Ok, I've successfully run CVsup twice now. Mergemaster and everything. Does this mean that my FreeBSD server is completely up to date as of when I run cvsup? I'm used to systems such as Gentoo where there are a few different commands/methods to update various sections.

Also, is there be anything I can/should clear out after each CVsup which will NOT mean I have a longer download time the next time I CVsup?

Thanks again for all your help. Is there a way and should we perhaps re-name this thread to something more suitable to what it acutally is.... It's now essentially another guide to using CVsup with detailed instructions for every step.

Thanks again,

Gsee

Is there a chance I can use cvsup to update from 5.2.1 to 5.3? If so can I just change this line:

*default release=cvs tag=RELENG_5

to

*default release=cvs tag=RELENG_5_3

I'm assuming this is too easy and the acutal process will be much harder. I have read the reply from Chort to another post on upgrading from 5.2.1 to 5.3 but that was when 5.3 was not in RELEASE.

In the above posts -X- mentioned:

Some advise. Get 5.2.1 release and update it with cvsup as mentioned. It works good and can be upgraded to the next release when it gets past beta.

So I'm a little confused. I'm hoping by simply changing the above line in the stable-supfile I can then follow the usual steps and upgrade my system to 5.3?

Thanks in advance,

Gsee

Chance, can, and should?
Chance: yes
Read though this first: http://www.freebsd.org/releases/5.3R...ion-guide.html

can: probably
I don't see why you shouldn't be able to, but if you have xfree86, kde, other big packages, etc... upgrading all that from the net is going to be slow. I've done it with 5.2, and had to do some hand config stuff going to xorg. XFree86 to Xorg was the biggest hurdle. Took some time, but everything ended up work fine.

Should: depends.
What do you use the box for. If it breaks and you can be without it for a given time, sure, give it a shot. Something mission critical, I'd install from CD. I'm thinking 5.3 will be the base system for a while and shouldn't need nothing but cvsup.

I'm thinking on cvsup to 5.3 on an extra box to see how it goes. It's just my test box so it isn't no big deal.

Just backup your /etc /root /home /usr/local/etc and anything extra 'you' put in /var

If you cvsup, use RELENG_5_3
Read the upgrading notes before you start the build process.
After cvsup, you don't need to clean out anything.

If you do cvsup to 5.3, please post the outcome so other can benefit from it. I'll do the same if I go that route.

Sounds like an adventure. I'll give it a try when I get back home tonight. I'll defnitely post any significant results I receive.

Thanks for your support. Let me know how you go too, should you choose to give it a try. My FreeBSD machine is running as a fileserver. So there's nothing large application wise. Base install and Samba are about the only things running. No Gui's of any description. What's your machine running that you're going to attempt this on?

Regards

Gsee

Actually, I started the cvsup after my last message. The box is a 500/256 used for database/file/print server. I have KDE, but is not in use as I wanted all the RAM for the rebuild. I cvsup the OS-src, docs, and ports then started make buildworld about 3-hours ago.... Still building the source. After that I'll portupgrade. Shouldn't have any problems, but as you know with software, anything can happen. I'll post the results.

Noticed the make buildworld just finished. Now to the next process.

It's a long and boring day at work so I've ssh'd into my fileserver. rm -rf'd the /usr/obj directory and even my /usr/src directory. Thought I'd do the latter just to be "clean" about it. All is backed up and I'll be doing the following once the fetch is complete:

make buildworld
make buildkernel
make installkernel
reboot
mergemaster -p
make installworld
mergemaster
reboot

As you're doing I'll keep you posted. Certainly beats a mundane Monday morning at the office.

I'll make a new post on the upgrade, but before I turn in, there are a few things to be aware of.

1. DO-NOT use buildkernel KERNCONF=<your old kernel> Many changes to the new kernel config. Use the generic config and add/apply your changes there if you have any. ie: The sound drivers have changed. See the sound section in the handbook. Kept getting error on some options in my old kernel. Use generic conf for 5.3.

2. mergemaster has many, many changes. Doable, but takes time to go through everything. There is a section in the handbook (19.4) on mergemaster. Read through 19-- If you get hung-up on mergemaster -p, I'll give you a short-cut.

My FreeBSD is complete with kernel and userland. All that's remaining is to finish the ports.

