From owner-freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Apr 19 21:55:55 2005 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id BC39916A4CE for ; Tue, 19 Apr 2005 21:55:55 +0000 (GMT) Received: from relais.videotron.ca (relais.videotron.ca [24.201.245.36]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 2D5BF43D46 for ; Tue, 19 Apr 2005 21:55:55 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from jsimon@cam.org) Received: from peon ([24.200.213.105]) by VL-MO-MR007.ip.videotron.ca (iPlanet Messaging Server 5.2 HotFix 1.21 (built Sep 8 2003)) with SMTP id <0IF700ARERL34R@VL-MO-MR007.ip.videotron.ca> for freebsd-stable@freebsd.org; Tue, 19 Apr 2005 17:55:52 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 17:59:27 -0400 From: Jean-Simon To: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Message-id: <19c401c5452b$151e6170$1300a8c0@peon> MIME-version: 1.0 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1441 X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1437 Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-priority: Normal References: <426447F8.5090209@charter.net> <20050419163237.76a99373.wmoran@potentialtech.com> <200504191402.04374.kstewart@owt.com> cc: Kent Stewart Subject: Re: Newbie Question About System Update X-BeenThere: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Production branch of FreeBSD source code List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 21:55:55 -0000 Hi, If you are working with a remote system, you should probably be using the "nextboot" utility for testing a new kernel after your "make buildworld", "make buildkernel" and "make installkernel". >From nextboot's man page : --- DESCRIPTION The nextboot utility allows specifying an alternate kernel and/or boot flags for the next time the machine is booted. Once the loader(8) loads in the new kernel information, it is deleted so in case the new kernel hangs the machine, once it is rebooted, the machine will automatically revert to its previous configuration. --- Just rename your new kernel and put back the backup as the default. You should probably also edit '/etc/rc.conf' to disable your services (except sshd of course! :D). Then, proceed with "nextboot -k $newkernelname". If everything works fine, you can set the new kernel as the default and finish your update with "mergemaster -p", "make installworld" and "mergemaster". If your are confident, you can reanable all your services in '/etc/rc.conf' and reboot one last time. Otherwise, you can test your services and reenable them one by one. WARNING: Bad things may and will probably happen if you forget to set your new kernel as the default after finishing your update. Your system might not come back online on your next reboot because you will have an old kernel with new system binaries. Have fun! -js ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kent Stewart" To: Cc: "Dan Nelson" ; "Bill Moran" Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2005 5:02 PM Subject: Re: Newbie Question About System Update > On Tuesday 19 April 2005 01:39 pm, Dan Nelson wrote: > > You are forgetting that one of the real purposes of the boot -s is to > test your new kernel. If you have never been bitten by a kernel that > would only panic, you have no problems. If you have, you know that you > can boot the old kernel and continue without any problems until some > one solves the panic. You will not most likely hit that situation on a > security based version but this is freebsd-stable and it can happen at > any time. > > My attitude is that if you don't boot -s, you are simply playing > Russian-roulette with your system. Some day, it will bite you. > > Kent