Updating Linux from an older to newer version

On Wed, 2002-08-21 at 13:32, Simper, Brian D wrote:
>
> I have some Red Hat Linux 7.2 machines and I would like to update them to
> 7.3. I know that this can be done with the install program, but is it
> technically possible to just manually use rpm to upgrade all of the packages
> on a system? Theoretically this might just be "rpm -Fvh *" in a directory
> with all of the new packages.
>
> These are pretty Spartan server machines with no gui and a defined list of
> packages. And I would like to limit downtime. Is there any merit to
> manually updating all packages?
>
----
Boot from CD

Choose upgrade...it will only install updated stuff and add only
dependencies.

Redhat also offers their up2date service - 1 machine free per account.
On any machine connected to the internet, merely configure and run
up2date -u and it will install updated rpm's for that which is already
installed and has been updated. Works fine and it probably all you
really want.

Craig