Friends,

I have a server -- red hat es3
( side note , i almost always go with centOS N anymore )
it is a samba file server , a share point on the lan and an FTP server...and i may start running amanda for backup soon. -- that is all it does.
and I would like ( i think ) to upgrade this machine to RH es4 or es5.

Now i have read the suggested means -- and i know that I should back up my data and do a clean install.

But-- what if i did rollll the dice with the
"..
insert the
installation CD of the new version and enter either of these commands on the
boot prompt:

# linux upgrade

or

# linux upgradeany

This will walk you through the upgrade procedure, which very closely
resembles a normal installation.
.."

So- my Q might be has anyone done this before - and how did that go for you?

How darn risky is it?
meaning ... i might back up my data , roll the dice as above and if bad things happen ..then i can do the clean install.

I've done it and it's broken things. Plus, it takes longer.

Back up your important data and /etc and do a clean install. Then redo things. And only replace config files when absolutely needed.

red hat dose NOT support upgrades between major versions

clean install

I use a separate partition for /home and link /etc/httpd and /usr/local and other configuration application specific directories to a partition that I preserve between updates. I used to have a big problem with Gnome configuration for the desktop between versions preventing logging in. This hasn't happened for a couple of years now.

I primarily run Fedora because I am often working with new hardware and Fedora has a stronger community for that. Fedora tends to get the drivers that I need working before other distros do.

I have several small notebook drives set up the way I want my Linux systems to run, with 32 & 64 bit versions of Mepis 8.0.15. I update the o/s on notebook drives about every three months, and when I build a system, most of the time I plug into a sata connection in a desktop tower and use a clonezilla liveCD to clone these drives to the new internal hard drive (2tb 3GB/s internal drives are less than $100 currently. I then boot with the LiveCD, use the x-window Mepis tool and reboot from the new hard drive and immediately enlarge the home partition...

I never call it rolling the dice, it just works for me. I do use the sgfxi/smxi script for non intel motherboards as I am unhappy with the lack of 1920x1080/16:9 video ratios booting with a liveCD...

I always build Desktop systems, seldom do anything with a Laptop/Notebook, just have no use for the small screens (yes I am casually shopping for a new 27, or 28 (16:9 ratio) 1440p LCD monitor, but they are still above the price I currently want to spend. I live in Vegas and if you leave a portable computer in the car parked in the sun during the summer you many times with have an expensive brick/door stop afterwards, or a ebay non working unit for sale as parts...

Clone or move the hard drive no need for a new install in my opinion...

JR