Hello list,
Senior unix admin, but relatively fresh Linux admin. I run a fc8 box only for cross-compiling, as so many toolchains come pre-compiled for it.
However, today I found the need to finally upgrade. This is an account of what I went through, and not just meant as a bitch session.
I do not care about the OS, but it would be easier if all my toolchain installs and home directory contents remained.
I have a tiny /boot and the rest on a lv / system, setup by a colleague. This all runs on xen, but that is not really part of this email.
First I tried to use preupgrade, and I went through all the yum tasks to ensure I have the latest version of it and so on.
Then I ran preupgrade, I went straight for fc14. I was told that my /boot was too small. Of course it is! Still, it did say something about downloading it after reboot. Plus one for fc there.
Rebooting and it gives some obscure error about not finding previous system. Eh? Googling and crap, I finally find out how to get at the anaconda logs (it could have been mentioned by anaconda i think, instead of just 'error, click here to reboot')
In the end it said something about fc8 can not be upgraded. I still do not really know why, but google suggests I can not skip versions, I need to go to 9 first. preupgraded only lists 10 to 14. I try 10 anyway.
No difference at all. Bugger.
Right, so I download the fc14 ISO and try to do a install over the old OS, hoping to keep data. The installer does have an option to keep things, the second to last option, before custom.
It just notifies me that there are no places to install to, sorry.
I use custom, which at least gives me some clues. Apparently I can not install to a ext3 filesystem. This seems a really bad decision by someone. Essentially, it is just untaring files on an existing fs. To force a certain version seems really backwards.
I google for how to convert ext3 to ext4, and go through that. 2 hours later I am ready to try again.
I return back to the installer, the 4th option still does not work, so i go through custom. I manage to convince it to use my / and /boot. It installs, I reboot. No warnings about losing data, so I feel confident here.
Upon reboot it has no settings for network, ssh etc. So I go through the GUI to set network (I guess I am supposed to use GUI, even though I prefer to reach for ifconfig).
I look for a way to start SSH, and there do not appear to be any. Google said to use Administration/Services. But that does not exists. Huh, I actually have to start a shell to run /sbin/services sshd start. Minus one there.
Only to find that port 22 does not answer. I go through the usual checks to make sure it is running, and connects locally. I start the firewall GUI to confirm that port 22 is open, I even try without firewall. Still, no connection.
How strange. there is a cryptic message about iptables? I don't have services so I can not check using the GUI, so again I am forced to use shell to disable it. Finally I can login. minus one again.
Only to find everything has been wiped. Boo.
It was a major hassle for me, I feel sorry for fresh people trying fc14 for the first time. I feel there is room to make some improvements.
Anyway, I will zfs rollback to my fc8 and install something else.
good luck,