How to Install Backports Debian Packages
Posted by Admin on April 5th, 2007
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Backports are recompiled packages from testing (mostly) and unstable (in a few cases only, e.g. security updates), so they will run without new libraries (wherever it is possible) on a stable Debian distribution. I recommend you to pick out single backports which fits your needs, and not to use all backports available here.
If you want to install Backport debian packages follow this simple procedure
First you need to add this line to your /etc/apt/sources.list file
deb http://www.backports.org/debian/ sarge-backports main contrib non-free
Add the following lines to your /etc/apt/preferences That will deactivate all packages from backports.org
Package: *
Pin: release a=sarge-backports
Pin-Priority: 200
If you want to activate a package (e.g. nagios2), add these lines to /etc/apt/preferences
Package: nagios2
Pin: release a=sarge-backports
Pin-Priority: 999
Then you need to update the source list using the following command
#apt-get update
Install the package using the following command
#apt-get install nagios2
as usual.
Another way is to skip the second entry in /etc/apt/preferences and to use
#apt-get -t sarge-backports install nagios2
which is easier when the package requires additional backports.
If you want to install any package you need to replace the nagios2 package name with the name of the package you want to install.
April 10th, 2007 at 6:55 am
i dont use that only one package method..
i have just that backports tree and debian own stable trees in my sources and i’m very happy what i get from backports even its replaces some debian stables softwares.
i dont really understand why people wants use that preferens file? too slow to install just one program (always need to edit that file) :O
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:03 am
you left out how to get the /etc/apt/preferences file.
Is this a file you create yourself or what?