Re: Manual upgrade using base.txz

On 17/09/2024 12:29, Frank Leonhardt wrote:
>
> I'm sure a lot of people have FreeBSD machines running on older 
> versions. In recent years, TPTB have removed all but the newest 
> versions of anything from repos, which puts the kibosh on using 
> freebsd-upgrade to to bring them forward in stages to a current 
> version. After a year or so you're stuck with an old release. And I'm 
> sure we've all had freebsd-grade go south anyway.
>
> Assuming you know what you're doing with configuration files /etc/, 
> what would happen if you booted from a CD and simply unpacked base.txz 
> over the current configuration? Let's assume it's on ZFS or UFS2.
>
> I've always had the idea that this installed the complete base system 
> "factory reset" style. But I've never actually tried it.
>
> For many years I've run everything in one or more jails, and IME, a 
> jailed environment from an earlier release tend to run just fine on a 
> new kernel, so I'm hoping the solution is as simple as I've always 
> thought. But if it was that simple, why isn't everyone doing it?
>
> Thoughts?
>
> Thanks, Frank.
>
Sound like everyone is unsure as I am, given the complex upgrade 
mechamism we're pushed towards.

So far so good.

FreeBSD11 box that was upgraded to 13.2 over the years before upgrade to 
13.3 barfed - booted for USB stick, imported zpool and mounted system, 
untared base.txz and kernel.txz from 13.4 and all good. Probably a good 
idea to copy /etc/passwd* back if you want to log in anywhere other than 
as root on the console though :-)

Regards, Frank.