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Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage

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[NOTE: I'm interleaving comments referring to Brian's post of 06/13/2017 
11:48 AM and I'm still absorbing David's post of 06/15/2017 10:34 AM]

On 06/13/2017 04:13 PM, David Wright wrote:
> On Tue 13 Jun 2017 at 12:28:41 (-0500), Richard Owlett wrote:
>> On 06/13/2017 11:48 AM, Brian wrote:
>>> On Tue 13 Jun 2017 at 09:20:43 -0500, Richard Owlett wrote:
>>>
>>>> I am running Stretch that was fully updated/upgraded less than
>>>> a week ago. I have the flash drive used to do the original
>>>> install of Stretch. I have not _intentionally_ purged any files
>>> >from cache.
>>>
>>> The cache will contain those files the installer got for you when
>>> you selected and installed software, plus anything else you obtained
>>> after the first reboot. For the sake of example let us suppose you
>>> installed the mate desktop and the standard utilities.
>>
>> That is my intention. I don't recall all of what I chose during the
>> original install, but what I intend is guaranteed to be no more than
>> the original.
>>
>>>
>>> The cache will not contain files from the base system, but that
>>> doesn't matter because they are in the installer image, as is GRUB.
>>> The standard system utilities are also in the image; no bandwidth
>>> penalty there.

There is an almost "gotcha" there. The cache does not have packages such 
as task-desktop whose function is to load packages containing executable 
code (e.g. lightdm).

>>>
>>>> I wish to install Stretch on two additional machines. I am near
>>>> my internet data cap and wish to make *ABSOLUTE MINIMAL* usage
>>>> of available bandwidth.
>
> Then take one of those large USB sticks that you have, and copy
> the contents of /var/cache/apt/archives/ (omit partial/ and lock)
> onto it before you lose them.
>
> In future, when you install from scratch, you can make this copy
> before you finish the installation with the following:
>
> When the "Select and install software" step finishes, switch to VC2
> for a shell. Insert the USB stick and mount it somewhere (like /mnt
> or /instmnt).
> # cp /target/var/cache/apt/archives/*deb /<your USB stick>/
> Unmount the stick and remove after copying has finished.
> Switch back to VC1 and continue.

I take it that "/<your USB stick>/" does not refer to copy made 
satisfying "before you lose them".

>
>>> I've not completely thought this through but you definitely would
>>> not want to use the select and install software option, apart from
>>> leaving standard utiliites ticked. You also would not want a
>>> network mirror but, unless you are going to use sneakernet, you
>>> will want networking in order to be able to connect to your primary
>>> machine.
>>
>> I generally favor sneakernet whenever possible. I neglected to
>> mention that I do not currently have a LAN. The time may have come.
>
> Regardless, on the next installation, during the "Configure the
> package manager" step where you are asked whether you want to use
> a network mirror, switch to VC2 for a shell. Insert the USB stick and
> mount it somewhere (like /mnt or /instmnt).
> # cp /<your USB stick>/*deb /target/var/cache/apt/archives/
> Unmount the stick and remove after copying has finished.
> Switch back to VC1 and continue.
>

I've been looking at the directory structure of netinst.iso. I'm 
considering adding the *.deb files from my backup of my current cache to 
.../Debian stretch-DI-rc3 i386 1/pool and appropriately modifying 
.../Debian stretch-DI-rc3 i386 1/dists/stretch/Packages.gz.

I'm extrapolating from comments made by Thomas Schmitt and others in and 
around <https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2014/03/msg00075.html>.


>>>> The purpose of this is to test the _installation process_ itself.
>>>> That eliminates anything resembling cloning. A secondary benefit
>>>> will be learning more about how Debian does things.
>
> These two steps will get you started, and help preserve your precious
> bandwidth while you get to learn about LANs, apt-cacher-ng and so on.
>
> Cheers,
> David.
>
>

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Thread

Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2017-06-13 16:30 +0200
  Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Darac Marjal <mailinglist@darac.org.uk> - 2017-06-13 16:50 +0200
    Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2017-06-13 18:40 +0200
      Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-06-13 19:30 +0200
        Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2017-06-13 20:00 +0200
          Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith  useage Brad Rogers <brad@fineby.me.uk> - 2017-06-13 20:20 +0200
            Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2017-06-14 16:00 +0200
              Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2017-06-14 20:00 +0200
                Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2017-06-15 13:30 +0200
                Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-06-15 16:10 +0200
                Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Greg Wooledge <wooledg@eeg.ccf.org> - 2017-06-15 16:20 +0200
                Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2017-06-15 17:40 +0200
          Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-06-13 20:30 +0200
            Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Greg Wooledge <wooledg@eeg.ccf.org> - 2017-06-13 20:40 +0200
              Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2017-06-13 20:50 +0200
              Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-06-13 21:10 +0200
              Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> - 2017-06-14 01:00 +0200
  Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-06-13 18:50 +0200
    Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2017-06-13 19:30 +0200
      Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2017-06-13 23:20 +0200
        Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2017-06-15 20:40 +0200
          Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2017-06-16 17:20 +0200
            Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2017-06-16 19:50 +0200
  Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage David Christensen <dpchrist@holgerdanske.com> - 2017-06-13 23:40 +0200
  Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage songbird <songbird@anthive.com> - 2017-06-15 19:10 +0200
    Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith useage Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2017-06-15 19:40 +0200
  Status Re: Installing Stretch/Testing with absolute minimal bandwith  useage Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2017-06-20 16:20 +0200

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