[WBEL-users] Upgrading from Whitebox to RHEL

[Mike B.]

At 4/27/2007 03:10 PM, Robert Heller wrote:

>The main thing is proper partitioning.  For *my* thoughts on 'proper
>partitioning' see
>
>http://www.deepsoft.com/Articles/
>
>and select the 'Partitioning for Linux' article.

Thanks!  Makes sense.  I set up /home on a separate partition just to 
be able to keep it around easily when replacing all the other 
partitions in a major upgrade, but the other separate partitions you 
suggest make good sense too. Since my system is just used by me, some 
of the reasons won't apply here, but won't hurt anything either.

I'm kind of thinking that linux, or unix in general, could benefit 
from some sort of standard installation/configuration program that 
records info about what was installed, when, and most importantly, 
where it put all the parts, then saves the install package to some 
safe area for use if re-installation is needed.  It should also allow 
editing or creation of config files, while tracking all the changed 
files for future reference.  When it's reinstall or major 
upgrade/change time you could get it to build you a tar of all the 
files that you've changed since system install, and maybe even get it 
to tell you which ones are different on the new system after 
installation so you know what needs to be put back...and maybe it 
could automate those that don't need merging...like passwd maybe.

I guess the combination of RPMS and up2date (or other update system) 
does do much of this, but not everything comes in RPMs or through an 
automatic updater.  Things written locally for instance, or manual 
edit config file changes won't be tracked.

Is there something like that already?  Or am I too short on sleep and 
the whole thing is a bad idea?

-- Mike B.