# /var/db/pkg/cat not found



## ankscorek (Feb 22, 2013)

Dear friends, I am aware this is an old problem when you try to follow the 10 steps to reinstallation.

in the tenth step you do this

```
portmaster 'cat ~/installed-port-list'
```

However I always get the error 

```
/var/db/pkg/cat does not exist
Aborting Update
```

Where am I going wrong?


----------



## SirDice (Feb 22, 2013)

Use backticks ` instead of single quotes '


----------



## ankscorek (Feb 23, 2013)

*T*hanks, SirDice.

*I*t was dumb of me not to get that backtick str*aight*. *B*ut now after running the command *I* get the error 
	
	



```
creating a backup package for old version libtool-2.4.2
```
 and then it freezes there. I allowed it to continue fro 12 hours still the same status. It is freezing at this point

Any suggestions please to recover from here?


----------



## phoenix (Feb 25, 2013)

Press *CTRL+T* to get an info line about what the current process is doing.


----------



## ankscorek (Feb 27, 2013)

It's painful to reinstall and stabilize the entire system. Gosh.

After fresh install I did: 


```
portsnap fetch update extract 
portmaster -a
```

Here is the result the update process is hanging here

```
===>>> Creating a backup package for old version xterm-290
load: 0.30  cmd: pkg 20093 [ttyin] 45.34r 0.00u 0.00s 0% 3976k
```


Where is the error please?


----------



## SirDice (Feb 27, 2013)

ankscorek said:
			
		

> ```
> portsnap fetch update extract
> ```


Use extract only the first time. It extracts the _entire_ ports tree. After that only *portsnap fetch update* is needed.


----------



## ankscorek (Feb 28, 2013)

*S*ure SirDice, that is exactly what is done but what about *portmaster -a* stalling?


```
portmaster -Bdwa
testing if -lXt is needed
testing if -lX11 is needed
testing if -lutempter is needed
testing if -ltermcap is needed
...yes
load: 0.30  cmd: pkg 40540 [ttyin] 70.78r 0.00u 0.00s 0% 3820k
```
*I* pressed ctrl+T to get the last line as suggested by phoenix. *T*he process is getting stalled here.


```
portupgrade -ai
```
did the job but why not for portmaster?


----------

