Re: FreeBSD 4.x EoL

On Tue, Oct 17, 2006 at 07:07:22PM -0400, Michael W. Oliver wrote:
Colin,

Thanks for the verbose and reasoned explanation. Since the email last
week, I have taken the opportunity to upgrade two machines, one here and
one remote (both with serial console) from 4.9->5.5->6.2PRE, and while I
can't say that I did it blindfolded, it wasn't too painful. The upgrade
instructions at...

http://www.freebsd.org/releases/5.3R/migration-guide.html

...were as close to perfect as could be (and for those who might ask me
for a step-by-step howto, look to the above URL). A few things that I
should mention to others trying this are...

0. Backup, and then check your backups!

1. Be prepared to spend a lot of time in single-user mode, especially
for the 4->5 step, because there is a LOT for mergemaster to do. The
step from 5->6 is not nearly as painful. I didn't try to do the
installworld and mergemaster in multiuser, and if you do then have a
bigger set than I do.

2. Trust the migration guide when it says to use a default kernel
configuration file unless you are 100% prepared to reap what you sow.

3. Be prepared to spend a lot of time (depending on the speed of your
machines) rebuilding all of your ports. Don't skimp on this step.

4. On one of my machines (the local one, thank God!), I started getting
weird pauses and bus errors when trying to rebuild my ports, and then
noticed that the acpi.ko wasn't being loaded at boot. Turns out that I
had disabled ACPI in the BIOS back when the machine was originally built
for v4. Since switching on ACPI in the BIOS, those issues have totally
cleared.

Good advice.

You can make step 3 easier by using the precompiled packages where
possible, e.g. "portupgrade -faP"

Kris

Attachment: pgpOMUVhgbJhj.pgp
Description: PGP signature

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Dimension 2400?
    ... >>> second upgrade would mean removing one of the first two sticks. ... >>> $99 shipping on the low end machines and that kills them in my mind as ... Apply a strip to the drive and the matching strip to the ... Not a very elegant solution, ...
    (alt.sys.pc-clone.dell)
  • Re: Suggestion for motherboard for multi year timeframe
    ... Being able to upgrade processors is very important. ... Then upgrade to Vista. ... have these machines when the next OS after Vista is released. ... I have read some good things about the Intel DQ965 boards. ...
    (comp.sys.intel)
  • Re: Sim City - Mac or PC?
    ... Hmm, I leave my Mac running for weeks at a time somtimes, it's usually ... For sure, there are machines that work well, and those that don't. ... build or upgrade their own boxes). ... But they weren't 'personal' machines were they Andy? ...
    (uk.comp.sys.mac)
  • Re: Suggestion for motherboard for multi year timeframe
    ... Being able to upgrade processors is very important. ... have these machines when the next OS after Vista is released. ... trips to the desktop will save us money. ... Replay what I said about heat and reliability, what brings you to the desktop? ...
    (comp.sys.intel)
  • Re: FreeBSD 4.x EoL
    ... The upgrade ... machines) rebuilding all of your ports. ... had disabled ACPI in the BIOS back when the machine was originally built ... Since switching on ACPI in the BIOS, ...
    (freebsd-stable)