Best Distro to install on a computer with no current internet connection?

[HappinessNow]

Best Distro (Linux &/or BSD) to install on a computer with no current internet connection?

As stated I need to install the most up-to-date with the most up-to-date optional installation of applications DVD, including but not limited to codecs to play movies, etc.

I downloaded PC-BSD already, any other ideas?

[snowpine]

If you have no internet connection, I recommend a distro that recieves minimal updates. Debian Stable would be a great choice. If you were so inclined, you could keep the entire 30-CD set handy and have a complete repo...

"Up to date" is a bad choice with no internet connection, because you won't be able to download bug fixes... better to go with something stable.

[madjr]

mint (http://www.linuxmint.com/)

[JordyD]

+1 for Debian Stable

Can't say anything about Mint because I don't have any experience with it.

[s3a]

Debian stable's offline repositories or if you want to stay within the Ubuntu family, you should look into Keryx. If you use Debian, I think having 5 DVD discs is better than some 30 or something CD discs.

[HappinessNow]

If you have no internet connection, I recommend a distro that recieves minimal updates. Debian Stable would be a great choice. If you were so inclined, you could keep the entire 30-CD set handy and have a complete repo...

"Up to date" is a bad choice with no internet connection, because you won't be able to download bug fixes... better to go with something stable.
I hope eventually the computer I am doing an install, the owners will be able to afford internet, if not I could always bring it to my house to update or install updates on a flash drive?

I have also honestly never successfully done a Debian install.


mint (http://www.linuxmint.com/)I like mint a lot but is it very up-to-date?

[MaxIBoy]

Debian is going to be your best bet. You can mirror the entire repository on a hard drive partition too in case they want to install more software, it will be about 20 gigs.

[Irihapeti]

I hope eventually the computer I am doing an install, the owners will be able to afford internet, if not I could always bring it to my house to update or install updates on a flash drive?



I've done that with my son/daughter-in-law's computer. It has Ubuntu 8.04 on it. They have brought it to my place to do updates, and my son installs all sorts of things from a flash drive.

I think that APTonCD is supposed to help with that sort of thing, too.

[juancarlospaco]

Ubuntu.
You have links to Repos on .ISO on this forum, i got it, and includes Medibuntu too.

[HappinessNow]

Ubuntu.
You have links to Repos on .ISO on this forum, i got it, and includes Medibuntu too.

links will not help if they have NO internet!

[keiichidono]

I like mint a lot but is it very up-to-date?

Yes, yes it is.

[HappinessNow]

Yes, yes it is.Thanks, good to know.

[HappinessNow]

Update: I tried the latest PC-BSD and the install failed to boot, this was surprising since this computer had an older version of PC-BSD on it all ready.

My next choice is Macpup Opera 061 (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1233714)

If Macpup Opera 061 doesn't work I am going in armed with a backup:

LinuxMint 7 KDE

I am still interested in other options, beyond Debian.

[YeOK]

Anything that comes on a DVD. Debian or CentOS should have everything you need and be stable enough not to require updates. You can also grab later versions of CentOS (5.3) on DVD, I'm not sure if Debian do this, I would think they do though.

[HappinessNow]

Anything that comes on a DVD. Debian or CentOS should have everything you need and be stable enough not to require updates. You can also grab later versions of CentOS (5.3) on DVD, I'm not sure if Debian do this, I would think they do though.
Thanks I'll give CentOS a try also. Does CentOS include codecs?

Linux Mint failed miserably, unfortunately.

My next try is Macpup Opera 61.

Also, downloading Sabayon 4.2 KDE edition, Super OS 9.04, CrunchBang 9.04.01 and Elive 1.9.37.

[praveesh]

Ubuntu.
You have links to Repos on .ISO on this forum, i got it, and includes Medibuntu too.

Can you please post the link to that .iso file.?

[XubuRoxMySox]

For multimedia, nothing beats PCLinuxOS (http://pclinuxos.com).

[NightwishFan]

I have no internet connection as well. I prefer Ubuntu, so I use it. However OpenSUSE has a fairly excellent selection of software on its download DVD, and a magnificent selection on its pay for boxed set.

I hope Ubuntu adopts a similar DVD installer in the future. Other distros seem so much more polished, but in the end simply do not work as well as Ubuntu.

My current tactic is thus:

I have a friend with internet who lets me install Ubuntu using wubi. Then I use Synaptic's 'download only' option to get all my software. Then I use APTonCD to create a repository image on a DVD.

It is much more annoying then just adding a folder with RPMs as in OpenSUSE, however Ubuntu works better for me, as I said.

[HappinessNow]

Best Distro (Linux &/or BSD) to install on a computer with no current internet connection?

As stated I need to install the most up-to-date with the most up-to-date optional installation of applications DVD, including but not limited to codecs to play movies, etc.

I downloaded PC-BSD already, any other ideas?I am happy to report I have 100% success with this with:

Macpup Opera 061 (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1233714)

DVD movies, Music CDs play smoothly without fail, this is one rock solid awesome distro.

[Bigtime_Scrub]

Update: I tried the latest PC-BSD and the install failed to boot, this was surprising since this computer had an older version of PC-BSD on it all ready.

My next choice is Macpup Opera 061 (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1233714)

If Macpup Opera 061 doesn't work I am going in armed with a backup:

LinuxMint 7 KDE

I am still interested in other options, beyond Debian.

If the computer already had PC-BSD installed then upgrading it with the CD is the best option. You do not need to wipe and reinstall a *BSD. Just select "upgrade" or something like that on the installer screen.

For no internet connection as some people have already said Debian stable is a solid choice because of the extra repository DVD's you can make, also...Slackware would be a dark horse choice :evil: if you are up to that challenge.

[HappinessNow]

If the computer already had PC-BSD installed then upgrading it with the CD is the best option. You do not need to wipe and reinstall a *BSD. Just select "upgrade" or something like that on the installer screen.

This was not an option as the computer did not have internet connection and I am not into hauling peoples desktops around and since I failed to select upgrade from the DVD, PC-BSD became obsolete by default. Good thing since Macpup Opera 061 is so much better.


For no internet connection as some people have already said Debian stable is a solid choice because of the extra repository DVD's you can make, also...Nah Debian was a bad option all together.

Honestly Debian is much too complex, meaning that the time it takes to figure things out I could install other options and be out the door and home, I am not into to putting too much time into such things.

Macpup Opera 061 worked flawlessly and was the best option for the task at hand, I did go in with two other options: 1. CrunchBang and 2. Elive but since my first option "just" worked I just brought those CD's home.

I did not need a bunch of extra repository DVD's, I just needed a smooth and simple distro that "just" worked.

I 100% highly recommend Macpup Opera 061 to anybody especially as a primary everyday Operating System.


...Slackware would be a dark horse choice :evil: if you are up to that challenge.Slackware was not even up for serious consideration.

[handy]

The Sabayon (http://wiki.sabayonlinux.org/index.php?title=Main_Page) DVD has a huge amount of software on it, including many games.

If I had no internet connection I would most likely use it.

I have run it in the past, & really liked it, you have multiple choices of desktops & Fluxbox, etc when installing, it really is a great LiveDVD/install-DVD.

As far as just how current the packages are at the moment I don't know, but really, who cares? They won't be so out of date that you'll notice.

[Edit:] It also has proprietary GPU drivers & codecs & such included so sound & video are there ready to go.