Update packs.

[deltaluca]

I'm installing lmde tomorrow after testing it for a while, but how exactly do update packs work? I gather that they are collections of roughly stable updates, but that does mean you should not use apt-get upgrade and dist-upgrade in favour of update packs?

[cwsnyder]

Update packs are from the Mint repositories on the default install of LMDE. This is the supported version of LMDE, and will be the result, whether you use apt-get, Synaptic, Update-Manager or some combination of the above.

The beauty, as far as I am concerned, of LMDE in its rolling release method, is that you can have your LMDE as you like it.
- If you wish your LMDE to be rock-solid, you can set your /etc/sources.list to follow Debian stable or old-stable and still get backports of security updates after testing to make sure there are no problems.
- If you wish a solid installation, with few problems, but still get program updates eventually with your security updates, use the standard Mint repositories.
- If you wish your program updates to happen a little bit faster at the risk of occasional application borks, you can follow vanilla Debian testing repositories.
- If you wish your program updates to follow the developer's latest, almost as fast as the packages can be made, you can follow Debian unstable, also known as Sid, in which the updates and fixes flow very quickly, at the risk of occasional real problems which you will have to learn how to fix yourself.
- If there are some applications which you must have the very latest, at the risk of crashes, but you want most of your applications to be more stable, you can set that up, also.

[deltaluca]

Thankyou

[ketoth]

The recommended way is to use the Update Manager (mintupdate), because you'll have a "update pack information" button who lets you see what update pack you're currently running, if there is a newer one available, and special information (like adjustments, minor bugs, how to deal with some questions..)

But technically you can use "apt", "aptitude", "apt-get", "synaptic" or "mintupdate"

[widget]

The recommended way is to use the Update Manager (mintupdate), because you'll have a "update pack information" button who lets you see what update pack you're currently running, if there is a newer one available, and special information (like adjustments, minor bugs, how to deal with some questions..)

But technically you can use "apt", "aptitude", "apt-get", "synaptic" or "mintupdate"

At least check the UM and said "update pack info" button before doing anything else. It will tell you what update pack you are configured for.

LMDE uses their out repos to filter the stable packages from the Debian testing repos. They have found that the easiest way to do this is build the repo slowly.

That is fine but what about security or some other urgent package upgrade that may be needed? To get around this problem they change the the repo name when building the new update pack, leaving the old repo (previous update pack) intact and working.

You can get the new repo addresses by checking the web site and manually edit the sources.list. It is easier to leave the auto settings for checking for updates alone in UM and it will edit the sources.list for you.

I would not let UM do auto upgrades. At least make it ask before doing so. That way you can check these forums incase there is a problem (doubtful but possible).

Apt-get is a good way to actually do get you package upgrades. It is actually the backend that UM uses for most of what it does. The difference is you get a lot more information as apt-get is running and can see if there is an obvious problem.

If you do have a problem with an update pack upgrade you will have more information to deal with the problem,

I use Debian testing or Sid as my production OS. I have LMDE (Xfce) on here to keep and eye on it as I think it is a great distro for noobs.

That being the case I only use UM to do update/upgrade cycles as that is what a noob is going to probably do. I have had no trouble at all with the system. Works pretty slick.

HAVE FUN.