How can I update a base Fedora installation using previously downloaded files

[Satish Balay]

On Fri, 6 Feb 2004, BFD wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> I have a computer on which I have installed FC1 from the original set of 
> CD's released last October. I would like to bring it up to date but have 
> only a dialup connection to use for downloads.
> 
> I have another computer which I have been keeping current using up2date 
> and leaving the files in the directory /var/spool/up2date. Is there a 
> way that I can use these .rpm files to update the new system? I had 
> thought that I could copy them to a CD and then use rpm freshen command 
> against the new installation but this fails with warnings about headers 
> or GPG keys or other dire warnings.
> 
> Surely there has got to be a way to do this without having to download 
> over 500 MB of files on a 56.6 modem connection when I already have the 
> files at hand.
> 
> Any suggestions?

1. 'rpm -F' doesn't check gpg - so something else is wrong. Error
message would have been useful. If it is GPG errors - you could do:

rpm --import /usr/share/doc/fedora-release-1/RPM-GPG-KEY-fedora

2. With 'rpm -F' you'll have to be careful about kernel and glibc
updates i.e You'll have to match the update ARCH with the ARCH of the
currently installed packages. Verify this first by:

rpm -q --qf "%{NAME}-%{ARCH}\n" kernel glibc

Next install the correct kernel - and update the correct glibc*
libraries. 

After this, you can freshen the rest of the packages.

3. It is easier to create a local yum repository with this 500MB of
packages - and let yum take care of things.
 - copy rpm files from CD to a local rep - say /software/local-yum
 - create yum meta data by: 'cd /software/local-yum; yum-arch .'
 - now add this to your yum config (or up2date?) (perhaps a different
   one without the other repositories on the net listed - for eg:
   /etc/yum.conf.local)

[local-updates]
name=Local Updates copied via CD
baseurl=file:///software/local-yum

  - now you can do 'yum -c /etc/yum.conf.local update

Satish