Offline Updating of the the system

DarkMuse · 2015-12-31 22:20:52

Hello BunsenLabs,

So I am currently running this lovely OS called BunsenLabs (the most recent iso) on my old 2002 Emachine t5026 with 0 internet capabilities. My windows laptop doesn't support gigabit ethernet so I cannot share it's internet connection and I do not have nor can I afford a USB Network Adapter.

My question is, "What is the easiest way for me to update the system and all installed packages without an internet connection on the physical machine?" I had high hopes of being able to locate a .zip file containing the most recent updates for the BunsenLabs distro but was unable to find anything after hours of searching.

Thank you,
DarkMuse(SL)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-12-31 22:26:54

Have a look at apt-offline

I haven't tried it myself but here is a guide:
https://blog.sleeplessbeastie.eu/2014/0 … an-system/

EDIT: Welcome to BunsenLabs!

ohnonot · 2015-12-31 22:36:00

there's a package called apt-offline.
i don't know how it works, but you're not the first one facing this problem.

sometimes i went through the rigmarole of getting packages from https://www.debian.org/distrib/packages, first the one i want to install, and down the dependency tree...
if you're really good at this, you can first determine a list of what packages you'd be needing, get them all at once, and install them in the right order (dependncies first).
i guess apt-offline automates this somehow.

edit: HoaS ninja'd me! oh, why do i even bother if HoaS is there 24/7... 8.(

happy new year!

Last edited by ohnonot (2015-12-31 22:37:24)

DarkMuse · 2016-01-01 03:48:47

Thank you for the snappy replies! I've been attempting to use apt-offline for a while now (dependencies are such a nuisance) but it does not appear to grab all the update files and it does not handle .dpg files well. I have made a VM on my laptop (internet connection) with the exact same installation procedures and I'm wondering if there is a way to download all the updates to a USB, and deposit them onto the desktop for updating. Is that at all possible?

Neil · 2016-01-01 14:30:20

DarkMuse wrote:

...Emachine t5026 with 0 internet capabilities...

First...I apologize for going a little off topic but, I'm just a little curious about why there is no internet capability on the old Emachine. This model came from the factory with an integrated fast ethernet adapter. Is it no longer working, or something?

DarkMuse wrote:

nor can I afford a USB Network Adapter

As to this part, I certainly understand not having any spare change. I'm in the same situation most of the time. But, a USB wireless adapter can be obtained for about the price of a fast food lunch...so I think, if wifi was my only option, I would just skip lunch one day, get a USB adapter, and save myself all the trouble of trying to use the computer off-line only.

DarkMuse · 2016-01-02 03:45:07

Neil wrote:

First...I apologize for going a little off topic but, I'm just a little curious about why there is no internet capability on the old Emachine. This model came from the factory with an integrated fast ethernet adapter. Is it no longer working, or something?

It works just fine, but I am on the first floor of my house and my modem is in the basement. No ethernet jacks unfortunately.

Neil wrote:

I certainly understand not having any spare change. I'm in the same situation most of the time. But, a USB wireless adapter can be obtained for about the price of a fast food lunch...so I think, if wifi was my only option, I would just skip lunch one day, get a USB adapter, and save myself all the trouble of trying to use the computer off-line only.

Yeah I've considered it but I am impatient when it comes to things working and not working so I'd hate to purchase an adapter that is not compatible with the one OS that I need internet for. Really am hoping that there is an easier way to update the system offline.

DarkMuse · 2016-01-02 06:31:26

I found a solution to my problem it would appear. Here is a link to a tutorial I posted on another forum I use. https://www.sinister.ly/Thread-Tutorial … ian-system

If this violates any rules please let me know and I will remove the link and repost the tutorial here.

Thank you for your replies.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2016-01-02 10:26:05

DarkMuse wrote:

If this violates any rules please let me know

No, not at all.

Thank you very much for posting your solution, I'm sure many will find it useful

ohnonot · 2016-01-02 12:20:20

thanks for posting that link, darkmuse.
however, it seems to me a dangerous thing becasue you need two machines that are running exactly the same software, and even then i'm not sure if this method will always work.

apt-offline seems to be doing the same, only better:

apt-offline can be used to generate a signature on a machine (with no network). This signature contains all download information required for the APT database system. This signature file can be used on another machine connected to the internet (which need not be a Debian box and can even be running windows) to download the updates. The downloaded data will contain all updates in a format understood by APT and this data can be used by apt-offline to update the non-networked machine.

johnraff · 2016-01-03 04:58:03

I've used apt-offline in the past, and it went OK, though needed several return journeys to do the job completely.
(The offline PC was 100km away.)

DarkMuse · 2016-01-03 05:16:33

ohnonot wrote:

thanks for posting that link, darkmuse.
however, it seems to me a dangerous thing becasue you need two machines that are running exactly the same software, and even then i'm not sure if this method will always work.
apt-offline seems to be doing the same, only better:
apt-offline can be used to generate a signature on a machine (with no network). This signature contains all download information required for the APT database system. This signature file can be used on another machine connected to the internet (which need not be a Debian box and can even be running windows) to download the updates. The downloaded data will contain all updates in a format understood by APT and this data can be used by apt-offline to update the non-networked machine.

I mean it's really not that hard to setup the vm exactly like the desktop so long as the desktop has never had internet access and the VM is only used for updating purposes. (Suits my needs perfectly.) I would have loved to use apt-offline however I just could not get it to work properly. Would've been nice to get a new piece of software under my belt but no harm, no foul.

johnraff · 2016-01-03 06:39:48

I eventually found this guide fairly useful:
http://docs.xubuntu.org/1504/C/offline-packages.html

#1 2015-12-31 22:20:52

Offline Updating of the the system

#2 2015-12-31 22:26:54

Re: Offline Updating of the the system

#3 2015-12-31 22:36:00

Re: Offline Updating of the the system

#4 2016-01-01 03:48:47

Re: Offline Updating of the the system

#5 2016-01-01 14:30:20

Re: Offline Updating of the the system

#6 2016-01-02 03:45:07

Re: Offline Updating of the the system

#7 2016-01-02 06:31:26

Re: Offline Updating of the the system

#8 2016-01-02 10:26:05

Re: Offline Updating of the the system

#9 2016-01-02 12:20:20

Re: Offline Updating of the the system

#10 2016-01-03 04:58:03

Re: Offline Updating of the the system

#11 2016-01-03 05:16:33

Re: Offline Updating of the the system

#12 2016-01-03 06:39:48

Re: Offline Updating of the the system

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