How to reinstall apps for unsupported release?

[edzell]

I'm running Mint 10 Julia (not a total newbie but by no means expert) and don't want to upgrade yet. I've been exploring Inkscape. It appeared to behave erratically so I uninstalled it but now can't reinstall - synaptic gives a "failed to fetch" message. I assume that's because Julia is "no longer supported" so the repository can't be accessed? Is there no way that I can reinstall Inkscape without upgrading Mint?

I suppose there may be a way to download source files but I'm not savvy about compiling.

As a corollary question: If for any reason I were to reinstall Mint 10 (using my live DVD) would I be unable to once more access the couple-of-hundred-or-so upgrades that followed my original installation? And if that's the case, will Julia then fail to perform properly?

I suppose I'll get a ton of replies telling me to just upgrade to "mint XX", but please - I'm not ready to do that yet and in any case I'm looking for information at this stage, rather than opinion. One of the things I liked about Linux distros like Mint was the idea that (as I thought) upgrading would always remain an option rather than become a necessity à la Windows. I'm very disappointed if in fact the system I've set up and grown to like is unrecoverable should it break.

Maybe there are things I'm missing or just don't understand (it's been known ! ) I'd be delighted if anyone can tell me how to make whatever system I set up, completely and simply recoverable - preferably without "external" software such as Clonezilla etc.

[TheDynamicHamza21]

You can compile from source but it's not guaranteed to work since you may not have libraries to run the application. Really your best option is to back up your data and install a newer version of Mint. Morover the idea that you OS will never become obsolete and will always be supported is unrealistic especially when maintained by a limited group of individuals. As well as it is well known Linux Mint is based upon Ubuntu, when Ubuntu stops supporting a version Mint has no choice to do so as well. Furthermore Ubuntu is based on Debian,which only has support ranging for three to five years depending each release.

If never installing a OS again is what you prefer you may look into a rolling release distro like Linux Mint Debian Edition , PCLinuxOS Fuduntu or Anti X.

[wayne128]

I suppose I'll get a ton of replies telling me to just upgrade to "mint XX", but please - I'm not ready to do that yet and in any case I'm looking for information at this stage, rather than opinion.

Not from me..
I still installed WinXP for people who just want XP and happy with SP2 because their old program worked only on SP2. But they can still use firefox 10 to 17...
And just install an OLD, solid gnome2 iso, kernel 2.6.32 into the 10-year old computer. worked very well and fast too, although new distros with kernel 3.7.1 also works. I choose to use solid old gnome2 for that

I'm very disappointed if in fact the system I've set up and grown to like is unrecoverable should it break.

It took sometime to learn that.
and finally develop some kind of backup for yourself.

Maybe there are things I'm missing or just don't understand (it's been known ! ) I'd be delighted if anyone can tell me how to make whatever system I set up, completely and simply recoverable - preferably without "external" software such as Clonezilla etc.

I use gparted, nothing of external software, because most distro have gparted installed, Mint10 has it too.

all I need is an USB drive with enough unallocated space to clone from the working internal drive partition.
and my lazy method comes from old simple method of copying file from one hard disk and paste onto another hard disk.

and the procedure to clone Linux OS is :
run from Live DVD/CD/USB
copy the working partition
paste to the USB unallocated space ( large than that of the working partition)

to reinstall, or install onto another computer hard disk ( larger than the size of clone)
run from Live DVD/CD/USB
copy from USB 's clone
paste to unallocated space of the hard disk or a larger-than-clone partition
install boot loader.

well, hope it helps

[wayne128]

I suppose there may be a way to download source files but I'm not savvy about compiling.

if such is the case, you can try google for ppa that has the program you wish to install.

http://www.google.com.sg/search?q=Inksc ... =firefox-a

I cannot tell which is going to work since I do not work on Inkscape
Before you try ppa method, please backup and clone your existing working Mint10 with your own configuration, so that in the event you have some issue, you can recover your last working Clone ( very important!!)

[edzell]

Thanks both for your replies, and here's wishing you a good New Year.

I've installed Mint 13 on separate partitions; reinstating all my apps etc will take a while.

@Dynamic:
At this stage I won't get into compiling.
I admire and am grateful for the work of the individuals who maintain these systems.
I guess I just didn't understand that end of support meant shutdown of repositories. (If in fact that's what it means?)

@Wayne:
Yes I have XP (dual-boot) on my system too, because there are a couple of apps for which I find no real linux equivalent.

