How often do you fresh build?

GreenHawk84

Hello, just curious about something I have never done until I have to with a new Pi model or mandatory change, which is start over again with a fresh install. How often do you do this? Do you ever recommend doing this after x-amount of "update all packages"?

I often wonder if so many updates through a package update eventually cause regressions. I am someone who runs things at default, expecting the updates to apply any optimizations since we all have generally the same hardware.

I also don't think I have ever used rpi-update, because I read that it should be recommended by an engineer.

mitu

@greenhawk84 said in How often do you fresh build?:

How often do you do this?

While not a typical user, I've never had to do this unless the system was totally compromised from experimenting. So far it happened only twice - once when trying an in-place OS upgrade (had a backup just in case) and once when I've tried to replace the Mesa packages (it was faster to just reinstall than to try and fix the breakage).

Do you ever recommend doing this after x-amount of "update all packages"?

I don't think this is ever recommended for normal operation. You need a new image in case of a new Raspbian/Raspberry Pi release, but not if you do normal updates via RetroPIe-Setup. Upgrading packages does not 'break' or degrade your installation, especially if you're running a default RetroPie and Raspberry Pi OS installation.

dankcushions

@greenhawk84 said in How often do you fresh build?:

I am someone who runs things at default, expecting the updates to apply any optimizations since we all have generally the same hardware.

this is not always true as updates to default options don't typically apply to an existing install, as retropie won't typically overwrite any existing settings (there may be a reason you want to run with a given setting, even if it's sub-optimal).

here's an example: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/25880/n64-mupen64plus-gliden64-performance-fix - you'd have to manually apply this fix if you happened to have a retropie that was installed/updated before the fix made its way into the image.

GreenHawk84

@dankcushions hm, interesting example of a "fix" that a new user would see vs. a user that regularly updates the system. These are the types of things I definitely don't want to miss along the way which might dodge a regular update.

jamrom2

@greenhawk84 I try to avoid it now. I have too many systems that I spent waaaay too much time configuring. So I use the old term,"if it ain't broke...."

Event6i have to upgrade to a Pi4, but for now, I'm sticking with the Pi3b+

Clyde

@greenhawk84 said in How often do you fresh build?:

Hello, just curious about something I have never done until I have to with a new Pi model or mandatory change, which is start over again with a fresh install. How often do you do this?

Like others here, I also don't do it without good reason, e.g. when I switched from my Pi 3b to my new Pi 4 last spring. I also have customised my installation pretty much, so a new installation would require a good amount of re-configuration, even if most configurations can just be copied over from the old system.

I often wonder if so many updates through a package update eventually cause regressions.

RetroPie is built on Linux which in my long lasting experience doesn't "litter" the system over time as much as Windows does. You usually don't have to clean up or re-install a standard Linux system at all. As far as I can tell as a mere (power) user, RetroPie itself is also pretty neatly designed in the same way, so you shouldn't fear any regressions by just updating it via the RetroPie setup.

All that said, one important thing for any system is to back it up on a regular basis. Apart from failed updates or operating errors, every hardware can break any day for a number of reasons. See the Docs about Making a Backup.