totally offline install: hunt for packages list and whatever needed

yvonney · 2010-12-03 01:30:53

Hi!

Objective: to get pacman to sync without going online, using locally saved packages, without using repo-add or pacman.conf server line.

-- I have a full running install.
-- I did a base install from CD onto new USB stick which boots fine.
-- I moved everything from /var/cache/pacman/pkg of old full install over to new stick same location.
-- I copied loose database files *.db.tar.gz from /var/lib/pacman in full install to fresh new one, same folder.
-- I did pacman -Su -Syuu whatver I could and still pacman not aware of ALL the correct packages in new stick's /var/cache/pacman/pkg

As I have not got this install online and as I'm trying to do the pacman sync withough using repo-add or pacman.conf server line can anyone tell me what I've missed?

Last edited by yvonney (2010-12-03 01:31:03)

Xyne · 2010-12-03 03:10:23

Either copy those packages to /var/cache/pacman/pkg/ or use the "--cachedir /path/to/dir" option to point pacman at the directory they're in.

*.db.tar.gz files need to be extracted (not copied) to the correct location but considering the very small download size it's better to just update them normally (pacman -Sy(y)), but see the next line.

After that, upgrade normally. Pacman will use the local packages if they match the versions in the database, otherwise it will download the newer ones which you don't have yet.

Last edited by Xyne (2010-12-03 03:10:52)

yvonney · 2010-12-03 04:31:26

very much appreciated, i'm getting it.

From past installs I've always done an online net
install so that must be why I could say that I never had any problems simply copying all my
packages to the new /var/cach/pacman/pkg folder and voila!

This time it's a totally offline install hopefully, and I would very much like to struggle with
understanding what might be possible as I was most surprized the above didn't work though
now kinda get some of, why.

Here's what I'd love to learn:

1) is it only the stuff in /var/lib/pacman that related to, and gives pacman it's awareness of
what's install and/or what packages have been downloaded?

2) Anything else that pacman needs to sync locally with only existing packages
(and packages file databases?) from full old install? files from other than /var/lib/pacman?

3) avoid repo-add and perhaps any pacman.conf server:/// line UNLESS this would
overcome the database packages file aspect I'm trying to understand?

4) In my fresh install there was only two db.tar.gz files (core and extra)
PLUS two folders (local and sync) for already installed core and extra packages which
included the few packages I installed via pacman -U. As I only copied over the .db.tar.gz files
from old install, would i need to copy over the mass of folders in local AND sync to get pacman
to sync/update WITHOUT going online?

This is a great thing to know if it is possible. :---)))) of course it's possible!!!
3 days and counting. This one is cool to learn slowly.

many thanks for any info and/or for reading.

Last edited by yvonney (2010-12-03 04:33:54)

jasonwryan · 2010-12-03 04:41:56

Please don't cross post

Closing

Follow the original here: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=109407

Arch Linux

#1 2010-12-03 01:30:53

totally offline install: hunt for packages list and whatever needed

#2 2010-12-03 03:10:23

Re: totally offline install: hunt for packages list and whatever needed

#3 2010-12-03 04:31:26

Re: totally offline install: hunt for packages list and whatever needed

#4 2010-12-03 04:41:56

Re: totally offline install: hunt for packages list and whatever needed

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