Help:Update suse
From SUSE Wiki
Type: Howto, Updating SuSE
Tested Versions: 10.x
Written By: TuxRulz
Introduction to updating a SuSE Linux installation
Headline text
TuxRulz on 09/14/2007
MAKEWHATIS command
The makewhatis utility collects the names and short descriptions from all the unformatted man pages in the directories and puts them into a file used by the whatis and apropos commands.
SuSE does not include this utility in their distribution because they utilize another package that takes care of the ‘man’ (manual) pages. The system administrator may install other packages eventually that does rely on the ‘makewhatis’ application. This will have to be downloaded and installed using the ‘rpm’ command.
1. Make a folder called --> /utils
2. Download this file --> makewhat-2006.1.25-29.i586.rpm to the folder called /utils
3. Go to TERMINAL - Change directory to --> /utils - Install the application using the ‘rpm’ command and ‘-ivh’ options
4. Access a TERMINAL session and type in --> makewhatis [ENTER] What happens?
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5. What are three options that can be used with this command and what do they do?
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How often should this command be run? Can it be automated?
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LOCATE / UPDATEDB commands
The locate program searches a database for all pathnames which match the specified pattern. The database is recomputed periodically (usually weekly or daily), and contains the pathnames of all files which are publicly accessible.
The updatedb utility updates the database used by locate. It is typically run once a week by a specified script. The contents of the newly built database can be controlled by the /etc/locate.rc file.
SuSE does not install this set of utilities by default, but they can be found on the installation CD’s: Bring up YaST Software Management Search for --> findutils (it should respond with 2, select/install both)
Access a TERMINAL session and type in --> updatedb [ENTER] What happens?
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How often should this command be run? Can it be automated?
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The findutils suite of programs include find, locate, updatedb, and xargs. What is the difference between ‘find’ and ‘locate’?
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Introduction to ‘yum’
Yum (Yellowdog Updater, Modified) is an automatic updater and package installer/remover for rpm systems. It automatically computes dependencies and figures out what things should occur to install packages. It makes it easier to maintain groups of machines without having to manually update each one using rpm.
Main webpage --> http://www.linux.duke.edu/projects/yum/
Go to --> YaST --> Software Management --> Search on ‘yum’, then select them all and
install them.
Before you can really utilize ‘yum’, a new file will have to be added that will hold the repositories which this application will use.
To do this:
1.Access the TERMINAL
2.cd /etc [ENTER]
3.Is there a folder called yum.repos.d? If not, then create it
4.We need to create a file called something.repo utilizing the ‘vi’ editor
5.This file will contain the following:
[base] name=SuSE Linux – Base Repository baseurl=http://packman.mirrors.skynet.be/pub/packman/suse/10.1/ enabled=1
6.Save this file --> :wq [ENTER]
When finished try a few of the commands listed below: Try this one first --> yum update [ENTER] What happens?
Some options associated with the yum command:
yum - display brief help (is the package installed?)
yum check-update - displays any updates the current system needs
yum update - check for updates and apply them interactively
yum update <package> - check for updates and upgrade a specified package
yum info - similar output to a rpm -qai
yum info <package> - information about a specific package
yum list - lists all available packages
yum list <package> - list individual package(s)
yum list installed - list all installed packages
yum list available - list all packages not installed
yum list update - list all packages that need to be upgraded
yum clean - delete any rpms in the yum cache and remove any unneeded headers
yum install <package> - install the package (or yum –y install <package>)
yum remove <package> - delete the package
yum search <string> - searches for packages containing the string in their name or header info
RUN this command at TERMINAL --> yum check-update [ENTER]
Do the following packages have updates available:
Network Manager, bind, cups, firefox, and samba
If so, how would you go about updating these particular packages? yum update Network Manager yum update bind yum update cups yum update firefox yum update samba
Are there any other packages that you feel is important (as a Linux system administrator) that should be updated as well? If time permits (and connectivity is reasonably quick), please update those packages as well.
Introduction to ‘YumEX’
YumEx will allow you to manage the RPM packages on your system. It allows the administrator to install/update packages from internet repositories as well as un-install RPMs from the system.
Is this package installed? If not, access TERMINAL and type --> yum install yumex
After the installation is complete and still in TERMINAL, type --> yumex [ENTER]
1.Select a package or several packages that you wish to install or update
2.Select [ADD TO QUEUE]
3.Click on the [QUEUE] button
4.Click on [PROCESS QUEUE] then wait for a few minutes
5.Select [PACKAGES TO PROCESS], then the [OK] button
6.You will see a message that says ‘Packages Processing’…then ‘Completed OK’, after it is finished please select the [OK] button.
7.When you are done, close out YUMEX, then EXIT out of TERMINAL
Adding other repositories to YaST:
Note: This will only work if there is an internet connection.
Select --> YaST --> Installation Source --> Add --> HTTP
In the ‘Server Name’ field --> packman.unixheads.com/suse/10.1
Again…. ‘Server Name’ --> mirrors.kernel.org/opensuse/distribution/SL-10.1/inst-source/
Again…. ‘Server Name’ --> mirrors.kernel.org/opensuse/distribution/SL-10.1/non-oss-inst-source/
