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Date:      Mon, 15 Mar 1999 20:36:56 -0500 (EST)
From:      "Crist J. Clark" <cjc@cc942873-a.ewndsr1.nj.home.com>
To:        zen@buddhist.com (G. Adam Stanislav)
Cc:        Gus@Economics.net, freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Query / Laptop Install
Message-ID:  <199903160136.UAA01899@cc942873-a.ewndsr1.nj.home.com>
In-Reply-To: <3.0.6.32.19990315165947.008f51a0@mail.bfm.org> from "G. Adam Stanislav" at "Mar 15, 99 04:59:47 pm"

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G. Adam Stanislav wrote,
> At 15:20 15-03-1999 -0500, Edwin Gustafson wrote:
> >My solution was to just reinstall the system, which may not be convenient
> >if you're installing from floppies, as Larry aparently is.  If anyone can
> >enighten me about how to gauge how much disk space a package will require
> >before installing it, I'd be grateful.
> 
> There does not seem to be an easy way of determining it beforehand. One
> thing that can help is to go to the ftp site (or study the CD ROM if you
> have one) and see how many files are in the directory for whatever
> distribution you want to install.
> 
> Those files always start with the .aa extension, then go to .ab, .ac, etc,
> all the way to a theoretical .zz.
> 
> Although this will not tell you exactly how much disk space you need, you
> can estimate that if there are twice as many files in one distribution
> directory as in another one, that distribution will require *roughly* twice
> as much disk space.

Note that each of those files, e.g. bin.aa, bin.ab, ..., is 2.88 MB,
exactly what fits on a 2.88 floppy. Counting files tells you how many
floppies you would need. Also realize the data in the files is
compressed so it will take up more space when extracted.

> Another thing you can do (with a new install) is to install just the
> "minimum" installation which will give you nothing but the
> binaries. 

I'd suggest binaries and manpages for the bare minimum. Then,
depending on your preference, move to X binaries or to source
distributions.

I seem to recall the original poster said he had 500 MB? There really
is not too much to worry about. You can install the basic binary, X
binary, manpages, the ports, and the kernel sources without a
problem. If you need the sources later, CVSup them and move to STABLE
at the same time. IIRC, I'd be more concerned about 16 MB of RAM than
500 MB of HD. X might be a bear with that.

> When
> it is done, choose to install additional packages one at a time. That way
> at least you know exactly what you have installed. I wish I did it that
> way. I went for "all" and eight-nine hours later I lost carrier. Now I do
> not know which packages are installed and which are not. (I did it
> overnight, so I was not sitting at computer taking notes.)

Which distribution was the screen stuck on when you found it in the
morning? 
-- 
Crist J. Clark                           cjclark@home.com


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