On 1/24/14, Richard Owlett <rowl...@cloud85.net> wrote: > Having read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loop_device, I suspect > using a loop device will alleviate some of my problems.
Let's make sure we're not in XY problem territory. > I'm doing a series of installs to find an optimum configuration > for my personal needs. OK, this is important. Great goal by the way! :) > As I DO NOT have high speed internet available I have purchased a > set of Squeeze DVD's. Great. Wheezy might have been better, but squeeze may be better if your hardware is older; may be, may be not; the Linux kernel has pretty stellar backward compatibility, at least within a few generations. > My impression is that I should be able to copy the set of DVD's > to a flash drive and access as loop device to save physically > handling DVD's when using apt-get etc. Here's where the XY problem may be coming in. Yes you can create an image easily of a DVD or CD, with the following being just one of many ways to achieve that: sudo readom dev=/dev/scd0 f=my-image.iso BUT, if you want to experiement with different desktops, settings, kernels etc, in the Debian world, then here's what I suggest: First key point: I sent a few emails to your earlier threads, the primary one of interest is about how to create a local repository of Debian packages. Your USB stick might as well contain a local archive of the packages on your DVDs, no point going through the rigmarole of having to mount each ISO image each time you plug in the stick (although admittedly you _could_ script that to automate it). The second key point is that you will most likely _still use_ your first DVD, for installation purposes, even to do a minimal install; and a Minimal Install, using "Advanced" installation option from the DVD, is definitely what you want! :) because thereafter, you install just those packages you want to learn about. Et voi la! The magic of an awesome and essentially unlimited learning curve of inspiring free/libre software. Note: Your process is really quite similar to my own process many years ago. I did even learn (briefly) (at one point many years ago), how to get the grug (or perhaps lilo back then) to boot up a CD/DVD image sitting somewhere on the HDD. I never really used that though, except you could use it to install into a _secondary/learning_ partition, whilst still having a "current stable" partition, but since you have a dedicated PC for your journeys here, this is not necessary for you at all. Here is a link to my earlier email on this list. Again, I strongly suggest you create a local package pool (on your USB stick) using those instructions, and then add that (using a "deb file:///..." type line) in your /etc/apt/sources.list file, each time you do a new installation for some new tests: https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2013/11/msg00374.html As you can see from that link, your follow up message showed that this procedure worked for you. Good luck, and report back if you get stuck, Zenaan -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/caosgnsszr_ewp4tgk-uwrwnn6jfkroaw-jnytkygr5moaej...@mail.gmail.com
