[Herts] More on Newbie Boot Hassle

[Stephen Birch]

The SuSE and Red Hat model is really designed to sell disks so when a new 
upgrade comes out you do a full install from the disks. Yes, I know the disks 
have an upgrade capability, but I have learned to not trust it. A clean 
upgrade is safer.

I don't have a problem with this business model and hope they continue to do 
well, I find SuSE to be in incredibly good distribution and would recommend 
it without hesitation. Red Hat is also outstanding, although we stopped using 
it when they failed to embrace KDE (they do now).

However, upgrading machines remotely requires hands on time on each machine. 
Remember, if you are not next to the machine, you cannot even change a disk.

So, to upgrade the system (about 100 computers), I either hire a local tech 
and have him/her change disks etc for me or I fly out to the USA. Since 
transatlantic travel seems to be pretty inexpensive, traveling is the better 
option.

With Debian, I do not have the same problem, apt-get permits me to do upgrades 
with absolutely no hands on. Debian has no profit motif and is not in the 
business of selling disks - so their network upgrades really do work.

Steve

On Tuesday 04 February 2003 17:00, Tauseef Zahid wrote:
> Hi Steve,
>
>
> What do u mean when u said u had to keep on flying to US for upgrades? cant
> you do the upgrade of SuSe from UK i mean from internet or thro a cd?
>
> Thanx
> Tauseef
>
>
>
>
> From: Stephen Birch <steve_debian@ironmountainsystems.com>
>
> >Reply-To: herts@mailman.lug.org.uk
> >To: herts@mailman.lug.org.uk
> >Subject: Re: [Herts] More on Newbie Boot Hassle
> >Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2003 11:42:04 +0000
> >
> >I missed the start of this discussion. What type of machine are you
> >bringing
> >up? I just brought up a Dell 650 under debian, but I had to build a
> > special kernel based on the 2.4.20 kernel because the aacraid driver did
> > not have Dell support yet. I had to patch the kernel using the patch Dell
> > has submitted to Alan Cox for inclusion in 2.4.21.
> >
> >I got it to work and am now fully installed, but it sure wasn't the
> > easiest install I have ever done.
> >
> >BTW I love SuSE but got fed up of always having to reinstall the latest
> >rev.
> >It doesn't make sence that you can't simply upgrade over trhe net. I kept
> >having to fly to the USA to upgrade machines I maintain over there. With
> >debian, I do a network upgrade to each release from the UK. Get to see
> > more of my wife :-)
> >
> >The install is a little harder with Debian, but you only have to do it
> >once!
> >
> >Steve
> >
> >On Monday 03 February 2003 17:37, Geoff Pitt wrote:
> > > Hi All
> > >
> > > Thanks for your comments so far.  I've done some more research and come
> >
> >up
> >
> > > with some answers.
> > >
> > > The RAID set-up is controlled by a Promise PDC20276 chip (on my
> > > Gigabyte GA-7VAXP MOBO) and their FastTrak133 software.
> > >
> > > I've found an entry on the SuSE support FAQ's giving details of a patch
> > > from promise for 8.0 - I've downloaded it and tried to install it to no
> > > avail.
> > >
> > > Have been in contact with Promise support who helpfully say they're
> >
> >working
> >
> > > on a patch for 8.1 (and Redhat 8 ) but can't give a release date yet.
> > >
> > > Making a boot floppy in YaST2 results in the same errors as writing
> > > LILO
> >
> >to
> >
> > > the boot sector.  I guess I could try ditching win98 and installing
> > > SuSE
> >
> >on
> >
> > > it's own but am worried I'll be without some important hardware (canon
> > > printer, WLAN etc) for some time until I can find the right drivers
> > > etc.
> > >
> > > Hope to meet some of you on Wednesday.
> > >
> > > Cheers
> > >
> > > Geoff
> > >
> > > ---
> > > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> > > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> > > Version: 6.0.449 / Virus Database: 251 - Release Date: 27/01/03
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> >
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