Carry Latest Ubuntu Updates and Apps on your PenDrive

Written By Bharat Balegere. On Feb 15. In Agni Karya, Ubuntu

The most annoying thing about Ubuntu is that you have to install a lot of updates and applications after installing Ubuntu.If you are installing Ubuntu on many computers,then you can avoid downloading the updates on each and every computer.All you need is some portable storage medium,preferably a USB Pendrive (atleast 512MB).

Part 1:-Prepare your USB Pendrive

Install Ubuntu on a Computer ,preferably with a fast Internet connection and install all updates and the required applications.

Plug your USB Pendrive.Go To Places-Computer-Filesystem-var-cache-apt-archives

Press Ctrl+H to view Hidden Files.

Press Ctrl+A to select all the files.

Press Ctrl+C to Copy the Files.

Open your USB Pendrive.Create a folder aptcache and open it.Paste all the files into this folder by pressing Ctrl+V.

Now you have a Pendrive which contains all the updates and applications.

Carry this pendrive with you when you install Ubuntu on other Computers.

Part 2:Install Updates and Applications from your Pendrive

Install Ubuntu on the target Computer.

Now you need to copy the downloaded files from the pendrive to the Target Computer’s Apt Cache folder.

Plug in your USB drive and open the folder where you had copied the downloaded updates and applications.In this case the folder is aptcache.Select all files and press Ctrl+C to copy it.

Press Alt+F2 to open the Run Application Dialog.Type gksu nautilus and press enter.Enter your password if you get a password prompt.

Navigate to Filesystem-var-cache-apt-archives in the windows that has just opened.

Press Ctrl+V to paste all the copied files from your USB Pendrive.

Now run the Update Manager and install the applications.The computer will connect briefly to the Internet to update the Information on Available Updates and Applications. But it will not download the updates and application files as they already exist in the apt-cache folder.This saves a lot of precious bandwith and time.

If some new updates are released by the time you install Ubuntu on Target Computer,then these new updates will be downloaded from the internet on the Target Computer.These updates can also be added to the pendrive by following the instructions in Part 1 of this tutorial on the Target Computer.This ensures that your PenDrive contains the latest updates.