How to use CD/DVD-ROM as repository?

archiebald · 2009-09-04 14:03:11

I am trying to install Arch on another computer, but I don't want to download all stuff again from Internet. So I decided copying packages from /var/cache/pacman/pkg to DVD-ROM.
I was trying to follow this guide: Using a cdrom as repository, but it doesn't work, and I think it's outdated, because [current] doesn't exist anymore in pacman.conf.

I have /arch/pkg/ folder in DVD-ROM.
I mount /dev/cdrom to /media/cd.

Than I added to [core], [extra] and [communitiy] following line:

Server = file:///media/cd/arch/pkg

After that, pacman -Syy gives me this:

error: failed retrieving file 'core.db.tar.gz' from disk : No such file or directory
eror : failed to update core (No such file or directory)
.
.
.
error: failed to synchronize any database

What am I doing wrong?

Last edited by archiebald (2009-09-04 15:35:07)

Xyne · 2009-09-04 14:18:26

The package cache doesn't contain a database which is why you are receiving errors for missing databases. What you could have done is use repo-add to create a database for those packages before burning the CD.

What I would recommend now that you already have the cd burnt is to undo the changes that you made to pacman.conf and then add the following lines in the options section at the top:

CacheDir = /var/cache/pacman/pkg
CacheDir = /media/cd/arch/pkg

Pacman will still download the databases for each repo (which are really small) and then check both cachedirs for packages before downloading them.

Take a look at pkgd too if you want to avoid unnecessary package downloads in the future by sharing packages between machines on your LAN.

aka_arch · 2009-09-04 14:19:02

you can try possibly two options:
1. copy the contents of your cd to /var/cache/pacman/pkg. no extra configuration needed. pacman will not download package again i it finds it in the cache.
or 2. follow http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Cus … repository to create repo from cached packages. then copy the contents to cd, and use the steps you described.

[i underestimated the speed of responses in arch forums:) ]

Last edited by aka_arch (2009-09-04 14:22:30)

Xyne · 2009-09-04 14:25:54

*slaps forehead*

Just forget my suggestion about adding CacheDir options to pacman.conf. Copy the files over to /var/cache/pacman/pkg as aka_arch suggested.

Sorry, I occasionally fail at KISS.

archiebald · 2009-09-04 15:31:59

Thanks a million, guys.

And for couple of tips more, for clearing things up, because I am little rusty at some of this things.

Pacman rocks.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-09-04 14:03:11

How to use CD/DVD-ROM as repository?

#2 2009-09-04 14:18:26

Re: How to use CD/DVD-ROM as repository?

#3 2009-09-04 14:19:02

Re: How to use CD/DVD-ROM as repository?

#4 2009-09-04 14:25:54

Re: How to use CD/DVD-ROM as repository?

#5 2009-09-04 15:31:59

Re: How to use CD/DVD-ROM as repository?

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