Upgrade from 9.2.5 to 9.10

[Merv]

Havn't upgraded for some time. Documentation about upgrade mentions menu items that are absent in 9.2.1.5, like "Back up the FreeNAS® configuration in System ‣ General ‣ Save Config." My System does not even have "General" section. So naturally I'm a bit uneasy about trying this upgrade.

I am an "advanced user", but not a professional "system administrator". What is my best way to do it?

Edit: Wrong version in thread header, it's 9.2.1.5. Sorry.

 

[dlavigne]

Do you mean 9.2.1.5? If so, you want to use the instructions in its User Guide listed on this page: http://doc.freenas.org/.

Having said that, that's over 2 years worth of updates. If it were me, I'd backup my config, do a fresh install of the latest stable to a new USB stick, import the config, and see what blows up...

 

[Merv]

OK, thanks.

Yes, the version is indeed 9.2.1.5, as I mentioned in my edit.

2 years, wow. I guess it just worked :)

Let's say I make a perfect copy of my USB drive with my current 9.2.1.5 version and then do a fresh install as you suggest on a new USB drive. Then I import my saved config and suddenly something does not work. Do I understand correctly, that I can shutdown the system, insert my current USB, and my data will remain intact? I don't have another server with large enough free space to backup my server.

 

[Linkman]

Yes. Backup your config, install the new version on a new USB drive, shut down, pull your old USB and keep it to the side, boot with the new USB, import your config, and see what works and what doesn't.

If it goes sideways, shut down, and reboot with the original USB and you're back where you started.

You should have a backup of anything important regardless.

 

[dlavigne]

You don't need to make a copy of the current USB stick, just its config (see the 9.2.1 guide's section on updating for instructions how).

And, yes, the point of using a second stick is if things go horribly wrong, simply reboot using your old stick. That way, you're at least back where you started

 

[Merv]

Great, thank you all. Now I feel much more confident! :)

I never trusted USB sticks to be extremely reliable, so when I had one set up and working properly, I made a dd copy of it, to be able to recover in seconds, if it fails in the future. Saved configuration file is enough though, I see that.

 

[Mlovelace]

Upgrade from 9.2.1.5 -> 9.2.1.9 -> 9.3 -> 9.10 -> 9.10.1 don't skip releases as it can cause configuration issues.

 

[Merv]

Oh. How do I get releases other than the latest?

 

[Mlovelace]

Oh. How do I get releases other than the latest?

http://download.freenas.org/

 

[Merv]

Thank you. I have rather simple config, and I hope "express upgrade" goes fine. If it doesn't - that will be my plan "B".