way that cannot be fixed with a little patience. However, given the time since your last full update, you can expect to have to do a little work beyond typing "pacman -Syu". I really prefer breaking this into very bite sized units by updating daily - a *VAST* majority of the time it is as simple as "pacman -Syu" and when it isn't I know exactly what package name to google for more information.

Trilby · 2012-01-12 20:21:29

Just consider the differences between someone coming on the forum with these questions:
1) I just did a full upgrade, only packages XYZ and ABC had updates. After the update and reboot I could no longer ...
vs.
2) I just did a full upgrade, every package on my system had to be updated. After the update and reboot I could no longer ...

#1 should be simple to track down a fix to, # 2 may not get any response on the forum until the unfortunate user gathers a lot more info.

jasonwryan · 2012-01-12 20:44:22

Arch is a rolling release; anything other than full updates and you may as well be running something else...

Read the wiki on downgrading packages.

You should always back up your data, irrespective of what distro you are running. I also back up my pacman cache every three or four weeks, just in case I do need to retrieve an earlier version of a package; but I have only had to do that two or three times (and could have just as easily used ARM).

olive · 2012-01-12 21:03:22

jasonwryan wrote:

Arch is a rolling release; anything other than full updates and you may as well be running something else...

We may have other reasons than the rolling release. I usually upgrade when I know I have time to fix problems. It may happens that I have no time for several mounts and that I nevertheless need my computer.

ozar · 2012-01-12 21:40:55

disparv wrote:

So I got some newb questions:
1: Is it smart to do a full update?
2: When should you do an update?
3: Where can I find the source of an old package?
4: If I do an update, should I backup anything?

Hello and welcome to Arch!

1) sure, updates are good
2) whenever it is available works for me
3) https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Downgrade
4) backups only happen about once each week for me

disparv · 2012-01-12 23:15:28

Thanks for the answers, just did a full update, and no problems

1 more thing: The linux kernel has 3 version numbers, example: 3.1.8, but arch has 3.1.8-1.
What's that '-1' for?

Last edited by disparv (2012-01-12 23:17:04)

karol · 2012-01-12 23:27:21

It's the release number. If you look at the PKGBUILD you'll see 'pkgrel=1' in there - it's the package release number.

Many packages are tested and fixed a couple times before being release to the official repositories (and some are patched later too) and the release number is used for our internal fixing - the upstream source hasn't changed, but we changed how we package the app so we need a way to distinguish these "versions".

disparv · 2012-01-13 14:13:32

karol wrote:

It's the release number. If you look at the PKGBUILD you'll see 'pkgrel=1' in there - it's the package release number.
Many packages are tested and fixed a couple times before being release to the official repositories (and some are patched later too) and the release number is used for our internal fixing - the upstream source hasn't changed, but we changed how we package the app so we need a way to distinguish these "versions".

Makes sense , ty

Arch Linux

#1 2012-01-12 19:58:00

When should you update a package

#2 2012-01-12 20:10:57

Re: When should you update a package

#3 2012-01-12 20:16:22

Re: When should you update a package

#4 2012-01-12 20:17:42

Re: When should you update a package

#5 2012-01-12 20:21:29

Re: When should you update a package

#6 2012-01-12 20:44:22

Re: When should you update a package

#7 2012-01-12 21:03:22

Re: When should you update a package

#8 2012-01-12 21:40:55

Re: When should you update a package

#9 2012-01-12 23:15:28

Re: When should you update a package

#10 2012-01-12 23:27:21

Re: When should you update a package

#11 2012-01-13 14:13:32

Re: When should you update a package

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