Persistent Downloads for Architect

ddt3 · 27 November 2020 10:51

Hi,
I am doing a couple of dry-runs for Manjaro (KDE) installations on a virtual machine using Manjaro Architect (which I had not used before). I really like how I am able to tune my system during installation ( E.g.: by using refind instead of grub) and also how it always takes the latest version.

Because I am installing KDE, downloading the latest packages takes some time. If I want to redo the installation with different choices (e.g. use LVM2 ) I again have to download the KDE packages.

I did create a current version of the Manjaro KDE installation iso, using manjaro-tools-iso. And I then started architect from that one, but it still downloads all the packages.

Is there a way to keep these Architect downloaded packages persistent (or at least: download only once, the packages that have not changed)?

Strit · 27 November 2020 10:57

As long as the installation media is read-only (like an ISO), no.

When you use an ISO, you are booting a live session. Live sessions store data in RAM.
So as soon as you reboot that data is gone.

linux-aarhus · 27 November 2020 11:02

If you use Architect there is an option to set cache to the currently running system.

But as Architect is a net installer - it would make more sense to tweak your ISO profile and just use Calamares to install.

ddt3 · 1 December 2020 07:06

Thanks for your replies!
I do understand that the "net boot"part of architect is one of the key benefits of it.
At the moment I want to install 3 different tries in 1 hour, so I created a small script that I run before starting architect (“setup”). I mounts an NFS share to /var/cache/pacman and then uses that on consecutive installs. I placed this script on my web server and call it using curl http://webserver|sudo bash. It might be a bit blunt, but it works:

Did also look into adapting Calamares to make it use refind but that is not trivial (meaning: needs me to read up on a lot of documents, which someday I might )

I jumped ship (from Ubuntu to Manjaro ) in May, so just about half a year now. And still find new things to be happy about in Manjaro (Architect being one)