9.1 - 9.2 upgrade

[Polytropon]

On Fri, 4 Oct 2013 21:49:18 -0700, Doug Hardie wrote:
> 
> On 4 October 2013, at 20:03, Polytropon <freebsd at edvax.de> wrote:
> 
> > On Fri, 4 Oct 2013 19:42:15 -0700, Doug Hardie wrote:
> >> 
> >> On 4 October 2013, at 19:08, Polytropon <freebsd at edvax.de> wrote:
> >> 
> >>> On Fri, 4 Oct 2013 18:58:52 -0700, Doug Hardie wrote:
> >>>> The exact sequence was:
> >>>> 
> >>>> Step 1:  freebsd-update from 9.1 to 9.2
> >>> 
> >>> Have you verified in /etc/freebsd-update.conf that "src"
> >>> is definitely part of what should be updated?
> >> 
> >> System is not bootable - can't verify anything…
> > 
> > Does the system (or better, its "enclosure", software-wise)
> > allow booting a rescue system or an emergency media, such
> > as a FreeBSD v9 live system?
> 
> Yes - but there is no one there who can successfully be told
> how to run it.

Not even inserting a USB stick (with the FreeBSD memstick data)
or a CD?



> We have serious communications issues - they want to use back
> slashes and have no idea what a slash is.

Maybe that is the result of many years of "administration" on
"Windows" PCs. :-)



> Even if you tell them which key to use, they know better and
> use a back slash cause thats what Windoze uses.

Uh... "knowing better" would disqualify them as maintainers of
a server installation. The inability to learn (or even to read
and follow instructions) is a dangerous thing.



> The disk should be in the mail to me now.  I will be able to
> work with it when it arrives.

Okay, that's also a possible alternative. To be honest, that's
the first time I hear about this procedure. But doable.



> > The file /etc/freebsd-update.conf should contain the line
> > 
> > 	Components src world kernel
> > 
> > if you want to make sure the source is properly updated,
> > along with the world and kernel (GENERIC).
> 
> As indicated before, I don't think all the source got updated. 
> The kernel showed 9.2 after recompilation.  However UPDATING
> was not updated.  Thats as much as I could check before.

I assume that this could be possible by inconsistently updated
sources. It would be a good start to remove /usr/src and download
the sources of the correct version via SVN _or_ freebsd-update
again. Before the next installation attempt, /usr/obj should be
removed as well, just to be sure.



> >>>> Step 5:  reboot
> >>> 
> >>> Attention: Into single-user mode.
> >> 
> >> Not possible since the system is located over 100 miles away.
> >> Everything has to be done via remote console.
> > 
> > Does this mean "SSH only" or do you have a _real_ console
> > transmission by which you can access the system _prior_ to
> > the OS providing the SSH access? I'm mentioning this because
> > the traditional approach requires (few) steps done in the
> > single-user mode where no SSH connectivity is provided in
> > the "normal" way…
> 
> I have a telnet box that has serial connections to the console
> ports.  That approach has been used without any issues since
> FreeBSD 2.5.  I do disable all ports during the process via an
> reduced rc.conf file.

A serial console should also work, but even though I've been
using serial consoles (and _real_ serial terminals), one thing
I'm not sure about: Is it possible to interrupt (!) the boot
process at an early stage to get to the loader prompt and
boot into single user mode from there?

	Ok
	boot -s

If not, do you have the "beastie menu" (or whatever it is called
today) enabled to go to SUM to perform the "make installworld" step?

Anyway, if you can install everything is required with the disk
at home, and then send it back to that "datacenter" (according
to your characterization, the quotes are deserved), that should
solve the problems and make sure everything works as intended.



-- 
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...