Auto-Updates with Lite Version?

Hi,

I am having a problem with auto-updates for Zorin Lite: On my low-spec EeePC, these auto-updates have been eating disk space to a point that I now have to do a complete reinstall because the disk is simply full. I have already tried the various commands that are supposed to clean up, delete old kernels etc. but that doesn't help anymore.

Question: Is my impression correct that the auto-updates are actually pulling full-size files (Ubuntu?) from the servers? In other words, should auto-update be completely avoided on a low-spec system with limited disk space, or what is the recommended approach here?

Thanks!

Hi,

you should have at least 20GB for your root partition so you have ample space to move. Have you checked in Synaptic > Settings > Preferences > Files and make your delete downloaded packges as standard.



How large are your partitions?.

Regards Wolfman

Please output of: sudo fdisk -l

Wolfman wrote:Hi,

you should have at least 20GB for your root partition so you have ample space to move. Have you checked in Synaptic > Settings > Preferences > Files and make your delete downloaded packges as standard.

Preferences_001.png

How large are your partitions?.

Regards Wolfman

Um no, it's an EeePC 701 4g, so for updates that regularly replace the standard Zorin Lite files with bigger ones, there really isn't much room.

Not surprisingly, sudo fdisk -l produces on partition worth of 4000 MB, as that is all there is.

Hi,

are you dual booting with Windoze and is that the reason that you have no disk space?.

Regards Wolfman

Wolfman wrote:Hi,

are you dual booting with Windoze and is that the reason that you have no disk space?.

Regards Wolfman

Nope, this model only has 4 GB of storage by default.

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4055

But you may be missing the nature of my question. Regardless of the size of my drive, I would like to know if my impression is correct that using the built-in auto-update will typically replace the core Zorin Lite files with larger ones. If that is true, I will have to refrain from using it, and instead do the occasional reinstall when a new version of Zorin Lite is out. Thanks!

The problem is that temporary space is necessary to do any upgrade. If a 1MB file has to be upgraded it will take a minimum of 2MB of space until the action is completed. With a total of 4GB available, you barely have enough space for an operational installation. You could possibly delete any programs you don't use and that might help some. Also, run bleachbit as root and normal to clean everything up. You may have to look into some of the truly small distros as running a system that is not updated is a sure way to have problems...

NGIB wrote:The problem is that temporary space is necessary to do any upgrade. If a 1MB file has to be upgraded it will take a minimum of 2MB of space until the action is completed. With a total of 4GB available, you barely have enough space for an operational installation. You could possibly delete any programs you don't use and that might help some. Also, run bleachbit as root and normal to clean everything up. You may have to look into some of the truly small distros as running a system that is not updated is a sure way to have problems...

Actually, that is not the problem. I am aware of that, and the solution is to upgrade a handful of packages at a time, instead of all packages at once.

And yes, I have run bleachbit and apt-get autoremove and apt-get autoclean... Nonetheless, after running Update Manager, Zorin Lite, which was reasonably small to begin with, grew by several 100 MBs.

...which btw. brings me to this interesting and new question: Is my impression correct that the auto-updates are actually pulling full-size files (Ubuntu? Zorin non-lite verson?) from the servers? If so, then given the fact that I want to stick with Zorin Lite, reinstalling the entire OS as new versions come out seems to be my only other option to stay up-to-date. Thank you.

Hi Zorro,

I understand your question. You don't have a lot of storage space. But I'll come back with a question to you. If Zorin Lite is working for you why would you want to update especially with limited storage?

Dadster

dadster wrote:If Zorin Lite is working for you why would you want to update especially with limited storage?

Security.

Then turn off auto-updates and only update or upgrade security through synaptic.

I love hearing an older box being brought back to life using Linux. But sometimes the hardware in these machines does limit your choice in the amount of software it will handle. I think your situation is just that. I know this isn't what you want to hear but I can remember being in the same boat you are. I had to make do also. Dadster

Hi,

basically, 4GB is not enough to run the OS as it needs some elbow room, you simply don't have enough space, I think your only option is to increase the size of your disk or run it from an external drive!.

Regards Wolfman

Wolfman wrote:Hi,

basically, 4GB is not enough to run the OS as it needs some elbow room, you simply don't have enough space, I think your only option is to increase the size of your disk or run it from an external drive!.

Regards Wolfman

With all respect, but that is nonsense - Zorin Lite has been running on my system for many months now, and it's the best, most stable and most enjoyable OS I've ever had. Things have only started to get cramped after using the Update Manager swallowed several 100 MB of storage space that cannot be recovered by bleachbit or any of the other known cleanup tools/commands.

Anyway, I am giving up on this thread - I have posted (and reposted and re-reposted) what I thought was a simple question, but instead, everybody is scrambling to force advice on me which I have never asked for.

@dadster: Thanks for the suggestion. The Synaptic tool at least tells the size of the old package and the new version. I would be happy to eventually report my findings back to this thread, but going by the type of replies here ("go with different hardware" vs. "go with a different OS"), that time may be wasted.

Zorro

Hope you get everything straightened out.

Dadster

Hi,

my point about "Elbow room" is founded as the system needs some room to do its thing, of course Lubuntu will run on a 4GB drive no question, the problem with space arises after a while and after you have installed a few apps, XP won't function if there is less than 2GB of disk available for example!.

In Synaptic > Settings > Preferences > Files and try setting delete downloaded files after installation, did you clear the cache?.


Regards Wolfman