Will openSUSE 12.2 keep old Kernels or replace them upon updates? also rpm cache question

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1

Hi,
I am more or less a newbie to openSUSE, (well have previously run it in VBox for a while) but am now going to put it onto real hardware. I wonder if anyone could please tell me if I need to manually remove old kernels after updates, also the old/previous config files, or does this distro just replace them without the user having to bother with this?, I would also like to apply the exact same question to the rpm package cache, does YaST/Zypper keep a cache in the same way as Synaptic in Ubuntu? (which always seems to need deleting even when the “auto delete after 1 day” option is checked)

In Ubuntu, one of the 1st apps I would install is Ubuntu Tweak, which cleans the deb cache very well, it also removes previous Kernels + purges the previous seperate config files.

Any replies greatly appreciated, thank you.

2

By default, you do not need to remove old kernels or rpm files, that is taken care of for you my default. It is possible to change this by editing the file /etc/zypp/zypp.conf file as root. For instance, some prefer to modify the setting to actaully maintain more than one kernel, just in case a kernel update does not work as you like. Its not very common, but has been said to occur. Anyone that needs the ability to edit this file and any other system file, have a look at this bash script:

SYSEdit - System File Editor - Version 1.00 - Blogs - openSUSE Forums

Use SYSEdit to find and edit any system file with a fully windowed file selection menu.

Thank You,

3

rpm caching is disable by default. You can enable it with:

zypper mr -k (or --keep-packages)

and disable it with

zypper mr -K (or --no-keep-packages)

either globally if followed by option --all or for each repo if followed by a repo name, alias or number.

The packages are stored in subdirectories of /var/cache/zypp/packages.

If you’re interesting in keeping and deleting packages at a later point, you might want to have a look at this script: http://forums.opensuse.org/english/other-forums/development/programming-scripting/470592-clearing-rpm-cache.html

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Thanks very much for your replies, I’m delighted to know that caching is disabled by default, I hate any build up of anything unecessary & am mildly fanatical about keeping a clean system.
thanks

5

On 2012-09-05 23:46, icekool wrote:

> also the old/previous config files, or does this
> distro just replace them without the user having to bother with this?,

Some config files are replaced, some remain for you to handle manually. Sometimes the old config is
renamed as .rpmorig, sometimes the new one is renamed as .rpmnew. In both cases you have to decide
what to do, manually.

There is a service, rcrpmconfigcheck, that runs on every boot and lists the files needing attention

  • however, you do not see it with a graphical boot.

> would also like to apply the exact same question to the rpm package
> cache, does YaST/Zypper keep a cache in the same way as Synaptic in
> Ubuntu? (which always seems to need deleting even when the “auto delete
> after 1 day” option is checked)

You mean the rpm database cache, or the packages themselves? There is a 5 days backup copy handled
by a cron job.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” (Minas Tirith))

6

I think I meant the packages themselves ie. after an update (apps, libraries etc), btw, whats a ‘cron job’?

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It’s a task that is auto triggered with the specified interval :
Crontab – Quick Reference | Admin’s Choice

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On 2012-09-16 18:46, icekool wrote:

> I think I meant the packages themselves ie. after an update (apps,
> libraries etc), btw, whats a ‘cron job’?

rpms are by default deleted just after they are installed.
Cron jobs are tasks that run at a scheduled time.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” (Minas Tirith))