Upgrading Ports on 5.3

[Ron]

Is there a way to use the current ports system if I am still running 5.3?

I really need to update subversion, mysql, plus make sure I'm running the latest versions of other software, but since 5.4 came out (and now 5.5 and 6.0), I am no longer been able to get new ports.

If change my cvs-supfile to be:

------
*default tag=RELENG_5_4
*default host=cvsup8.FreeBSD.org
*default prefix=/usr
*default base=/var/db
*default release=cvs delete use-rel-suffix compress

ports-all
------

It deletes all my ports.  This is also true of RELENG_5_4

Someone in a previous thread about 6 months ago suggested I do this, but it doesn't work.  Am I going something wrong, or is this just impossible?

I also can't update using packages for (I assume) similar reasons.

I can't upgrade my server because it will take me a week to get physical access to it and get it back, and I can't be down that long right now.

If someone can point me to some specific information that will help, I would be very appreciative.  I have gone though all the books and searched the web and nothing is popping out for me.

Thanks, Ron