urpmi backup?

[SoulSe]

I'm sure I could find this answer by googling, but I prefer asking here because it leads to conversations, arguments and, finally, a better tweaked answer. :wink:

 

How do you backup urpmi sources so that if you re-install you don't have to waste time adding them again? Is as simple as backing up the hdlist files or what?

[Guest anon]

Your CDs are added to sources when you install, for other sources simply go here http://plf.zarb.org/~nanardon/urpmiweb.php Tick as many sources you want, copy and paste into a term.

[SoulSe]

Thanks anon, but I don't think you understood my question. I know how to install them. I want to know how to BACK THEM UP.

 

I have a bad Internet connection and some of the sources can take up to an hour or more to add, so I don't want to have to do that everytime.

[mtweidmann]

There is a file that stores your sources, which I guess you could backup. Can't remember the name of the file, but there was a thread on thif forum about it a while ago. So I guess its the good old search button.

[mtweidmann]

In fact this looks like the thread in question:

 

http://www.mandrakeusers.org/viewtopic.php...highlight=urpmi

[Guest anon]

Sorry about your connection speed :shock:

The source list is stored in /etc/urpmi/urpmi.cfg

[SoulSe]

In fact this looks like the thread in question:

http://www.mandrakeusers.org/viewtopic.php...highlight=urpmi

Hmmm.... not really.

 

Well, if I break the urpmi system down, it basically consults the .cfg file for a list of sources and then searches through the hdlist files for the required package, its source and its dependancies and then downloads and installs them.

 

So I imagine that if I backup the hdlist files and the urpmi.cfg file and put them back after an install then that should be the answer?

 

Anyway, I'm sure DragonMage will solve this one for me, he seems to be the resident urpmi guru :wink:

[DragonMage]

Anyway, I'm sure DragonMage will solve this one for me, he seems to be the resident urpmi guru  :wink:

 

Who? Me? Nah.. I usually just brute force the method.. :)

 

Anyway, the source list is stored in /etc/urpmi/urpmi.cfg while the hdlist is stored in /var/lib/urpmi/hdlist.<name of mirror>.cz and /var/lib/urpmi/synthesis.hdlist.<name of mirror>.cz

 

If I were you however, I'll backup the entire /var/lib/urpmi and /etc/urpmi directory. Another thing is by the time you reinstall, you may need to redownload the hdlist again just to make sure you are up to date with security patches, bug fixes, and add-ons. I usually just backup my whole linux partitions with acronis trueimage (usually just take me 3 cdrws and booting to windows for about half an hour, much safer that way) Now if there is a linux version of a backup that system that can backup to cdrws which enable you to boot off the cd, I'll use that instead.

[Cannonfodder]

I wouldn't get in to backing up the actual files, just build a script file that calls urpmi.addmedia for each source and back that up..

[SoulSe]

Well done DragonMage, another urpmi mystery solved :wink:

 

It's a pity the backup facility provided with the Mandrake Control Centre doesn't do such a great job.