Updating FreeBSD and Building a Custom Kernel

[bsdforlife]

Please Help me. I am a noob when it comes to the *BSD's and I installed
FreeBSD on several of my Machines and I wanted to update the Operating System but I have no idea . I tried using a guide on BSDGuides
but it didn't really help me. Could somebody explain to me how to update my existing FreeBSD OS. Also can anybody give a link to a guide to building a custom kernel.

Thanks for the advice

John

[corey_james]

custom kernel http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO...nelconfig.html

more or less:
grab the src using cvsup
edit kernel config file
#cd /usr/src
#make buildkernel KERNCONF=MYKERNEL
# make installkernel KERNCONF=MYKERNEL


Updating your system:

http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO...makeworld.html

cut it short for ya:
use cvsup to get the updated sources
read /usr/src/UPDATING to see if you need to do anything special for the upgrade
# cd /usr/src
# make buildworld
# make buildkernel
# make installkernel
# reboot

# mergemaster -p
# cd /usr/src
# make installworld
# mergemaster
# reboot


Even though it's probably obvious i'm going to point out that freebsd is an OS not just a kernel ( like linux ) hence, you need to keep the userland and kernel in sync. ie. do NOT install an updated kernel without updating the userland and vice versa

[TomAmundsen]

Originally Posted by corey_james

custom kernel http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO...nelconfig.html

more or less:
grab the src using cvsup
edit kernel config file
#cd /usr/src
#make buildkernel KERNCONF=MYKERNEL
# make installkernel KERNCONF=MYKERNEL

Alternatively, you can just

# make KERNCONF=MYKERNEL kernel

which will build and install the kernel so that it boots to the new kernel after your next reboot. Don't worry, it will copy the old kernel out to /boot/kernel.old.

Even so, it isn't a bad idea to do this first:

# cp -Rp /boot/kernel /boot/kernel.good

[hunteronline]

For system updating I use:

cd /boot/ ; cp -Rp kernel kernel.good ; cd /usr/src ; cvsup -gL2 /usr/share/examples/cvsup/standard-supfile ; make -j4 buildworld ; make buildkernel ; make installkernel ; make installworld; mergermaster ; reboot

[Carpetsmoker]

The ``official instructions'' are in /usr/src/Makefile:

# For individuals wanting to upgrade their sources (even if only a
# delta of a few days):
#
#  1.  `cd /usr/src'       (or to the directory containing your source tree).
#  2.  `make buildworld'
#  3.  `make buildkernel KERNCONF=YOUR_KERNEL_HERE'     (default is GENERIC).
#  4.  `make installkernel KERNCONF=YOUR_KERNEL_HERE'   (default is GENERIC).
#       [steps 3. & 4. can be combined by using the "kernel" target]
#  5.  `reboot'        (in single user mode: boot -s from the loader prompt).
#  6.  `mergemaster -p'
#  7.  `make installworld'
#  8.  `make delete-old'
#  9.  `mergemaster'                         (you may wish to use -U or -ai).
# 10.  `reboot'
# 11.  `make delete-old-libs' (in case no 3rd party program uses them anymore)

cd /boot/ ; cp -Rp kernel kernel.good ;

When installing a kernel, the current kernel automatically gets copied to /boot/kernel.old, so this is a bit redundant ...

[bsdforlife]

Thanks everybody
I have updated everything
I owe everybody a favor

[ninjatux]

I have this section in my make.conf that pertains to updating:

SUP_UPDATE=     yes
SUPHOST=        cvsup3.us.freebsd.org
SUP=            /usr/bin/csup
SUPFILE=        /usr/share/examples/cvsup/stable-supfile
PORTSSUPFILE=   /usr/share/examples/cvsup/ports-supfile

I also have a cronjob that updates my source and ports trees daily between 2 to 3 AM, and the command the cronjob uses, which I can also use manually in both /usr/ports and /usr/src is:

make update

I also have my kernel configured and src.conf customized as well. I have the following in make.conf as well:

KERNCONF=       STARBOX_KERNEL

This is the sequence for my updating:

cd /usr/src
make buildworld # I use -j20
make buildkernel
make installkernel
mergemaster -p
make installworld
megemaster

The last three commands are generally done in single user mode.

[TerryP]

Originally Posted by Carpetsmoker

When installing a kernel, the current kernel automatically gets copied to /boot/kernel.old, so this is a bit redundant ...

What if you compile a new kernel, it fails to boot, you boot off 'kernel.old', to fix and build another kernel. Then the makefile nukes kernel.old with the broken kernel?


--> people should copy it to something else like kernel.GENERIC

Originally Posted by If Something Goes Wrong

Note: If you are having trouble building a kernel, make sure to keep a GENERIC, or some other kernel that is known to work on hand as a different name that will not get erased on the next build. You cannot rely on kernel.old because when installing a new kernel, kernel.old is overwritten with the last installed kernel which may be non-functional. Also, as soon as possible, move the working kernel to the proper /boot/kernel location or commands such as ps(1) may not work properly. To do this, simply rename the directory containing the good kernel:

I don't know about you, but I don't like reaching for a boot disk!!!!



I've never had a kernel that *compiled* and failed to work correctly but as I always say.... "If curiosity killed the cat, paranoia saved its ninth life". I doubt it's possible to get royally screwed but better safe then sorrier.

[phoenix]

The easier method, which doesn't require nearly as much time compiling things: freebsd-update(8) in conjunction with portmaster(8) or even portupgrade(1) (in conjunction with the -P option to use binary packages).