Update vs Clean Install

I just upgraded to CentOS 5.5 and while talking to a friend of mine we got into talking about updating vs clean install. After my update I had to restore to an image before the update as my mail system was not working, checked all packages contained in the update and zeroed the cause to a sendmail update. Which was disabling my current MTA “postfix”. I fixed that and another issue with my open office and I was ready to go. While my friend prefers to just do a clean install.

To me it just comes down to preference, if you have a heavily customized system it’s time saving to just do an upgrade, but if you are running a generic system with few modifications a clean install might be the best way for you.

Upgrading CentOS

Do a back up a recoverable system backup or a backup for all important docs you have on system before you proceed with the commands below

yum clean all
yum update glibc\*
yum update yum\* rpm\* python\*
yum clean all
yum update
reboot

Check  your  new version with :

lsb_release  -a

IP change notification by email

I had installed ipupdate while trying out dnsexit.com and loved its simplicity, dnsexit.com provides a great service but in the end I chose to stick with my current registrar lqconsulting who is a major supporter of Linux users, they also run linuxquestions.org of which am a member. I had tried to configure ddclient to work with my registrar but I did not have enough info about my registrar’s requirements of the client to work with their site. So in the mean time I have edited ipupdate to send me an email everytime my ip address changes while still doing evrything else it does. I prefer it this way over updating my registrar, since I do a lot of remoting in and it takes a few minutes before a new IP is updated to nameservers “around 20min”, but if I already have my new IP in my mail when it changes I don’t have to wait until nameservers update my site IP for me to be able to remote in. I have provided the edited file below for anyone who wants to use it also the tar,rpm and deb files that install it.

For install instructions go to:

My edited file
You can replace the installations ipupdate.pl with mine for v1.6-2 or just copy over my additions to them whichever works for you.

My first 5k Run

I went for my first 5k run today, got there late had to run through a street full of people, I don’t know what was my time as race had already started when we got there but when I crossed the finish line clock was at 35 min, am excited just to have been there.
Note to self come with stop watch next time come early. I will scan my race number put it here just as a reminder for me.