From owner-freebsd-questions@freebsd.org  Sat Oct 15 11:12:39 2016
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@mailman.ysv.freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org
 [IPv6:2001:1900:2254:206a::19:1])
 by mailman.ysv.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 49177C12813
 for <freebsd-questions@mailman.ysv.freebsd.org>;
 Sat, 15 Oct 2016 11:12:39 +0000 (UTC)
 (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de)
Received: from mx02.qsc.de (mx02.qsc.de [213.148.130.14])
 (using TLSv1 with cipher DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA (256/256 bits))
 (Client did not present a certificate)
 by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 0BA4F3C9
 for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>; Sat, 15 Oct 2016 11:12:38 +0000 (UTC)
 (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de)
Received: from r56.edvax.de (port-92-195-117-205.dynamic.qsc.de
 [92.195.117.205])
 (using TLSv1 with cipher DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA (256/256 bits))
 (No client certificate requested)
 by mx02.qsc.de (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 7CDDA276C3;
 Sat, 15 Oct 2016 13:12:29 +0200 (CEST)
Received: from r56.edvax.de (localhost [127.0.0.1])
 by r56.edvax.de (8.14.5/8.14.5) with SMTP id u9FBCSBh004442;
 Sat, 15 Oct 2016 13:12:28 +0200 (CEST)
 (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de)
Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2016 13:12:28 +0200
From: Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de>
To: "freebsd-questions@freebsd.org" <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
Cc: Gerard Seibert <carmel_ny@outlook.com>
Subject: Re: Updating FreeBSD
Message-Id: <20161015131228.102a58b4.freebsd@edvax.de>
In-Reply-To: <CY4PR20MB1397675492029B03380B9ABB80DE0@CY4PR20MB1397.namprd20.prod.outlook.com>
References: <CY4PR20MB1397675492029B03380B9ABB80DE0@CY4PR20MB1397.namprd20.prod.outlook.com>
Reply-To: Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de>
Organization: EDVAX
X-Mailer: Sylpheed 3.1.1 (GTK+ 2.24.5; i386-portbld-freebsd8.2)
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.23
Precedence: list
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <https://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/options/freebsd-questions>, 
 <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions/>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <https://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
 <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2016 11:12:39 -0000

On Sat, 15 Oct 2016 10:58:46 +0000, Gerard Seibert wrote:
> I have an older version of FreeBSD 11 installed:
> 
> FreeBSD 11.0-CURRENT #0 r296485: Tue Mar  8 07:04:36 UTC 2016
> 
> Am I correct in assuming that "freebsd-update" will not update the
> system to the latest stable version? I am assuming that the easiest and
> possible safest method would be to back up my data and config files and
> then download and install the latest version. Is that correct?

The easiest way (in my opinion) is to checkout the source of
11.0-RELEASE via SVN and build + install from that source.
See the /usr/src/Makefile comment header for the correct
procedure.

It's also possible to obtain the "src" distribution via
freebsd-update for 11.0-RELEASE and build from that. This
might even be more comfortable than using SVN.

A complete re-installation is _not_ needed.

However, what you said about backup remains correct and
relevant. :-)

The freebsd-update program cannot be used to follow -CURRENT.
It's for tracking RELEASE-pX (security patches applied to a
release), and for switching releases (with the required caution).

For tracking -CURRENT or -HEAD, use SVN and build from source.

Check if any ports you have installed are affected (but from
11.0-CURRENT to 11.0-RELEASE, there shouldn't be a problem).
In _worst_ case, rebuild or reinstall ports.


-- 
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...