Gentoo Archives: gentoo-user

From: William Kenworthy <billk@×××××××××.au>
To: gentoo-user@l.g.o
Subject: Re: [gentoo-user] Knock on wood
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:13:48
Message-Id: 1250079192.16371.103.camel@rattus
In Reply to: Re: [gentoo-user] Knock on wood by bn
1 > worse it is, but it's always a matter of time, and I don't have that
2 > time -not to update per se, which I have, but to face problems in case
3 > critical updates don't go smooth.
4 >
5 > Any advice on this kind of situation? I would rather not buy a "backup
6 > laptop".
7 >
8 > > However, unlike a dog, you can catch up after a long absence:
9 >
10 > Heh, I hope so!
11 >
12 > m.
13
14 I get around this by leaving a relatively small partition on the hard
15 disk and install a minimal gentoo with rescue tools and essential
16 applications. Every few months I update it by creating a chroot for it
17 on the running system. I am a "serial upgrader" and have some quite
18 ancient gentoo systems around - one can be traced back to 1.1B (I think,
19 circa 1999) - all of which at times suffer severe breakage (remember
20 gcc2.95, or the glibc upgrades anyone? - interesting times :)
21
22 Along with a few other "strategies, it covers most things except
23 hardware failure - I use gnome, but have fluxbox installed as a backup,
24 kernels are upgraded manually, and the last couple are kept around "just
25 in case" (i.e., avoid genkernel), as well as openoffice in which I do
26 most work, I have abiword to type docs etc, when I have a really
27 "critical" presentation coming up, I make sure an up to date pdf is
28 around for backup - saved my bacon a couple of times now as you can grab
29 it from backup (you do up to date backups dont you :) and display it on
30 a borrowed doze laptop.
31
32 Think what you need to keep operating for a reasonable time when it all
33 goes sour, and you will be able to plan accordingly.
34
35 BillK