From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: from pigeon.gentoo.org ([208.92.234.80] helo=lists.gentoo.org) by finch.gentoo.org with esmtp (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1MbCiB-0004L9-UN for garchives@archives.gentoo.org; Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:13:48 +0000 Received: from pigeon.gentoo.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by pigeon.gentoo.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 67150E0351; Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:13:46 +0000 (UTC) Received: from outbound.icp-qv1-irony-out3.iinet.net.au (outbound.icp-qv1-irony-out3.iinet.net.au [203.59.1.148]) by pigeon.gentoo.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id C07EAE0351 for ; Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:13:45 +0000 (UTC) X-IronPort-Anti-Spam-Filtered: true X-IronPort-Anti-Spam-Result: ApoEAD1Ogkp8qQ2K/2dsb2JhbADSN4QZBYFM X-IronPort-AV: E=Sophos;i="4.43,367,1246809600"; d="scan'208";a="490444137" Received: from unknown (HELO moriah.localdomain) ([124.169.13.138]) by outbound.icp-qv1-irony-out3.iinet.net.au with ESMTP; 12 Aug 2009 20:13:43 +0800 Received: from localhost (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by moriah.localdomain (Postfix) with ESMTP id 11AE41958AF3 for ; Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:13:43 +0800 (WST) X-Virus-Scanned: amavisd-new at localdomain Received: from moriah.localdomain ([127.0.0.1]) by localhost (moriah.localdomain [127.0.0.1]) (amavisd-new, port 10024) with ESMTP id v3cNNF4zS7t4 for ; Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:13:12 +0800 (WST) Received: from [192.168.1.2] (rattus [192.168.1.2]) by moriah.localdomain (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6942E176F41D for ; Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:13:12 +0800 (WST) Subject: Re: [gentoo-user] Knock on wood From: William Kenworthy To: gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org In-Reply-To: <4A82AADF.70600@gmail.com> References: <7bef1f890908112213r5a7e08a4k7703ca14a9d9bcfb@mail.gmail.com> <20090812091028.GA4887@ca.inter.net> <4A82AADF.70600@gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain Organization: Home in Perth! Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:13:12 +0800 Message-Id: <1250079192.16371.103.camel@rattus> Precedence: bulk List-Post: List-Help: List-Unsubscribe: List-Subscribe: List-Id: Gentoo Linux mail X-BeenThere: gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org Reply-to: gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Evolution 2.26.3 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Archives-Salt: 1a925b23-2b15-4a5e-859d-5a208332d65c X-Archives-Hash: 1674fe8964026c637dc3b347aee22234 > worse it is, but it's always a matter of time, and I don't have that > time -not to update per se, which I have, but to face problems in case > critical updates don't go smooth. > > Any advice on this kind of situation? I would rather not buy a "backup > laptop". > > > However, unlike a dog, you can catch up after a long absence: > > Heh, I hope so! > > m. I get around this by leaving a relatively small partition on the hard disk and install a minimal gentoo with rescue tools and essential applications. Every few months I update it by creating a chroot for it on the running system. I am a "serial upgrader" and have some quite ancient gentoo systems around - one can be traced back to 1.1B (I think, circa 1999) - all of which at times suffer severe breakage (remember gcc2.95, or the glibc upgrades anyone? - interesting times :) Along with a few other "strategies, it covers most things except hardware failure - I use gnome, but have fluxbox installed as a backup, kernels are upgraded manually, and the last couple are kept around "just in case" (i.e., avoid genkernel), as well as openoffice in which I do most work, I have abiword to type docs etc, when I have a really "critical" presentation coming up, I make sure an up to date pdf is around for backup - saved my bacon a couple of times now as you can grab it from backup (you do up to date backups dont you :) and display it on a borrowed doze laptop. Think what you need to keep operating for a reasonable time when it all goes sour, and you will be able to plan accordingly. BillK