Linux Mint Forums

How to turn LMDE in pure Debian sid?
I already changed repo.

Presumably part of the answer would be to remove any packages containing the word "mint", but you would need to make sure that this did not deprive you of needed functionality. For example, removing the packages mint-translations and mintupdate-debian might do so. Or you could decide that you might as well keep them. Apart from those two, the only "mint" packages on my system are linuxmint-keyring, mint-common and mint-info-xfce.

If you are going to run "pure" Sid:

- remove all Linuxmint sources from /etc/apt/sources.list;

- remove apt.conf and apt.preferences files (if they exist) from/etc/apt. Apt "pinning" as it is called can screw with "Sid". You do not need apt.preferences to get the occasional package from "experimental";

- do not use any 'deb-multimedia' source other that "Sid", such as the Mint multimedia;

- install apt-listchanges & apt-listbugs;

- monitor "Sid" thread in here + "Debian Weather" site before upgrading;

- upgrade at least once or twice a week using command line (not GUI).

Here is my Debian Sid sources.list FYI;

##
deb http://mirror.internode.on.net/pub/debian/ unstable main contrib non-free
deb http://mirror.internode.on.net/pub/debian/ experimental main contrib non-free
deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org/ sid main non-free
deb http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
deb http://dl.google.com/linux/musicmanager/deb/ stable main
deb http://qt-kde.debian.net/debian/ experimental-snapshots main
# Liquorix sources added by smxi
deb http://liquorix.net/debian/ sid main

This system runs the Liquorix kernels, a couple of Google direct apps and up-to-date KDE. I ALWAYS use smxi/sgfxi for Debian based proprietary kernels & drivers.

have fun,
rhodry.

Also, there are several other ways to get to Debian Sid,
1, start from aptosid, add Debian kernel, then boot to debian kernel, remove aptosid stuff, you soon get Debian Sid
good if you want kde, xfce

2, same as above, but start from Siduction, latest release had very new snapshot with kernel 3.4
good if you want kde, xfce, lxde

Choices:
Debian Sid
Debian Testing
Siduction

rhodry wrote:If you are going to run "pure" Sid:

- remove apt.conf and apt.preferences files (if they exist) from/etc/apt. Apt "pinning" as it is called can screw with "Sid". You do not need apt.preferences to get the occasional package from "experimental";

Is this step also necessary in order to turn LMDE into debian testing?

Thanks a lot.

patrik

patrikm wrote: Is this step also necessary in order to turn LMDE into debian testing?

patrik

yes, absolutely.

1- I removed all mint packages

2- I changed sources.list

deb http://ftp.it.debian.org/debian/ unstabel main contrib non-free
# deb-src http://ftp.it.debian.org/debian/ unstable main contrib non-free
deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org sid main non-free
# deb-src http://www.debian-multimedia.org sid main non-free
# deb http://ftp.it.debian.org/debian/ experimental main contrib non-free *

* I active this repo only when I need it

3- I changed /etc/lsb_release

DISTRIB_ID=Debian
DISTRIB_RELEASE=unstable
DISTRIB_CODENAME=sid
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Debian GNU/Linux unstable (sid)"

4- I changed /etc/issue

Debian GNU/Linux wheezy/sid \n \l

5- I changed /etc/issue.net

Debian GNU/Linux sid

6- I changed /etc/apt/preferences

Package: *
Pin: release a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 500

This because when I active experimental repo, synaptic shows me updates

7- Delete file in /etc/gconf/gconf.xml.default

8- to change mint grub with Debian grub

re: 6- you kept the original preferences file and added that rule? or replaced all the content with that rule only?

zerozero wrote:re: 6- you kept the original preferences file and added that rule? or replaced all the content with that rule only?

I replaced all the content with the rule in point 6...because the default PIN of experimental repo is 100 and so updates are not shown in synaptic or with apt-get update (the default PIN of Stable, Testing and sid is 500).

ahh now i understand you want to see all the experimental updates when that repo is active. ok that way makes sense

zerozero wrote:

patrikm wrote: Is this step also necessary in order to turn LMDE into debian testing?

patrik

yes, absolutely.

Thanks, but I am still a little bit confused, sorry. Is removing /etc/apt/preferences only necessary in order to turn LMDE into a PURE debian testing or also for an /etc/apt/sources.list like this:

deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ debian main upstream import
deb http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian testing main contrib non-free
deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ testing-updates main contrib non-free
deb http://security.debian.org/ testing/updates main contrib non-free
deb ftp://ftp.deb-multimedia.org testing main non-free

Is this the right sources.list to track debian testing and mint packages?

Thanks again.

patrik

patrik,
those sources.list look right to track lmde+debian testing and yes, you should also in this scenario delete the preferences file.
it serves a fine purpose with the vanilla sources.list but gives you more troubles than needed as soon as you leave the defaults.

zerozero wrote:patrik,
those sources.list look right to track lmde+debian testing and yes, you should also in this scenario delete the preferences file.
it serves a fine purpose with the vanilla sources.list but gives you more troubles than needed as soon as you leave the defaults.

Thank you very much zerozero.

patrik

There is another file to delete in /etc/gconf/gconf.xml.default

Regulus74 wrote:There is another file to delete in /etc/gconf/gconf.xml.default

What does this file do?

Steve

xircon wrote:

Regulus74 wrote:There is another file to delete in /etc/gconf/gconf.xml.default

What does this file do?

Steve

It's the default configuration of gconf; it's the file that admin can use to set default values and keys of gconf for all users...in LMDE contains default configuration of LMDE

That might be the file that is causing me all the trouble with the login window, deleted, will see what happens.

Cheers

Steve

Thanks for this thread Regulus.

I followed all the tips and now have Debian SID.
The only things leftover from LMDE are = a Mint Grub theme, and Mint MDM theme (modified with new background, text, and Debian logo)

Still have my LMDE/UP4/Cinnamon partition to watch the developments of LMDE... I suspect UP5 is just around the corner..

GeneC wrote: The only things leftover from LMDE are = a Mint Grub theme, and Mint MDM theme (modified with new background, text, and Debian logo)

I'm using LightDM