Excuse my lack of understanding about kernel designation; your old kernel 2.6.32 – is that a distro such as Ubuntu, Mint etc.? If it's what DynamicHamza21 calls an obsolete distro, are you installing from an old live DVD or what? Presumably there's no longer a place to download from.

I do use Gparted on a live disk. Your procedure for cloning the system sounds easy. When you say install bootloader: Is that as simple as just the command: grub-install /dev/hda ?
Why do you say the unallocated space has to be larger than the working partition that will be copied to it?

As for Inkscape, I still have the same problems with it under Mint 13 as I did under Mint 10. I'm trying XaraX instead and it seems to perform more reliably.

[TheDynamicHamza21]

I guess I just didn't understand that end of support meant shutdown of repositories. (If in fact that's what it means?)

That's exaxtly what it means. The repositories are links to Mint servers that provides access to software and security updates. When a version becomes unsupported those links (repositories) die and the space is used for newer versions.

Excuse my lack of understanding about kernel designation; your old kernel 2.6.32 – is that a distro such as Ubuntu, Mint etc.? If it's what DynamicHamza21 calls an obsolete distro, are you installing from an old live DVD or what? Presumably there's no longer a place to download from.

The kernel is where you have all the firmware,drivers,system information,etc needed to run your OS. A linux based OS can't run without the kernel. Linux has a kernal and Microsoft has Windows NT,Apple uses the XNU/FreeBSD kernel.

Yes you can install an older version of a Linux based OS but you won't be able to receive updates,install programs,etc due the repositories not existing anymore. However what you have on the Live CD is what you get and can only have. You have search around but you can find links and torrents provided by third parties to old versions of a Linux based OS.

As for Inkscape, I still have the same problems with it under Mint 13 as I did under Mint 10. I'm trying XaraX instead and it seems to perform more reliably.

I like Xara better than Inkscape but the old free version can only export png.jpg,etc images no svg.
Thus I learned how to work with Inkscape though Xara is much easier and more intuitive than Inkscape.

[edzell]

When a version becomes unsupported those links (repositories) die and the space is used for newer versions.

I had imagined end of support simply meant end of development but what you say makes perfect sense.

The kernel is where you have all the firmware,drivers,system information,etc needed to run your OS. A linux based OS can't run without the kernel.

I thought I more-or-less understood that, but wayne128 spoke of installing a kernel - as if it were an OS or "distribution" all by itself. I suspect he meant a distro but wasn't sure.

I like Xara better than Inkscape .... Xara is much easier and more intuitive than Inkscape.

"Easier and more intuitive" works best for me Thanks for your help.

[wayne128]

I thought I more-or-less understood that, but wayne128 spoke of installing a kernel - as if it were an OS or "distribution" all by itself. I suspect he meant a distro but wasn't sure.

I meant a solid distros with kernel 2.6.32.
Debian squeeze, centos6.3, RedHatEL6.3, etc
Redhat/centos 6.3 will last a long time.

When you say install bootloader: Is that as simple as just the command: grub-install /dev/hda ?

For Mint10 or distros with grub2 boot loader, to install bootloader, just do this
1. boot live DVD/CD/USB
2. mount the root partition with sudo mount /dev/sdaX /mnt, replace X with your number
3. install grub to MBR with sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda

Why do you say the unallocated space has to be larger than the working partition that will be copied to it?

Put in another way,
if your Mint10 root partition is 30G, ( I called this working partition)
to clone , your USB drive must have equal to or more than 30G unallocated space.

[oobetimer]

Replace /etc/apt/sources.list using old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu version and run sudo apt-get update and install the package what you want.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/EOLUpgrades

Requirements

/etc/apt/sources.list

Please make sure you have the following sources.list, change CODENAME to your release, e.g. breezy.

## EOL upgrade sources.list
# Required
deb http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ CODENAME main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ CODENAME-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ CODENAME-security main restricted universe multiverse

# Optional
#deb http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ CODENAME-backports main restricted universe multiverse

[edzell]

Replace /etc/apt/sources.list using old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu version and run sudo apt-get update and install the package what you want.

Thanks but these are Ubuntu and it's Mint 10 I wanted to reinstall. No matter, I'll go to 13 or maybe back to 9.

[SurfaceUnits]

Just use the damed ppa

https://launchpad.net/~inkscape.dev/+archive/trunk

[edzell]

Just use the damed ppa

Damed?