Upgrading from 8.3 to 11.2 - Best approach?

[thenerb]

I'm new to the forums here and not overly technical, so please pardon my rather simple question and I'd kindly request less technical answers please.

I have a basic FreeNAS server box I built in 2011 that has 5x2TB drives on ZFS RAID (I think RAID0) currently running FreeNAS 8.3. Due to SMBv1, I can no longer access my shared volume and need to upgrade. The setup is pretty simple and I only use the NAS locally in my home, so not a big deal to lose my config (I'm guessing??)

What's the easiest approach to upgrade from 8.3 to 11.2? Should I just start over somehow with a fresh install and then upgrade the ZFS pool? Is that safe and what's the risk of losing my data (it is not backed up elsewhere)? How do I go about this?

Thank you for the support.

 

[Chris Moore]

What's the easiest approach to upgrade from 8.3

8.3 is a very very old version. Can you post a screenshot of what it looks like so we can ensure that you have what you think you have?
There was a split back around that time between what is now called FreeNAS and what is now called XigmaNAS.
There is also the issue of the hardware. You may need a hardware upgrade before you are ready for the new FreeNAS.

Hardware Requirements
http://www.freenas.org/hardware-requirements/

Slideshow explaining VDev, zpool, ZIL and L2ARC
https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...ning-vdev-zpool-zil-and-l2arc-for-noobs.7775/

Terminology and Abbreviations Primer
https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/terminology-and-abbreviations-primer.28174/

Why not to use RAID-5 or RAIDz1
https://www.zdnet.com/article/why-raid-5-stops-working-in-2009/

 

[Chris Moore]

PS. Please post your hardware description per the guidance in this post:

Updated Forum Rules 12/5/18
https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/updated-forum-rules-12-5-18.45124/

 

[thenerb]

@Chris Moore, thanks for the reply. Yes, it is really FreeNAS 8.3.1 (see screenshot below). I ordered another 4GB of RAM so that I will have the required 8GB for an upgrade. I believe my system should meet the requirements for an upgrade. I have 5x2TB WD Green drives (not the most performant, but use less power) and all are healthy arranged in a RAIDZ cluster with ZFS.

What's the best path forward?

 

[Holt Andrei Tiberiu]

I personaly recommend going to 11.1 u6.
Wait a little with 11.2. Also Backup your config before upgrade.

 

[thenerb]

Thanks for the reccomendation on 11.1 u6. I'll take that approach.

How do I go about upgrading from 8.3.1 to 11.1 u6? Do I save my config and start over and import/upgrade the volume? Do I have to do a chain of incremental updates? Can I upgrade straight from 8.3.1 to 11.1 somehow? I just don't know the process and how to do this. Thanks for getting basic for me.

 

[Holt Andrei Tiberiu]

Do a config backup, upgrade won't touch your drives, raid config.
And after saving the config, go for the upgrade. BUT FIRST HAVE 8GB RAM in that PC!!
If something goes wrong, you can do a 8.3.1 install and import the config back.
After upgrade check everything works, and you will have to do a pool upgrade for the new zfs features, or you are still on ufs?

 

[Chris Moore]

Still wondering about your hardware, especially the boot media.

Yes, it is really FreeNAS 8.3.1 (see screenshot below).

Looking at the logo, that appears to be the iXsystems version of FreeNAS and you should be able to upgrade. The trouble is, there have been many changes over the versions from where you are, to where the current version is, and you would likely not be successful bringing your configuration forward if you try to do it in a single leap.
These upgrades not only upgrade the User Interface (WebUI) they also upgrade the underlying operating system (FreeBSD) and the two things need to work properly together. There are also changes to the format of the database file from back then to now.
I would suggest upgrading first from FreeNAS 8.3.1 to FreeNAS 9.1.x and ensure that all the settings carry forward.
Then you should be able to upgrade from there to FreeNAS 9.3 without any trouble.
Then upgrade from FreeNAS 9.3 to FreeNAS 9.10 and from there to FreeNAS-11.1-U6.3

 

[Chris Moore]

After upgrade check everything works, and you will have to do a pool upgrade for the new zfs features, or you are still on ufs?

