update to 4.10 via ssh

[David Wolfskill]

On Thu, Jun 17, 2004 at 10:26:33PM -0500, =?iso-8859-1?Q?Nicol=E1s_de_Bari_Embr=EDz_G. _R. ?= wrote:
>
>Hi all, right now I am using freebsd 4.9 but I would like to update to
>4.10-STABLE but I have a problem, I want to do this on a dedicated server
>the one is in  another country and miles away from me, so I am planing to
>do this over ssh.
>
>what I plan to do is a cvsup to get the latest release then:
>
> 1.  `cd /usr/src'
> 2.  `make buildworld'
> 3.  `make buildkernel KERNCONF=MY_KERNEL'
> 4.  `make installkernel KERNCONF=MY_KERNEL'
> 6.  `mergemaster -p'
> 7.  `make installworld'
> 8.  `mergemaster'
> 9.  `reboot'

Should work OK, as it follows UPDATING pretty well.  However, before
step 3, you might want to compare the MY_KERNEL kernel config against
the newly-updated GENERIC (and make any adjustments tat are
appropriate).  For that matter, if you are using CVSup to modify
your /usr/src hierarchy directly, you may need to be sure that the
MY_KERNEL kernel config is where it is supposed to be.

I'd also recommend:

* Read /usr/src/UPDATING after /usr/src has been updated.

* Arranging serial console access.

* Have built the server to boot from either of 2 slices; copy (I use
  dump | restore) the running (but quiescent; ideally, read-only) file
  systems on the 4.9 slice to the other slice, boot from the other slice
  (thus verifying that you have a usable copy), then upgrade the
  currently-booted slice to 4.10.  [The "extra" boot is probably
  unnecessary, but I've been too lazy to actually try doing the build
  while specifying an alternative DESTDIR (or whatever other variables
  need to be set).]  This last is, perhaps, not so commonly done, but I
  have found it useful.

You may also want to consider updating your ports.  (I use portupgrade
for this.)

Finally:  If at all possible, try this first on a machine that is
(much!) closer to you, so you know what to expect.

Peace,
david
-- 
David H. Wolfskill                                 david at egation.com