Upgrade openSUSE 11.1 to openSUSE 11.2

I would always prefer clean install of my operating system, but in this case I could not make it in the traditional way from a DVD for the simple reason that my DVD-ROM drive is not working and the Live USB stick from openSUSE could not start installation program on my laptop ( I know they work fine, because I have already tested them before ), So, the only way left was to try the Live Distribution Upgrade offered by openSUSE and I chose to make it via Wagon. And here is my experience.

How to upgrade OpenSUSE 11.1 to OpenSUSE 11.2 using Wagon on Acer Ferrari 5000 laptop

First of all we need to install package 'yast2-wagon', which will do all the work for us.

Open Yast -> Software Management and search for the above package; check the box to install it; accept.

Then, still in Yast, click on Software Repositories and disable or delete all repositories for your running system - openSUSE 11.1 and add the corresponding ones for openSUSE 11.2 i.e.:

• OSS http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/11.2/repo/oss/
• non-OSS http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/11.2/repo/non-oss/
• Update http://download.opensuse.org/update/11.2/
• Packman http://packman.mirrors.skynet.be/pub/packman/suse/11.2/ ( Here I put Packman, cause it is important for some packages like licq for example - just select a mirror near you.)

An easy way to do this is: Yast -> Software Repositories -> Add -> Specify URL click 'next' and paste the above repositories one at a time

Note: If you are running kde-3.5.10, and I believe most users on openSUSE 11.1 do, you can still use it at your own risk, since the openSUSE repository for kde3 is no longer supported. In this regard, it is reccomended that you install kde4 base packages before upgrade your openSUSE 11.1. You can still do the upgrade with KDE3, as I did, facing some minor problems afterwards depending on packages you have installed. If you want KDE3 add

• KDE3 http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/KDE3/openSUSE_11.2/

And here is the order to proceed with your upgrade:

# wagon

- click 'next'

- select 'Customer Center'

- select 'Configure later' as registration is known not to work properly and click 'next'

- click 'next' and leave it until all done

Reboot your system and you have upgraded to openSUSE 11.2

It is working relatively fast and you can still use your system.

Besides some of the advantages this method offers, there is one major disadvantage one should be aware of: In case of power outage you might be left with a broken system!!!