Downloading packages without apt-get

[A_flj_]

Hi all.

I installed the latest version of Kubuntu on a desktop PC made from parts bought individually. Everything works fine. It even recognizes that I have a wireless adapter.

Problem is, it doesn't properly know to drive the adapter. At http://funcation.blogspot.com/ I'm told exactly how to install the driver for exactly the adapter I have - for Debian.

But as far as I know Kubuntu is built on Debian, so there should be no problem to apply the instructions.

My only problem with this is that since the Linux installation doesn't properly recognize and thus cannot use the wireless adapter, I have no network access there. So I cannot download source packages using apt-get.

Is there any other way I could download the required source packages? For instance, using wget? And from where?

br,

flj

[Rog131]

Re: Downloading packages without apt-get

Yes you could donload packages and install them:

Man dpkg:

NAME
dpkg - package manager for Debian

SYNOPSIS
dpkg [options] action

ACTIONS
dpkg -i | --install package_file...

dpkg -r | --remove | -P | --purge package ... | -a | --pending
Remove an installed package. -r or --remove remove everything
except configuration files.

Or you could use apt/aptitude:

from: 3.6 Removing unused package files: apt-get clean and autoclean (http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/ap...n.html#s-clean)

When you install a package APT retrieves the needed files from the hosts listed in /etc/apt/sources.list, stores them in a local repository (/var/cache/apt/archives/), and then proceeds with installation

So download packages. Put them in /var/cache/apt/archives/. Apt checks first local repository and install packages from there.

Is there any other way I could download the required source packages? For instance, using wget? And from where?

Hmm - looking link http://funcation.blogspot.com/ - you need kernel source etc.
Kernel source (what version do you have ? using here - feisty 2.6.20...):

Ubuntu packages tells:
http://packages.ubuntu.com/

Search package directories
linux-source --->

Package: linux-source-2.6.20 (2.6.20-16.29)
Linux kernel source for version 2.6.20 with Ubuntu patches

You have searched for the contents of linux-source-2.6.20 in feisty, architecture i386.
Package contains 11 files, displaying files 1 to 11.

usr/share/doc/linux-source-2.6.20/Buildinfo devel/linux-source-2.6.20
usr/share/doc/linux-source-2.6.20/README.grub.gz devel/linux-source-2.6.20
usr/share/doc/linux-source-2.6.20/README.gz devel/linux-source-2.6.20
usr/share/doc/linux-source-2.6.20/README.modules.gz devel/linux-source-2.6.20
usr/share/doc/linux-source-2.6.20/README.tecra.gz devel/linux-source-2.6.20
usr/share/doc/linux-source-2.6.20/Rationale.gz devel/linux-source-2.6.20
usr/share/doc/linux-source-2.6.20/changelog.Debian.gz devel/linux-source-2.6.20
usr/share/doc/linux-source-2.6.20/copyright devel/linux-source-2.6.20
usr/share/doc/linux-source-2.6.20/debian.README.gz devel/linux-source-2.6.20
usr/share/doc/linux-source-2.6.20/sample.module.control.gz devel/linux-source-2.6.20
usr/src/linux-source-2.6.20.tar.bz2 devel/linux-source-2.6.20

K/X ubuntu packages are: http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/.
There are: main/multiverse/restricted/universe/

Go main -> go l -> go linux-source-2.6.20 and you are: http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/poo...source-2.6.20/ .
And there is: linux-source-2.6.20_2.6.20-16.29_all.deb (it contains linux-source-2.6.20.tar.bz2)

Lot of work + dependency hell. Not funny


You could try dvd version. More packages -> less work


From psychocats excellent Ubuntu page:

Which *buntu to pick?
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/whichbuntu

What's the difference between the Ubuntu CD and DVD?
The CD usually contains only one version of Ubuntu (Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Edubuntu) and is either the Desktop CD, the Alternate CD, or the Server CD. The DVD contains the entire Main and Restricted repositories (read more about Main and Restricted here), which means it has Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, and Edubuntu, allowing you to install any or all four versions without needing an internet connection.