Keith Lofstrom wrote:
> I'm upgrading desktop hardware from a 2003 P4/1GB/PATA SL5.0
> system to a new mobo (Intel DG43NB ) with 4GB and SATA drives
> and a low-end Core duo .  The new case will be an Antec Sonata
> silent case.  Reasons for upgrade include quiet, power savings,
> a bit more speed, and escaping RAMBUS memory size limits. 
> 
> This machine manages mail and backups, and is the general
> purpose desktop.  I use other machines (running 64 bit) for
> big numerical jobs, so I don't need to maximize speed.  I
> have full image backups of the old machine.  
> 
> 1) I will probably stay with the 32 bit distro - 64 bits is a
> little faster but a hassle.  I also have a lot of custom apps
> in /opt and /usr/local, some of which could get broken by the
> switchover.  But if 64 bits is much better and the migration
> is easier than I fear, I can make the change.  Suggestions?
> 

If you have custom apps, and they are very likely to be 32 bit, I would 
stick with 32 bit.  From what you have described, I don't see any 
compelling reason to switch to 64 bit.

> 2) I am torn between installing 5.0 (with updates) and 5.3 .  If
> I do 5.0, then I can just use the live CD and rsync my changes
> from the old machine on top of the new one, plus or minus fiddling.
> I'm not sure I get away with that for 5.3 .  Suggestions?
> 

This is a personal opinion, feel free to disagree.
I personally would do a fresh install of SL 5.3.  There are many updates 
in SL 5.3 that for me, makes it much more useful and user friendly.  I 
would then copy over my custom applications.  If everything works, then 
we are all happy.  If there are a few minor problems that are fixable, 
then stick with SL 5.3.
If everything just blows up, well then, you've learned that you are 
stuck on 5.0, and then just wipe everything off the new system, and go 
with your rsync plan.

> 3) The old machine uses LVM.  I've never been fond of LVM, and
> I am considering making the new machine use straight ext3 .  But
> I imagine the transition will be error prone.  If the live CD can 
> work with the LVM partitions on the new machine, I will probably
> just leave well enough alone.  Otherwise, I will need to do surgery,
> and I'm not sure what to change besides grub menus and /etc/fstab 
> (which I have to do anyway, from hd to sd for SATA).  Suggestions?
> 

I don't have experience with this, so I am not the right person to ask.

> BTW, the DG43NB has GB ethernet, but needs a new driver module
> from Intel.  I will start out by turning off the onboard ethernet,
> and use an old PCI 100MB ethernet board instead, during the 
> transition.  After things are working properly, I will compile
> and add the new module.  Everything else seems to work.
> 
> Keith
> 

Troy
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Troy Dawson  [log in to unmask]  (630)840-6468
Fermilab  ComputingDivision/LCSI/CSI LMSS Group
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