Current Bunsen Labs version on Asus 4G netbook?

hstraub · 2024-01-18 12:42:18

Hello, I have installed Bunsen Labs Helium on an Asus 701 4G netbook, running well. Now I face the problem that Bunsen Labs Helium is not supported any more, but I cannot simply upgrade to Beryllium or so since there are only 4 GB of disk space. Is there a way to make it run under this restriction?

Last edited by hstraub (2024-01-18 15:42:23)

johnraff · 2024-01-19 03:00:01

Hi hstraub, welcome to the forum.

You will need to upgrade in steps: first from Helium to Lithium, then Lithium to Beryllium, and finally it's best to upgrade one more time to Boron, once the official release is out.

Some links:
https://forums.bunsenlabs.org/viewtopic.php?id=6913
https://forums.bunsenlabs.org/viewtopic.php?id=8295
Those two BL links are relatively basic but should let you get the job done.

These Debian pages are very detailed but cover alll the possible issues, including disk space:
https://www.debian.org/releases/buster/ … ng.en.html
https://www.debian.org/releases/bullsey … ng.en.html
https://www.debian.org/releases/bookwor … ng.en.html

As for disk space, how much you need depends on what you have installed. It's true that each upgrade of Debian uses more disk space than the one before. You might need to do some clearing out before upgrading to keep within the 4GB limit.

Debian have some advice:
https://www.debian.org/releases/buster/ … ient-space
https://www.debian.org/releases/bullsey … ient-space
https://www.debian.org/releases/bookwor … ient-space

I like the app ncdu - it's available in Debian Buster, but I don't know about Stretch (Helium). In fact if you want to install any Debian packages on your Helium system before upgrading you'll need to adjust your apt sources to use the archived Stretch repository:
https://www.geekersdigest.com/apt-etc-a … n-release/

Anyway ncdu makes it quite easy to browse your system and find the places where a lot of disk space is being used.

hstraub · 2024-01-19 11:37:31

Thanks, this is very helpful!

Disk space is definitely an issue, it was firm beginning even on Helium, so informations in cleaning are very welcome. I'll see how far I'll be able to update. In any case, getting the old, now archived repositories back is a necessary next step to do. I'll post updates about my progress.

rbh · 2024-01-19 12:28:40

hstraub wrote:

Hello, I have installed Bunsen Labs Helium on an Asus 701 4G netbook, running well. Now I face the problem that Bunsen Labs Helium is not supported any more, but I cannot simply upgrade to Beryllium or so since there are only 4 GB of disk space. Is there a way to make it run under this restriction?

1) Do you really need to upgrade? You can't just backup your data and make a new installation?

2) If I had your hardware and really needed to go the upgrade path, I would clone the disk to an external usb disk. Then upgrade on that (do not forget to change partition UUID before booting the external disk).
When upgrade is finished, clone the usb disk to your onboard disk.

Alternatively:
Boot live disk.
Backup disk. Move directories /var and /tmp to external harddisk. Edit fstab accordingly. Run the upgrade.

Edit
Forgot to add:
Boot live dist, move back directories and update fstab.

Your netbook has only 512 MB RAM. You have not been thinking about using an lighter dist?

Last edited by rbh (2024-01-20 15:05:19)

hstraub · 2024-01-20 19:41:34

A new installation would be fine for me, too - I was just shying away from it since the minimum system requirements for the current version say 1 GB RAM and 20 GB disk space (although the latter, as I saw just now, is not the necessary minimum but just recommended).

For the moment, Bunsenlabs Helium runs again, after I set the repositories to the archived sources. I'll see how long that stays so. Indeed a more lightweight distro might be a good idea one day, I have already been looking around. But one that really suits is not that easy to find nowadays...

rbh · 2024-01-20 22:21:53

hstraub wrote:

A new installation would be fine for me, too - I was just shying away from it since the minimum system requirements for the current version say 1 GB RAM and 20 GB disk

Upgraiding will not spare resources more than a new install. In fact, the opposite is true. Upgrade will consume more diskspace than new install.

Indeed a more lightweight distro might be a good idea one day, I have already been looking around.

Maybe you should look for a new used replacement? You ought to be able to get a better system for about 70 euro.

But one that really suits is not that easy to find nowadays...

If you change from Openbox to a lighter Windowsmanager, it takes some more learning...

rbh · 2024-01-20 23:35:59

By the way, you are aware of the security issues of running an oldoldold-stable system that no longer receives any security updates?

hstraub · 2024-01-21 16:42:35

Ok, thanks. So I guess it will be a new install, of whatever distro. It's not something I need, BTW, more a kind of an emotional thing, since that little machine is still running... And a kind of playground.

I am aware of security issues if old systems. That is one reason I was looking for a new current system. But I thought this to be much less urgent in the case of Linux, compared to Windows or Android. Or am I wrong here?

rbh · 2024-01-21 18:37:31

hstraub wrote:

But I thought this to be much less urgent in the case of Linux, compared to Windows or Android. Or am I wrong here?

But: "Security updates have been discontinued as of July 6th, 2020." That is quite a while ago...

The risk you encounter relates to behaviour...

#1 2024-01-18 12:42:18

Current Bunsen Labs version on Asus 4G netbook?

#2 2024-01-19 03:00:01

Re: Current Bunsen Labs version on Asus 4G netbook?

#3 2024-01-19 11:37:31

Re: Current Bunsen Labs version on Asus 4G netbook?

#4 2024-01-19 12:28:40

Re: Current Bunsen Labs version on Asus 4G netbook?

#5 2024-01-20 19:41:34

Re: Current Bunsen Labs version on Asus 4G netbook?

#6 2024-01-20 22:21:53

Re: Current Bunsen Labs version on Asus 4G netbook?

#7 2024-01-20 23:35:59

Re: Current Bunsen Labs version on Asus 4G netbook?

#8 2024-01-21 16:42:35

Re: Current Bunsen Labs version on Asus 4G netbook?

#9 2024-01-21 18:37:31

Re: Current Bunsen Labs version on Asus 4G netbook?

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