Best upgrade strategy from slackware 13.1?
 

Hi all

I have 2 laptops running slackware 13.1, which I'd like to upgrade to slackware 14.1.

Which the best upgrade strategy? straight upgrade 13.1->14.1 , upgrade with all intermediate version, or I can skip one version and do 13.1->14.0->14.1 or 13.1->13.37->14.1?

The laptop are used as desktop PCs only with stock packages, few slackbuilds and few alien bob's packages.

Thank you all and kind regards

Alessandro Barisone

The upgrade docs on the disc expect you to only be running the prior version. If you really want to do an upgrade, it'd be better to upgrade to each release. However, it'd probably be easier to just back up the needed items (like various conf files in /etc, your /home directories, etc), wipe the drive, and install 14.1 fresh. Then compare the old files with the new ones (conf files change over time, and many of your .PROG_NAME folders in your /home directory may cause problems with newer versions, particularly the .kde folder) and edit the existing files to suit your needs.

It does take a bit longer, but you'll likely have a more stable system.

I would recommend a clean install. That is by far, the fastest and safest way to get to 14.1. If your /home is on a separate partition form /, your e-mail and other files will be preserved. Always back-up your data first.
If /home is on the same partition as /, then you have to backup all files and restore them after the install.

Make a list of packages from Sbo and Alien packages you use. They are easily installed after the initial Slack install.

If you want to 'upgrade', you have to go through every release. If you try to skip one, problems will most likely arise. I have done several upgrades, but only through one release. I have never had a problem when I followed the instructions on the install DVD.

Hope this helps.

---------- Post added 10-17-14 at 12:01 PM ----------

I would recommend a clean install. That is by far, the fastest and safest way to get to 14.1. If your /home is on a separate partition form /, your e-mail and other files will be preserved. Always back-up your data first.
If /home is on the same partition as /, then you have to backup all files and restore them after the install.

Make a list of packages from Sbo and Alien packages you use. They are easily installed after the initial Slack install.

If you want to 'upgrade', you have to go through every release. If you try to skip one, problems will most likely arise. I have done several upgrades, but only through one release. I have never had a problem when I followed the instructions on the install DVD.

Hope this helps.

I second (or third): make a clean installation, do not upgrade.

I'll just add a recommendation: make a backup of /etc and /var as well as /home.

You could find handy to cherry-pick some settings in /etc, have at hand the old packages database in /var/log to check what third-party packages you want to install again, and maybe you have databases in/var/lib that you'd want to keep.

Ok thank you all I'll proceed with a backup and a clean install

Kind regards

Alessandro Barisone