If he was using UFS, it would not be possible to upgrade because UFS is not supported any more.

 

[Holt Andrei Tiberiu]

True, he said that in his first post

 

[thenerb]

@Chris Moore and Andrei,

Thank you both for the advice and quick responses. Yes, I am on ZFS. Boot media is a USB drive I have mounted to the motherboard.

My config is very basic as I only use this as a media/file server in my home network. Given how simple it is, I don't think I would mind starting with a fresh install to avoid doing 4 phases of upgrades. Can I easily do that by wiping my USB drive (after I save the config just in case) and installing 11.1 and then importing the existing volume? Will that work properly? Any compatibility issues if my RAIDZ ZFS setup is running an older version?

Thanks again

 

[Holt Andrei Tiberiu]

I think that Chris Moore's advice is better, as the config format is difrent in each version i guess.
Go throu 9.1.x - 9.3 - 9.10 - 11.1u6
That is what i would do.
And of course, 8gb ram and save the config.

 

[Chris Moore]

I don't think I would mind starting with a fresh install to avoid doing 4 phases of upgrades. Can I easily do that by wiping my USB drive (after I save the config just in case) and installing 11.1 and then importing the existing volume?

Yes, you can do a clean install, import the existing pool, then setup your sharing. It might be faster to do that than go through multiple upgrades. If you don't have any sophisticated configuration that you want to carry forward; I have done a clean install and configured sharing in a matter of an hour or so. The nice thing about the GUI for FreeNAS-11.1-U6.3 is that it is not terribly different from the GUI that this guide was written for and you should be able to pick out the parts you need if you need guidance:

Uncle Fester's Basic FreeNAS Configuration Guide
https://www.familybrown.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=fester:intro

Someone will probably need to write a new guide for the FreeNAS-11.2 version because the look of the GUI is completely changed and some things work a bit differently.

Here is a download link to the FreeNAS-11.1-U6.3 folder and you can pull the ISO from there:
https://download.freenas.org/11/11.1-U6.3/x64/

This folder has the changelog and readme:
https://download.freenas.org/11/11.1-U6.3/

 

[Chris Moore]

PS. If you run into trouble, please ask on the forum, someone is sure to help. Also, depending on the age of those drives, you might want to consider replacing them. I know that the WD drives can last a really long time, I had a 2TB WD Green that I recently took out of service at work that was over seven years old and still working perfectly, but they don't last forever. Likewise, the USB boot drive, If it has been going for a few years, you might want to consider getting a new one. The new version of FreeNAS does not load completely memory resident the way the old version did and your USB drive will have significantly more wear. A good quality unit will last a few years, but they do tend to fail more frequently.

 

[bxg]

Hi
Newly registered here but a freenas user for years. I read this conversation because my situation is similar to the OP. The difference is, I'm still on 9.2.1.9. I want to try the upgrade path from 9.2 to 9.3 to 9.10 and then 11.1. It seems 9.3 and 9.10 are listed as "historic" and unavailable for download. I used the search feature here (as well as google,) and looked for 9.3, historic, old downloads... in short, as many ways as I could think of searching for a download link for historic freenas versions, but no joy. Is there a link to the older versions that I'm missing here on this site?
Thanks for reading.
Barry

 

[Chris Moore]

Here are where the older versions are: https://download.freenas.org/archived/

It is just a directory under the regular download location: https://download.freenas.org/

 

[bxg]

Here are where the older versions are: https://download.freenas.org/archived/

It is just a directory under the regular download location: https://download.freenas.org/

Found everything I needed and I'm now on FreeNAS-11.1-U6.3. Thanks very much for the link to the archives.

FYI - these upgrades were made to my test setup on a VM. I don't apply upgrades to my production stuff until after the new versions have a chance to soak for a while.

Thanks again and Happy New Year!