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Upgrade from Etch

I have an old server that is running Etch under a 2.4 kernel. I am in need of upgrading it to Lenny and then to Squeeze but I am running into the following problem:

Quote:

# apt-get install -t etch linux-image-2.6.26-2-686
[SNIP]
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 43934 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace libc6 2.3.6.ds1-13etch10+b1 (using .../libc6_2.7-18lenny7_i386.deb) ...
Checking for services that may need to be restarted...
Checking init scripts...
WARNING: POSIX threads library NPTL requires kernel version
2.6.8 or later. If you use a kernel 2.4, please upgrade it
before installing glibc.

The installation of a 2.6 kernel _could_ ask you to install a new libc
first, this is NOT a bug, and should *NOT* be reported. In that case,
please add etch sources to your /etc/apt/sources.list and run:
apt-get install -t etch linux-image-2.6
Then reboot into this new kernel, and proceed with your upgrade
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.7-18lenny7_i386.deb (--unpack):
subprocess pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/libc6_2.7-18lenny7_i386.deb

The main problem is that I have waited so long that I can not find a single good address for etch sources for the sources.list.

I think I know the answer to this but my question is, am I now completely fubar'd or is there something I can do that doesn't involve rebuilding this server from scratch and trying to move all the users, applications, and data from the old to the new?

Eternal gratitude to anyone who can help this poor negligent admin.

--
Dave Majors

These older debian releases have had their repos moved to archive.debian.net. See:

http://www.debian.org/distrib/archive

Basically you should be able to use a line like the following in your sources.list

Code:

deb http://archive.debian.org/debian/ hamm contrib main non-free

HTH,

Evo2.

---------- Post added 2012-01-03 at 19:26 ----------

These older debian releases have had their repos moved to archive.debian.net. See:

http://www.debian.org/distrib/archive

Basically you should be able to use a line like the following in your sources.list

Code:

deb http://archive.debian.org/debian/ hamm contrib main non-free

HTH,

Evo2.

To expand on what evo2 posted above. You need to change your sources.list to track the debian archive e.g. :

Code:

#

# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 4.0 r0 _Etch_ - Official i386 DVD Binary-1 20070407-11:40]/ etch contrib main

#

# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 4.0 r0 _Etch_ - Official i386 DVD Binary-1 20070407-11:40]/ etch contrib main

#

# deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ etch main non-free contrib

# deb-src http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ etch main non-free contrib

#

# deb http://security.debian.org/ etch/updates main contrib non-free

# deb-src http://security.debian.org/ etch/updates main contrib non-free



deb http://archive.debian.org/debian/ etch main contrib non-free

In other words comment everything out, add that last line and then

Code:

apt-get clean

apt-get update

apt-get dist-upgrade

If it stops and complains about libc/the 2.4 kernel

Code:

apt-get install linux-image-2.6

Then reboot into the 2.6.18 kernel and try the dist-upgrade again.

When the dist-upgrade completes you will be running "up to date" Etch (Debian 4). For further upgrades you will need to read the release notes for the distributions you are upgrading to. I would suggest upgrading to Lenny next and if that goes well attempt the Squeeze upgrade - which would be a smart move considering Lenny's support ends sometime next month. In every case it's essential to read the release notes for upgrading and ensure your sources are correct from the start. If you have any doubts about the sources, post them up here before proceeding and someone should be able to guide you in the right direction.