Everything so far seems to be working fine. Joe Dirt is as loud as before.

You've confused me a little with that last post. I've just run "make buildworld" from /usr/src and am theoretically about to run "make buildkernel" but your last post has scared me out of doing that. Can you explain what I should be doing next?

Sounds like you've had success in what you/we're doing.

Hope to hear from you soon. I can leave my fileserver hanging until I hear from you.

Gsee

If you had a custom kernel config with 5.2, do not use it when you build the 5.3 kernel. You need to use the GENERIC kernel config and make your changes to the 5.3 GENERIC kernel config.

If you just did make buildkernel and didn't see any errors, you should be ok.

So far I've done:

make buildworld
make buildkernel
make installkernel
reboot

and am about to do mergemaster -p but you speak of a short cut. As I'm expecting MANY merges to be necessary a shortcut would be fantastic. Furthermore, should I be merging everything other than things like group.conf passwd stuff, my motd and things of that nature?

I've stuffed a mergemaster process in the past and don't particularly wish for that to happen again.

Thanks again in advance

Gsee

okay, here's what you do.
First backup /etc/group /etc/master.passwd /etc/passwd. You can copy to <name>.save.

Next, read through the mergemaster -p stuff and the mergemaster in the Handbook 19.4.11.1. The pre-buildworld (-p) option basically adds required system users and group names, and checks the make.conf for required options.

Run the mergemaster -p and follow menu. You know what the menu means since you read the Handbook, right? You can make a dry run without changing anything to see what's affected.

If you can't figure out what to do, just add the new groups and users from the mergemaster group and master.passwd to your /etc/group /etc/master.passwd. There's about 3 or 4 per file. proxy is one I remember. mergemaster will inform you where the merge files are, probably in /var/tmp/temproot/etc/.

Using vim, you can make the changes very easy. Open the mergemaster group file, ctrl-w-n will open another window where you can open the /etc/group file. Now you have two windows open ctrl-w-w changes windows. Put your cursor on the new group names in the merge'd group file, press v, move cursor to mark what you need, press y, ctrl-w-w to change windows to /etc/group file, place cursor where the names should be placed, press p.

If you don't know vim, I suggest you use what editor you know and works for you. Learning vi and vim is a real plus in the *nix world though.

Whatever method you use, you need to run;
pwd_mkdb -p /etc/master.passwd to sync the password database.

The second mergemaster basically skips, merge, or replaces a whole lotta files in /etc/. You are shown the differences. Basically, unless you made changes to them, you can replace the current ones with the new replacements. Ones you probably want to keep or merge or rc.conf, hosts. The contents are shown, just review the contents and keep or merge the ones you know you need to keep.

Umm... trouble...

When I do:
cd /var/tmp/temproot/etc
ls
I get nothing... the temproot etc/ directory is empty. At the moment I think I've got my original /etc/group and /etc/master.passwd files installed. I don't know what's ended up happening but make installworld about a missing proxy user.

ERROR: Required proxy user is missing, see /usr/src/UPDATING.
*** Error code 1

After looking at /usr/src/UPDATING and searching for proxy I found that the proxy user is needed as pf is part of the base install now a days. I don't need that so I added

NO_PF=yo to my make.conf and things are running at the moment. I'll have to see how I go.

Well, I gues I knew things wouldn't be EASY. Will keep you posted.

Gsee

Well... all is done and the computer displays FreeBSD 5.3 RELEASE when booting... but it's a sick little computer it doesn't boot at present - the following are what I'm getting at particular points during the boot process:

PNP0400 Can't Assign resources (port) - I get a series (about six) of these with the number after PNP changing for each.


Updating motd ... /etc/motd is not writable, update failed.

Additional ABI Support:
Can't exec getty '/usr/libexec/gett' for port /dev/ttyvX
No such file or directory

For this last error message it repeats about 8 times with the X being a successive number. After approximately a minute it repeats this part again and again.


When pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del to reboot I receive

/etc/rc.shutdown {$entropy_file_confirmed returned} WARNING entropy file write failed
/etc/rc.shutdown $swap_off is not set properly see - rc.conf(9)

but then it actually restarts.

I CAN boot into single user mode and mount all drives so theoretically anything should be edittable.

Where do I start?

Gsee

Hello? Some help please??? Don't leave me now... please?

Gsee

Over my head. See my post.