MySQL 5.5.7->5.5.8 instructions seem scary

[Bill Moran]

In response to Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo at gmail.com>:

> On Wed, Dec 29, 2010 at 1:57 PM, Nerius Landys <nlandys at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > I read this in /usr/ports/UPDATING today:
> >
> > =================================================
> > 20101227:
> >  AFFECTS: users of databases/mysql55-server
> >  AUTHOR: ale at FreeBSD.org
> >
> >  MySQL 5.5 has been updated to 5.5.8 GA release. Since layout is
> >  changed you should remove mysql55-{client/server/scripts} ports
> >  before upgrading. The build system is changed too, so expect
> >  failures.
> > =================================================
> >
> >
> > Now that seems pretty scary.  Remove all mysql packages from my system?!?!
> > Expect failures?!?!?
> >
> > I have important data in my current mysql install.
> >
> If there is no reason for you to run it, then keep off.
> Otherwise backup your DB and follow the instructions:-)

Better yet, make a jail, install the version of MySQL you're currently
using and copy your data over, then practice upgrading in the jail.
Once you have the procedure figured out, you can execute it on the
production system with a high level of confidence.

-- 
Bill Moran
http://www.potentialtech.com
http://people.collaborativefusion.com/~wmoran/