To: FreeBSD ISP List Fcc: sent Subject: Re: Serial line fbsd installation with no CD In-Reply-To: Message from Jez Hancock of "Sat, 12 Apr 2003 14:38:37 BST." <20030412133836.GA52054 @ users.munk.nu> Jez Hancock wrote: > Hi all, > > I have two colocated servers in the US and I'm in the UK. I need to install > FreeBSD 4.8 from scratch across a serial connection that exists between the > two servers. The current OS are FreeBSD 4.6.2 and as such I am unable to > adequately make world to the latest STABLE release. > > Further I do not have the option of installing from a CDROM installed on > the server. Has anyone been in a similar situation and if so how did you > resolve the problem? > > Thanks in advance, > Jez I often do remote upgrades. Tip, practice locally first, knowing if you have to push reset, you've failed :-) There's a web page on this on http://www.freebsd.org I believe, but here are 2 ways, must be other too: 1) NFS export a file system & do a remote install from a good 4.8 local to a remote sub directory on 4.6.2 file system, then move in to place as below in (3) setenv DESTDIR /host/remote/usr1/new4.8 cd /usr/src/etc; make distribdirs ; cd ..; make install That way will frighten some people who are keen on security (though you could EG have ipfw on remote blocking all but your IP for NFS, (I'm thinking of doing that for some of mine for other reasons) 2) On local 4.8 host do approx: (note this is Not exact, you need to think what your doing, to avoid shooting in foot, but I do similar it all the time & it works for me, though I've probably forgotten to include something, so think & take great care :-). su setenv DESTDIR /usr1/new mkdir /usr1/new cd /usr/src/etc; make distrib-dirs ; cd ..; make install cd /sys/i386/conf;config -r GENERIC;cd ../../compile/GENERIC;make depend;make;make install cd /usr1/new tar zcf ../new.tgz . ftp remote put new.tgz ((3) as common follow up to (1) & (2)) rlogin or ssh remote su cd /usr1/new tar zxf new.tgz mkdir /old /new /usr/old /usr/new /var/old /var/new echo block logins, and kick users off now. echo backup what you value mv /var/* /var/old/ mv var/* /var cd usr rmdir * csh foreach i ( * ) mv /usr/$i /usr/old/$i mv $i /usr end cd .. cp `which mv` / cp `which reboot` / rm -rf etc dev proc mnt sys tmp foreach i ( * ) /mv /$i /old/$i /mv $i / end /old/bin/ls / # make sure you have a new kernel & new modules /reboot su ; mergemaster recompile stuff for /usr/local & /usr/X11R6 (your old packages can be seen by ls /var/old/db/pkg) echo wait till happy all is ok rm -rf /old /*/old chflags -R noschg /old /*/old rm -rf /old /*/old - Julian H. Stacey Freelance Systems Engineer, Unix & Net Consultant, Munich. Ihr Rauchen => mein allergischer Kopfschmerz ! Schnupftabak probieren.