SOLVED Upgrade Procedure

[BKK]

First off I'm not an expert user, I have limited experience so my question is probably pretty basic for those in the know.

I have 9.2 installed and would like to upgrade to 9.3. I've read the Upgrade section of the 9.3 documentation. I've gone to the Download page and I've downloaded the Freenas-9.3-release.iso.

My current installation is running off of a USB stick. Do I shutdown install the 9.3 iso on the USB stick and then boot the NAS?? This is what it says in the DOCs but I want to make sure :)

When I install the 9.3 ISO on my USB stick I assume that I'll wipe all of the existing files before putting the 9.3 ISO on it. I'm worried that I might loose some critical info so I want to be sure before I take the plunge.

 

[Ericloewe]

Use the GUI updater with the update image. You can also boot to the image (DVD, USB or your favorite method) and do it from there.

Make sure you backup your config file. If you're using encryption, make absolutely sure that you have secured (and backed up) the various passphrases and keys.

 

[joeschmuck]

The user manual is very unclear with respect to upgrading from 9.2.x to 9.3. I will ask for a change in the user manual.

You can do it several ways, I will give you my preference:
1) Backup your configuration file.
2) Install 9.3 to your USB flash drive (a second drive is preferred so if you run into issues you can just put back the original and be online).
3) Once you have 9.3 running and can access the GUI, restore your configuration file from 9.2.1.7 (assuming your signature is correct). Your system will reboot twice typically while it converts your old data to the new format and you should be up and running.

 

[BKK]

Thanks Joe.

I've installed 9.3 on my USB. When I boot I select Upgrade/Install option. It prompts for drive to install the OS to. I select the USB which is 16GB. I then receive an error message that "Operation Not Permitted". Any ideas as to why it won't install the OS to the USB flash drive???

 

[BKK]

I've done some poking around on the forum. From what I can gather there might be an issue with 9.3 not able to install on the USB boot flash drive. If I get a second USB flash drive I think I can install the OS to it. The only other drives in the system are my data drives. Any one know if this will work??? If I can get the OS installed on the second USB then I could update using my saved config file.

 

[Ericloewe]

Are you trying to install to the same drive you're installing from? That doesn't work, for obvious reasons. What did work (until 9.2.1.9 inclusive) was imaging the drive directly with the FreeNAS image, but FreeNAS no longer resides in an image, as it uses normal ZFS partition.

 

[BKK]

Yes I'm trying to install to the same USB I'm installing from. I had 9.2.1.7 before so that's probably why I'm confused. So will it work if I get a second USB flash drive and install to it?

 

[Ericloewe]

Yes I'm trying to install to the same USB I'm installing from. I had 9.2.1.7 before so that's probably why I'm confused. So will it work if I get a second USB flash drive and install to it?

Yeah. Or boot from CD or whatever method you like to boot ISOs. Of course, the source media only has to be large enough to hold the install image.

 

[joeschmuck]

You can install FreeNAS using the ISO buy using many different means (examples are below)...
1) Create a CD of the ISO and plug a USB Flash into any computer you have, boot from the CD and install to the flash (just ensure the drive size is proper and you are installing to the flash drive).
2) Use a Virtual machine that can accept outside devices and attach the USB drive to is, mount the iso image and then load it up.
3) The traditional way, create a bootable CD from the ISO and temporarily attach a CD drive to the FreeNAS computer just long enough to get the flash drive loaded.

 

[BKK]

I used a second USB flash drive and was able to get the upgrade done. Thanks for all the help!

 

[kiboko]

In followup to BKK's question, after the upgrade what are the steps to adding the ZFS Boot pool over two USB flash drives?

 

[Ericloewe]

In followup to BKK's question, after the upgrade what are the steps to adding the ZFS Boot pool over two USB flash drives?

If you install from scratch, mirrored boot devices are an option during installation.

In other cases, the manual should say where the option is.

 

[kiboko]

If you install from scratch, mirrored boot devices are an option during installation.

In other cases, the manual should say where the option is.

I must have missed it in the http://doc.freenas.org/9.3/freenas_install.html documentations. I have searched and only have one reference for mirrored boot during installation. I am looking for how to upgrade from 9.2 and have a mirrored boot.

 

[Ericloewe]

I must have missed it in the http://doc.freenas.org/9.3/freenas_install.html documentations. I have searched and only have one reference for mirrored boot during installation. I am looking for how to upgrade from 9.2 and have a mirrored boot.

Easiest way is probably to upgrade from ISO. In any case, backup the config file.