large repo installation delay

[Jason Kohles]

On Mar 1, 2007, at 8:59 AM, Richard Neuboeck wrote:

> Hi!
>
> I'm using kickstart to install our workstations and cluster.
>
> Since I'm installing packages from several repositories I thought I
> would try a direct install from our FC6 mirror via http and add  
> several
> repo entries (extras, updates, livna and our custom repo).
>
> The installation works fine this way. However it takes about 45minutes
> to complete. Right after 'moving (1) to step basepkgsel' (log message)
> anaconda uses the workstations CPU with 100%. This state takes a  
> little
> bit more than 30min. During this phase it only shows a blue screen.
> After that phase the typical 'Checking dependencies in packages  
> selected
> for installation...' bar appears. I have not figured out yet why
> anaconda takes so long.
>
> Is this a common phenomenon or am I doing something wrong?
>
> To speed things up I'm using a script that takes the package listing
> from the ks.cfg file and creates the installation tree containing only
> packages needed for installation. This kickstart run takes about  
> 15min.
> The gap between 'moving (1) to step basepkgsel' and the 'Checking
> dependencies...' bar is hardly noticeable.
>
If you have only one repo, yum can just download and use the
repodata from that one location.  I suspect that what you are waiting
for is the time it takes for yum to retrieve and merge the repodata from
the various repositories, in order to do to things like check  
dependencies
against each other.

-- 
Jason Kohles
email at jasonkohles.com
http://www.jasonkohles.com/
"A witty saying proves nothing."  -- Voltaire