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Thread: Installing software via USB when there's no internet connection?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
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    Installing software via USB when there's no internet connection?

    I'd like to be able to install GIMP from a USB-memory stick without online interaction on to a Ubuntu OS-based laptop,

    Now, considering one can install parts of an OS via USB without online prsence, I figured it ought to be able to with smaller software as well,

    Is it possible to do this? How would one proceed?

    Would be very thankful!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2010
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    3,232

    Re: Installing software via USB when there's no internet connection?

    You can use apt to download all the debs on a system and copy them to a USB stick. You can then copy them to an offline system and update that way. Messy but works. AptOnCD used to be a thing and would do this

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
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    Re: Installing software via USB when there's no internet connection?

    Programs installed from Debian packages - the ones installed through 'apt', usually with an extension of '.deb' - are normally split into multiple packages. This is done to facilitate reuse of components used by many programs and keep download sizes down but is a problem for users of offline systems. You could try running a simulation of an installation with 'apt --dry-run install gimp' to find out which packages you actually need and download those on an online system.

    Or you could use a snap package. Those usually only have few dependencies (the core snaps and for gimp probably the gnome snap).

    For your situation an appimage would probably be the easiest. Those come in one file with everything included (so they are comparatively big) and don't need to be installed. Just put the file in some accessible place and make it executable and you're done. Searching for 'gimp appimage' gave me https://appimage.github.io/GIMP/ .

    Holger

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
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    Xubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: Installing software via USB when there's no internet connection?

    synaptic can still create a download script. You select the package operations you want, create the download script on a usb drive, take it to an on-line computer to run, take it back with the downloaded packages and install.

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Re: Installing software via USB when there's no internet connection?

    By copying ALL debs from one system to another you will satisfy deps

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    Hidden!
    Distro
    Kubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa

    Re: Installing software via USB when there's no internet connection?

    snaps and flatpack packages are designed for this purpose. they are self contained (sand boxed). they do have some limits (work only inside specific folders, slower boot) but they also have some benefits (e.g. you can install multiple versions of same app).
    Read the easy to understand, lots of pics Ubuntu manual.
    Do i need antivirus/firewall in linux?
    Full disk backup (newer kernel -> suitable for newer PC): Clonezilla
    User friendly full disk backup: Rescuezilla

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka
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    3,449
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    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: Installing software via USB when there's no internet connection?

    I recently wrote a step by step procedure for installing programs on a computer with no WiFi, using synaptic installed on a Live USB.
    It works pretty good for me:

    https://askubuntu.com/questions/1278...278367#1278367

    or

    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread....9#post13989329
    Last edited by C.S.Cameron; September 30th, 2020 at 02:37 PM.

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