I want to upgrade an old (8.3-RC2) FReeBSD installation, but can't install subversion

[olli hauer]

On 2014-08-31 22:38, Torfinn Ingolfsen wrote:
> On Sun, Aug 31, 2014 at 8:37 PM, olli hauer <ohauer at gmx.de> wrote:
>>
>> Hm, do you mean update with subversion to 8.4-stable or 8.4-current?
> 
> Yes, and 8.4-stable. There is no 8.4-current.
> 
>> Unless you have a non default kernel there is no need to rebuild to get 8.4-stable, just run `freebsd-update fetch install' without '-r ...' and you are done.
> 
> Ok. Old habits came into play; I've always updated my FreeBSD systems
> via source. It is that freebsd-update which is new to me...
> 
> 
>> Rebuilding the system from source can break freebsd-update specially if build with custom optimizations (-O...)
> 
> Noted. In my case, using freebsd-update was only to get out of the
> "ports tree suddenly not supported" situation I got into.
> 
>> Anyway good to hear you managed to get your system to a supported release.
> 
> Yes. :)
> 

If you have the time / resources setup a small test jail/vm with an older
release to play with freebsd-update try it out.

In case there is a security update or other fix for stable freebsd-update
will lift your system with one or two commands to the new stable version.

freebsd-update updates not only the OS but also /usr/src

Once you've done that you will love it.

PS:
After using freebsd-update the directory "/var/db/freebsd-update" and
your system is running stable you can cleanup everything inside
"/var/db/freebsd-update" to save some space.

-- 
olli