Arch Linux

Akim

Member

Registered: 2021-08-04

Posts: 42

Does live USB have to be updated once in a while?

Do I have to update my live USB with arch ISO that I keep in order to repair the system in case it breaks (and if so, what's the easiest and fastest method)? Or will it work just fine 5 years from now without updating?

I feel like it's an obvious question but I haven't found anything online, so just to make sure.

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 9,003

Website

Re: Does live USB have to be updated once in a while?

Some stuff might stop working if the packages on the ISO are too old. For example trying to access the on-disk journal might fail if it uses new features not present in the systemd version on the ISO (but that can be worked around by using strings(1) instead).

To update the ISO download the latest version and burn it to the USB stick, overwriting the old version. I prefer grml for rescue purposes though. It's usually more convenient to have a graphical environment available.

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Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

Akim

Member

Registered: 2021-08-04

Posts: 42

Re: Does live USB have to be updated once in a while?

Some stuff might stop working if the packages on the ISO are too old.

So how often would you recommend updating it?

SimonJ

Member

From: Spain

Registered: 2021-05-11

Posts: 335

Website

Re: Does live USB have to be updated once in a while?

Just setup a ventoy disk and then you just copy the iso to it every now and then.

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Rlu: 222126

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 9,003

Website

Re: Does live USB have to be updated once in a while?

how often would you recommend updating it?

I would download the new version every month. That's probably overkill but my connection is unmetered so I don't have to worry about bandwidth.

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Jin, Jîyan, Azadî