Re: [K12OSN] lilo-yum update-var/log-stuck-reboot (was distro upgrade)

[anthony baldwin <anthonybaldwin snet net>]

Eric Harrison wrote:

> > So what does apt-get distro upgrade do?
> > or yum update?
>
>
> You can upgrade from one major version to another using apt/up2date/yum.
> Unless you really know what you are doing (or have strong confidence in
> your backups ;-), it is better to upgrade off CD. The installer had extra
> intellegence in it to deal with upgrades.  The upgrade logic has a number
> of "if Package_A is installed, this this. If Package_B is installed, do
> that" conditionals that are not necessarily done if you upgrade via apt/yum.
>
>
>
> > I did a yum update last night and it updated my kernel.
> > I about had a cow when I realized that it was doing so.
> > I've never updated a kernel outside of a CD distro upgrade.
> > All is well, though.  No problems anywhere, yet...
>
>
> Grub is *much* *much* safer than lilo when it comes to kernel upgrades.
> If the upgrade fails, you can just reboot and select the old kernel.
>
> -Eric
Well, I'm using Lilo, and what it's done is that it's now offering me
"Linux", "2.4.20-somthing" (the new kernel it loaded, I believe), and
"linux bak" at reboot.  So, I learned yesterday after rebooting (which
 I am about to ask about) that it appears as though I have to choose the
 newer kernel to run it, which I didn't do, so I suppose I am still
running the previou kernel that loaded with RH9 when I did a fresh
install this summer (after unsuccessfully trying to load Debian and
 failing to get the Xserver running, even with the same XF86config
settings that I was using with RH8--I had done a fresh install and
attempt to change distros and removal of my windows partition which I
 had not booted in ages).  Kinda sucks that I had to reboot because I
had been up since the fresh install (shooting for long uptime).  So, I
am guessing that I have the option of removing the old kernel now and
 she would boot to the newer one by default.
But here's a new question, sort of...(more like a blank questioning stare).

I had finally gotten around to burning the isos with cdrecord (which I'd
 asked about earlier this week) yesterday morning.  I got the first two
burned just fine while meditating and doing a few morning chores
yesterday morning, but had to leave the house for school before
completing the 3rd, so I gave the command and left the house as it was
starting to burn the 3rd.
When I came home (over 12 hours later because we had parent teacher
conferences--long, long day) the machine was "stuck" on one image of my
screensaver (slide show of a directory full of photos).  I have the
screensaver password protected so that I have to sign in to turn it off,
 but the password dialogue would not come up.  I tried to sign in, log
off X and a couple of other things to no avail, so, for the first time
in manh months, I powered cycled the machine.  that's when I saw the new
 Lilo configuration.  I let it go to the default, which I believe is the
 old kernel.  I checked the last ISO cd and it seems to have burned just
 fine.  I tried to find any information I could about what had stuck the
 machine by checking /var/log/messages but found nothing.
So, the questions I have are:  might there hav been another solution
than power cycling?
Any guess on why the machine was stuck?  (remember I had left it burning
 an ISO with cdrecord--It has since run the screensaver just fine and
allowed me back in).
Also, I tried opening /var/log/messages with Kate but could not see
anything so I opened a terminal and viewed them with emacs (tried pico
and joe first and learned that I did not have them with this present
install--did with RH 8).  Is there a better way to view these messages?
 How do YOU view them?
I loaded up joe with yum later, could not find pico in either the yum
(always go there first) or apt-get repos.  Joe was in the yum repo.

If my questions or actions seem to indicate glaring ignorance, please 
recall that I am but an English teacher and, well, pretty darned 
ignorant (but, hey, I've come a long way in the one and a half years 
I've been running linux, IMHO--no windows partition!).
All assistance, advice, admonishments and doughnuts, as always, are
deeply appreciated.

BTW, my new school (moved since last year, where I had convinced 
administration to bring in Linux servers, at least--tried to get theem 
to put linux on desktops) is all macs, but I am trying to get a writing 
lab, now, because my students have far too little access to computers 
here.  Trying, as I started to say, to get a writing and reserach lab 
and hoping to do so with this project, ltsp., So, if you think I ask too 
many stupid questions now, just wait until I am actually attempting to 
use thsi project as intended, a terminal lab, instead of fooling around 
with it on my desktop.  (shouldn't be a problem getting a lab of 
terminals and server to play nice with the Mac network, right?  It's 
still all OS 9--very annoying, unfortunately).


tony b