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Update FreeBSD
Updated: 08/13/2005


General Information

This guide will walk a user through updating his source to follow FreeBSD's stable branch.  Please make a full backup of the current system before following this guide.

Requirements

  1. A working install of FreeBSD 5.x (steps may work in other versions)
  2. Root access
  3. Internet access

Installation

Login as root (or login as a user and su to root).  Install cvsup and fastest_cvsup with either of the following methods.
#
#
#
#		 cd /usr/ports/net/cvsup_without_gui
make install distclean
cd /usr/ports/sysutils/fastest_cvsup
make install distclean
or
#
#		 pkg_add -r cvsup-without-gui
pkg_add -r fastest_cvsup
Copy the sample supfile for Stable to the root directory
# cp /usr/share/examples/cvsup/stable-supfile /root
Run cvsup to download the latest stable source using the fastest cvsup server near you.
# cvsup -L 2 -h `(fastest_cvsup -q -c us )` /root/stable-supfile
When the cvsup has completed, change to the /usr/src directory
# cd /usr/src
Now take the time to read /usr/src/UPDATING.  This file will contain information that may be needed to properly update the FreeBSD source.

Now it is time to compile this source.  This is called building world.
# make -j4 buildworld

Note:  The -j4 switch is used to spawn multiple processes and according the FreeBSD Handbook, testing shows that this speeds up building world even on a single CPU system.

Now build a new kernel.  To rebuild the GENERIC kernel, simply run the following command:[/code]
# make buildkernel
To build a new kernel using a custom kernel configuration file, run the command as follows:
# make buildkernel KERNCONF=MYKERNEL

Note:  To create a custom configuration file, go to /usr/src/sys/i386/conf and make a copy of the GENERIC file; name it something like MYKERNEL.  Editing the kernel configuration file is beyond the scope of this walk-through.

Now boot to single-user mode.  This is important because replacing system files while in use in a running system is not a good idea.

Note:  Installing the kernel and world in single-user mode is not required.  It is only the safest method.  If you wish, you can do the entire process from multi-user mode.

# shutdown now
Once in single-user mode, run the following commands to get access to the file system and the swap.
#
#
#
#		 fsck -p
mount -u /
mount -a -t ufs
swapon -a
Change to the /usr/src directory.
# cd /usr/src
Now install the new kernel.  To install the rebuilt GENERIC kernel, simply run the following command:
# make installkernel
To install a newly built custom kernel, run the command as follows:
# make installkernel KERNCONF=MYKERNEL
Reboot
# reboot
On boot up, select option 4 to boot to single-user mode.  Once in single-user mode, run the following commands to get access to the file system and the swap.
#
#
#
#		 fsck -p
mount -u /
mount -a -t ufs
swapon -a
Change to the [code]/usr/src directory.
# cd /usr/src
Run mergemaster -p to compare only those files that are essential for the success of buildworld or installworld.
# mergemaster -p
Select No to when prompted to remove /var/tmp/temproot.  Now install the new world.
# make installworld
Now run mergemaster to compare all the configuration files.
# mergemaster

Note:  Unfortunately the mergemaster is the most complex and the least amount of help is provided.  Understanding how mergemaster works will help.  It compares the configuration files in use on the current system with the new configuration files from the newly compiles source.  It uses diff to display both files at the same time.  Lines that are new and will be added if the new configuration file is installed have a plus (+) sign by them.  Lines that will be removed from the configuration file if you install the new one have a minus (-) sign by them.  One tip is that if the changes are only to comment lines (comment lines begin with a pound (#) sign) it is usually safe to install the new configuration file.  Another tip is that if there is a minus (-) sign next to something that needs to be kept, do not install the new file but either leave the file to be dealt with manually or merge the two files.

Note:  It is common to run mergemaster multiple times.

Reboot the system.
# reboot
Once the reboot has completed, the system should boot the stable release.  Login and verify that everything is working correctly.

Note:  It is a good idea to update the ports tree after rebuilding from source.  See the following guide for updating the ports tree.

http://www.bsdguides.org/guides/freebsd/misc/update_ports_tree.php


Author: Jared Barneck
jared at bsdcertification dot com

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1 Comment

Posted by rhyous on December 19, 2006 at 4:05:56 am EET

As of 6.2-RC1 you may have to run mergemaster -p before you run 'make installworld'.

Really, /etc/group needs a new group called "audit".  I haven't tried to just add the audit group to /etc/group without running 'mergmaster -p' but I assume that would be good enough.

When 'mergemaster -p' comes to /etc/group, choose m to merge the new file with the current file.  This will add the audit group.

You probably don't have to run 'mergemaster -p' afterward installing world but you can if you want to or need to.

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