getting ports updated on an older FreeBSD (5.1)

[Warren Block]

On Tue, 23 Jun 2015, Cary wrote:

> Warren Block <wblock at wonkity.com> writes:
>
>> On Tue, 23 Jun 2015, Matthew Seaman wrote:
>>
>>> On 06/23/15 08:59, Christoph Kukulies wrote:
>>>> Although you may be right with regard to obsoleteness of 5.0.0 and my
>>>> 5.1 version in general,
>>>> I'm wondering whether it would be possible to
>>>> run a 10.1 executable under 5.1 (possible link it statically?).
>>>
>>> 5.1 Release happened during a particularly difficult period for FreeBSD
>>> development. As I recall, it was quite quickly superseded by 5.2 release
>>>
>>> Your quickest and most reliable way forward is to upgrade your FreeBSD
>>> box to something supported.  Given you're starting from such an old
>
>
>> Agreed, except I would suggest a completely separate computer for the
>> new install.  Old stuff that has been running for years can be fragile.
>> Moving a cable that has been motionless for years can make it fail, and
>> it's somehow a given that these systems are never backed up.
>>
>
> Were that the case, could there be any risk running a 10.1 executable
> on such a system?

I would be surprised if a 10.1 executable would run on a 5.1 system. 
But that misses the point.  Do not try to run modern binaries on an
ancient system.  Set up a new 10.1 system, install new versions of the 
same software, and copy configuration and data files from the old one. 
Trying to update a 5.1 system in-place or run newer binaries on it is 
unlikely to work.  If it does work, it's probably going to be shaky. 
If it doesn't work, trying to get it to work will almost certainly take 
more time than setting up a new 10.1 system and configuring it with 
modern versions of the same applications, then copying data and 
configuration.

Look at it this way: trying to do anything with a FreeBSD 5.1 system is 
pretty much file recovery.  Many, many things have changed since then.