First of all, comment out every line of <tt>/etc/apt/sources.list</tt> by
placing a hash sign (`<tt>#</tt>') in front of it (if it isn't already
there). 

<P>

Then you need to add new "<tt>deb</tt>" lines describing the location(s)
where apt will get the new packages from. You can add "<tt>deb</tt>" lines
for a packages mirror on a local harddisk, and/or FTP/HTTP mirrors, and/or
(a set of)  CD-ROMs. `Apt' will consider all packages that can be found
via any "<tt>deb</tt>" line, and use the one with the highest version
number, giving priority to the first mentioned lines. (So, in case of
multiple mirror locations, you'd typically first name a local harddisk,
then CD-ROMs, and finally FTP/HTTP mirrors.) 

<P>
<UL>
<LI>
For an archive on a local harddisk, that for example has these directories,

#if OUTPUTtext
<PRE>

         /var/ftp/debian/dists/potato/main/binary-ARCH/...
         /var/ftp/debian/dists/potato/contrib/binary-ARCH/...
         ---------------       ------     |\ 
               \________          \_      | \___
       add:             \           \     |     \ 
                  --------------- ------  |      \ 
         deb file:/var/ftp/debian potato main contrib

</PRE>
#endif
#if OUTPUThtml
<PRE>
  /var/ftp/debian/dists/potato/main/binary-ARCH/...
  /var/ftp/debian/dists/potato/contrib/binary-ARCH/...
  ---------------       ------     |\ 
        \________          \_      | \___
add:             \           \     |     \ 
           --------------- ------  |      \ 
  deb file:/var/ftp/debian potato main contrib
</PRE>
#endif

  As shown, the `<tt>dists</tt>' is added implicitly, and the 3rd
  and following arguments are used to expand the path into multiple
  directories.

<BR>&nbsp;<BR>

  If you have a complete mirror that also has non-free and non-US, you
  typically have to add lines like these:

<BR>&nbsp;<BR>

<tt>&nbsp;
    deb file:/var/ftp/debian potato main contrib non-free <BR>
&nbsp;
    deb file:/var/ftp/debian-non-US potato/non-US main contrib non-free
</tt>

<BR>&nbsp;<BR>

  If you don't have such a structure, other description lines  are
  possible, see the <tt>sources.list</tt>
#if MANPAGEseebelow
  manpage (see below).
#else
  manpage.
#endif

</LI>
<BR>&nbsp;<BR>
<LI>

FTP and HTTP packages mirror addresses can be found on

#if CDROMreadme
#if OUTPUTtext
this CD in README.mirrors.txt, or on
#endif
#if OUTPUThtml
this CD in <a href="README.mirrors.html">README.mirrors.html</a>, or on
#endif
#endif

#if OUTPUTtext
  http://www.debian.org/distrib/ftplist,
#endif
#if OUTPUThtml
  <a href="http://www.debian.org/distrib/ftplist">http://www.debian.org/distrib/ftplist</a>,
#endif
  look at the "Full list of mirrors".

<BR>&nbsp;<BR>

  If the mirror has these directories:

#if OUTPUTtext
<PRE>

         ftp://some-server/debian/dists/potato/main/binary-ARCH/...
         ftp://some-server/debian/dists/potato/contrib/binary-ARCH/...
         ------------------------       ------ |   |
                     \___                 /    |   |
       add:              \               /     |   |
             ------------------------ ------   |   |
         deb ftp://some-server/debian potato main contrib

</PRE>
#endif
#if OUTPUThtml
<PRE>
  ftp://some-server/debian/dists/potato/main/binary-ARCH/...
  ftp://some-server/debian/dists/potato/contrib/binary-ARCH/...
  ------------------------       ------ |   |
              \___                 /    |   |
add:              \               /     |   |
      ------------------------ ------   |   |
  deb ftp://some-server/debian potato main contrib
</PRE>
#endif

  As shown, the `<tt>dists</tt>' is added implicitly, and the 3rd
  and following arguments are used to expand the path into multiple
  directories.

<BR>&nbsp;<BR>

  If you use a complete mirror that also has non-free and non-US, you
  typically have to add lines like these:

<BR>&nbsp;<BR>

<tt>&nbsp;
    deb ftp://some-server/debian potato main contrib non-free <BR>
&nbsp;
    deb ftp://some-server/debian-non-US potato/non-US main contrib non-free
</tt>

<BR>&nbsp;<BR>

  If the mirror doesn't have such a structure, other description lines are
  possible, see the <tt>sources.list</tt>
#if MANPAGEseebelow
  manpage (see below).
#else
  manpage.
#endif

#if UPGRADING
<BR>&nbsp;<BR>

  NOTE: if you're using the static versions of `apt' and `dpkg' from this
  directory, the hostname-lookup is "broken" (which is one reason to just
  use slink's `apt'). The solution is to simply put the mirrors' IP address
  in the "<tt>deb</tt>" line. (Hint: "<tt>nslookup some-server</tt>")
#endif

</LI>
<BR>&nbsp;<BR>
<LI>

If you use (one or more) CD-ROMs, do _not_ add any lines to sources.list
  manually.

<BR>&nbsp;<BR>

  Instead, first make sure there is a line in <tt>/etc/fstab</tt> that
  connects the <tt>/cdrom</tt> mount point with your CD-ROM drive (the
  exact `<tt>/cdrom</tt>' mount point is "required" for apt). For example,
  if
#if ARCHi386
<tt>/dev/hdc</tt>
#else
<tt>/dev/scd0</tt>
#endif
  is your CD-ROM drive, <tt>/etc/fstab</tt> should
  contain a line

#if ARCHi386
#if OUTPUTtext
<PRE>

         /dev/hdc      /cdrom     auto    defaults,noauto,ro     0   0

</PRE>
#endif
#if OUTPUThtml
<PRE>
  /dev/hdc      /cdrom     auto    defaults,noauto,ro     0   0
</PRE>
#endif
#else
#if OUTPUTtext
<PRE>

         /dev/scd0     /cdrom     auto    defaults,noauto,ro     0   0

</PRE>
#endif
#if OUTPUThtml
<PRE>
  /dev/scd0     /cdrom     auto    defaults,noauto,ro     0   0
</PRE>
#endif
#endif

  To test this, insert a CD-ROM and give commands

<BR>&nbsp;<BR>

    <tt>&nbsp; mount /cdrom</tt><BR>
    <tt>&nbsp; ls -alF /cdrom &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</tt>
                            (this should show the CD-ROM's root directory)<BR>
    <tt>&nbsp; umount /cdrom</tt>

<BR>&nbsp;<BR>

  Then, use the command

<BR>&nbsp;<BR>

<tt>&nbsp;
    apt-cdrom add
</tt>

<BR>&nbsp;<BR>

  to add the data of each CD-ROM to apt's internal database.
  This command will ask for one CD-ROM per run, and mount/unmount the
  CD-ROM automatically. You should repeat this command for all 2.2 `Binary'
  CD-ROMs you have.

#if UPGRADING
(`Source' CD-ROMs can be added as well, but only with the
  latest version of `apt' from this directory, and they are not needed for
  the upgrade anyway.)
#endif

</LI>
</UL>
<P>

When the <tt>sources.list</tt> is correct,
the final step of the preparation is to update apt's internal database
with the command

<P>

<tt>&nbsp;
  apt-get update
</tt>