apt-get system reinstallation

[NoOp]

On 07/22/2008 09:42 PM, andy baxter wrote:
> Bart Silverstrim wrote:
>> Is there a simple way to try a "reinstall" of everything currently 
>> installed on my system?
>>
>>   
> I have written up a page on how to do this here:
> 
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReinstallingSamePackages
> 
> get back to me if you need any help with this. Not sure if it will solve 
> your original problem though.

Two points:

1. "apt-get deselect-upgrade # actually installs the packages." should
be: apt-get dselect-upgrade # actually installs the packages."
[http://linux.die.net/man/8/apt-get]

2. Nothing gets "reinstalled" unless one of the packages was
considerably outdated or missing from the cache list. Your instructions
will only _install_ packages from the machine #1 dpkg-selections to
machine #2 _if_ those packages are not already on machine#2; see my post
in this thread regarding Sundar Nagarajan's instructions.

  If the packages are already there & up to date nothing gets
"reinstalled", which is what Bart was looking for. This is great for
"mirroring" two systems, but not 'reinstalling' in place. Also note
Sundar Nagarajan's recommendation when bringing up a new system: "On the
new machine, do a minimal install. Once you have booted into the
new machine, do the following". That way you start with a minimal and
then use dselect to 'build/mirror' the other system.

Note: you can test this by using your instructions on an exisiting
system (modify 'deselect' to 'dselect' first).