How To Enable Ubuntu / Kubuntu Backports Through Pinning

There are two ways to enable the backports repository:

• Enabling the entire repository
• Use pinning to limit the backports repository

Enabling the entire repository

Command Line Interface

Just add the following lines to your /etc/apt/sources.list :

For Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex):

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu intrepid-backports main universe multiverse restricted

For Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron):

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu hardy-backports main universe multiverse restricted

For Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon):

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu gutsy-backports main universe multiverse restricted

For Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn):

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu feisty-backports main universe multiverse restricted

For Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper Drake):

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu dapper-backports main universe multiverse restricted

Package Manager

Adept (Kubuntu)
Follow the instructions on the How To Add Repositories Page for Kubuntu, just activate the Unsupported updates in the Updates tab.

Synaptic (Ubuntu, Xubuntu)
Follow the instructions on the How To Add Repositories Page for Ubuntu and use the following information for each section:

For Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex):

url: http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu
distribution: intrepid-backports
sections: main universe multiverse restricted

For Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron):

url: http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu
distribution: hardy-backports
sections: main universe multiverse restricted

For Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon):

url: http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu
distribution: gutsy-backports
sections: main universe multiverse restricted

For Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper Drake):

url: http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu
distribution: dapper-backports
sections: main universe multiverse restricted

Use pinning to limit the backports repository

1. Enable the Updates and Security repositories

First make sure you have the Updates and Security repositories enabled (also available for Kubuntu), as some packages from Backports rely on them. In addition, verify each repository has the "Main, Restricted, Universe, and Multiverse" components enabled. Backports will at times cross into a separate component in a manner that would be disallowed in other official repositories.

Some packages from Backports rely on them. Probably you already have both enabled, if not enable them. Don't know how? Learn here:

Managing Repositories in Ubuntu
Managing Repositories in Kubuntu

2. Enable the entire backports repository

Actually pinning is a superset of the "Enabling entire repository" method. Just go to the Enabling the entire repository method, follow the instructions and then proceed to step 3.


3. Use pinning to limit the backports repository

Save the following lines in your /etc/apt/preferences (if this file doesn't exist, create it):

For Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex):

Package: *
Pin: release a=intrepid-backports
Pin-Priority: 400

For Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron):

Package: *
Pin: release a=hardy-backports
Pin-Priority: 400

For Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon):

Package: *
Pin: release a=gusty-backports
Pin-Priority: 400

For Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper Drake):

Package: *
Pin: release a=dapper-backports
Pin-Priority: 400

4. How To Use

If you want to install a package from the backports, use the -t (target) option apt-get. To upgrade a single package from hardy-backports, just do:

sudo apt-get install -t hardy-backports <package>

If you want to see what upgrades are available, just do:

sudo apt-get upgrade -u -t hardy-backports

And that's it. With pinning you can choose what to install from the backports repository.


References:

UbuntuBackports