Understanding the YAST Software Module Options

Novell Cool Solutions: Trench
By Aaron Gresko

Digg This - Slashdot This Posted: 15 Jun 2005

When the next SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) service pack comes out, do you know the best way to apply it? What about upgrading a SLES 8 box to SLES 9?

Some users get confused about the different options available in YAST's Software modules. The Software modules are shown in in the image below:



The modules and their use are as follows:

• Online Update---installs patches from online sources.
• Install And Remove Software---manages the software installed on the system. Software can be added, removed, and updated. The software available for installation and update in this module comes from the source listed in the Change Source Of Installation module.
• Change Source Of Installation---holds the software sources available to the system. The source used to install the system is added during installation. Additional sources can be added from CD, the network, or the local filesystem.
• Installation into Directory---installs SUSE Linux software into a directory on the host system.
• Patch CD Update---is the best way to install a support pack CD onto an already installed system.
• System Update---upgrades the major version of the system. This would be used to upgrade from SLES 8 to SLES 9, for example. System update should not be used to apply support packs.
• UML Installation---creates virtual Linux machines on the host system.
• YOU Server Configuration---configures a local YOU Server on the system. The YOU Server can mirror patches for all SUSE Linux distributions.

Reader Comments

• This page tells me almost nothing that I can't learn just by reading the labels on the icons. How do I use these tools? For example, how do I make YaST use ISO images on my harddrive instead of CD's? This page is worthless.
• Doesn't provide additional information. Merely a rewrite of Yast's online help text. Really a waste of time.
• Why not provide examples of each. For instance I want to change the "Change Source Of Installation" from CD to an HTTP address since I don't like getting up and loading a new CD everytime I install some software.
• An article that says marginally more about each item than the statusbar in YaST when you hover your mouse over the items?
• remains to much on the surface. no much usable information.
• utterly useless - i came here to see how to switch my installation source from cd-rom to http (this should be automagically done on install after a network is configured anyway) this page provided nothing i hadn't already learned from yast2. Beginning to regret ever purchasing SuSE, and if I can't get this server configured with help from the Novell site, its back to Debian for this box

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