I’m a long time Linux user but new to Suse. I got a couple of questions I was hoping someone might shed some light to. I’m running OpenSuse 11.3.
-After running ‘zypper update’ I see it’s listing a couple of new packages it wants to install (flash-player among them). I thought update would mean update existing packages, not install random new packages. Is there a way to restrict zypper to install only updates and no new packages?
-I’m trying to find a repository that has the complete courier mail server (smtp, webmail and all the rest, not just the imap server) but I’m having no luck. Anyone know where I could get it? I know I can build it myself.
-Is there a way to automatically download all available updates so that they can later be installed interactively?
Yes, I believe it does normally mean that, and once the original 11.3 installation has completed, new packages are not automatically installed unless you choose to install updates that depend on some package(s) that are not yet installed.
Are you sure “flash-player” package is not installed (zypper se flash-player)? IIRC there is normally a pull-in package for flash-player installed by default.
After first reboot during installation, did you check Yast>Software Management>Installation Summary, for any outstanding optional packages to be installed?
This is a list of the new stuff ‘zypper update’ wants to install: fetchmsttfonts flash-player libgda-4_0-sqlite libjpeg6 libpurple-lang libsepol1 libwebkit-lang nspluginwrapper poppler-data python-ReportLab
However, if I run ‘zypper patch’, it lists all the above packages it’s saying it’ll install plus a whole lot more of new patches it wants to install (104 in total, ImageMagick among them, not installed currently).
That would surprise me! However, many wanted flash-player installed by default. IIRC and it’s a long time since I installed 11.3, did you go to Yast Software, to check if there is a list of (optional) packages waiting to be installed? If there is, and if you ignore it then add some other package or update a package, that list of waiting installs will execute. Maybe that is where you are right now?
Since you are only just now installing 11.3 (11.4 is due in March), there will be a very large number of updates. As I said before some updates may need to install new packages as dependencies. You can install them one by one if you have the time, but most users will just install all official updates from the openSUSE update repo immediately after a new install. Be aware that one of those updates will probably be the latest kernel update to fix security issues and bugs.
I guess that was it. When I went to YaST -> Software, it prompted me immediately to install that lot (and I was able to avoid it). So this was due to a brand new install.
That’s good, glad you found it. Yes, I think the number of additional packages waiting to be installed may depend on whether you install from DVD or liveCD (i.e. more to download). I mentioned the kernel update (reboot required to use the new version), as sometimes it can leave one with a broken system especially if using proprietary driver modules as with some graphic cards. Luckily, I haven’t had that problem.
I can’t help you with the courier mail question, but someone else may pick it up. If not, you could ask that question as a new thread in the “Looking For Something Other Than Support?” forum or “Applications” forum, but those are just suggestions.
I think there is a way to download all package updates first if you are doing a “Distribution Upgrade” (zypper dup), and you can probably find that searching the openSUSE Wiki. However, I don’t know if it’s possible for updates on 11.3. Although having recently installed 11.4 RC1, it looks like the default behaviour is to download all packages before carrying out the update. No doubt someone will correct me if I am wrong.
On 2011-02-23 21:36, 4dbv wrote:
>
> This is a list of the new stuff ‘zypper update’ wants to install:
> fetchmsttfonts flash-player libgda-4_0-sqlite libjpeg6 libpurple-lang
> libsepol1 libwebkit-lang nspluginwrapper poppler-data python-ReportLab
>
> However, if I run ‘zypper patch’, it lists all the above packages it’s
> saying it’ll install plus a whole lot more of new patches it wants to
> install (104 in total, ImageMagick among them, not installed currently).
Notice that “zypper patch” is the important one, and should do the same as
the graphical tool, YOU, YaST Online Update. It does not change versions,
it only does security patches, and some recommended patches, pulled from
the update repo.
Run that one first.
The “zypper update” variant tries to find newer versions in the combination
of respos you have active.
Sometimes an update brings in a new package that was not previously
installed, as a dependency of something that is already installed or that
it is going to be installed.
If you use YaST instead of zypper you can select or deselect a particular
package and see how it complains, and thus learn why it is going to be
installed.
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)
> I think there is a way to download all package updates first if you are
> doing a “Distribution Upgrade” (zypper dup), and you can probably find
> that searching the openSUSE Wiki. However, I don’t know if it’s possible
> for updates on 11.3.
Of course there is. Simply call “zypper up --help” and find out the way I
did
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)
