# freebsd-update never finds any updates?



## fukawi2 (Apr 10, 2010)

Hi all...

I think I might be doing something wrong with `freebsd-update`

I've had my FreeBSD machine (8.0-RELEASE-p2) installed for a couple of months, but `freebsd-update fetch` always tells me there are no updates available:


```
root@dns0 ~ # freebsd-update fetch
Looking up update.FreeBSD.org mirrors... 3 mirrors found.
Fetching metadata signature for 8.0-RELEASE from update4.FreeBSD.org... done.
Fetching metadata index... done.
Inspecting system... done.
Preparing to download files... done.

No updates needed to update system to 8.0-RELEASE-p2.
root@dns0 ~ #
```


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## rolle (Apr 10, 2010)

Hi,
it's because you run already the latest.
There are no further updates yet.

so, everything is fine.


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## gilinko (Apr 10, 2010)

rolle said:
			
		

> Hi,
> it's because you run already the latest.
> There are no further updates yet.
> 
> so, everything is fine.



...as freebsd-update only is for the base system. If you want to update/upgrade your ports you have to use either portmaster or portupgrade, which both can be found in the ports tree.


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## fender0107401 (Apr 10, 2010)

From my system:

```
% uname -a
FreeBSD PC-686.Workstation [B]8.0-RELEASE-p2 [/B]FreeBSD 8.0-RELEASE-p2 #0: Sun Mar 28 21:40:14 CST 2010     [email]root@PC-
686.Workst[/email]ation:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/MYKERNEL  amd64
```

I always keep everything update.


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## Paolo_R (Apr 11, 2010)

Sorry for jumping in, but am new to FreeBSD. I have the 8.0-RELEASE #0 on my pc.

I did the `freebsd-update fetch`, got :

```
inspecting system...done
preparing to download files ... done
The following files will be updated as part of updating to 8.0-RELEASE-p2:
 <list of files>
```
I am then left at my prompt. Issuing `uname -a` still gives 8.0-RELEASE #0. I've shutdown and rebooted and uname is still reporting 8.0-RELEASE #0.

Any idea why my system is not being updated?

Thanks


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## Paolo_R (Apr 11, 2010)

OK, I realise I should have added the 'install' command to freebsd-update


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## fukawi2 (Apr 11, 2010)

gilinko said:
			
		

> ...as freebsd-update only is for the base system. If you want to update/upgrade your ports you have to use either portmaster or portupgrade, which both can be found in the ports tree.


So there's been no security updates or *anything* for the base system for several months? :\ I know FreeBSD is supposed to be secure, but it has to inherit upstream bugs before they are discovered...?


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## gilinko (Apr 11, 2010)

There seldom are any "upstream" bugs, as there is no upstream for the FreeBSD base. Only some parts of the base is not developed by FreeBSD or the even more security obsessed OpenBSD. 

Most of the time, only critical flaws get a patch and is then needed to update a -RELEASE. The "general" update and patching of the base is done i primarily the -CURRENT or -STABLE tree but those are typicaly not critical. You can find the advisor's here http://www.freebsd.org/security/advisories.html

Do not mix the thinking with the way linux works with a kernel and gnu base, which are all found upstream from the distributions standpoint.


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## swa (Apr 11, 2010)

Just wondering, why is it that you're so surprised. 
Did you actually discover vulnerabilities in the basesystem ?
If so, I guess you could report them.


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## fukawi2 (Apr 11, 2010)

gilinko said:
			
		

> Most of the time, only critical flaws get a patch and is then needed to update a -RELEASE. The "general" update and patching of the base is done i primarily the -CURRENT or -STABLE tree but those are typicaly not critical. You can find the advisor's here http://www.freebsd.org/security/advisories.html


So if I want more updates, I should go with -STABLE. This is only my home DNS server, so nothing critical 



			
				gilinko said:
			
		

> Do not mix the thinking with the way linux works with a kernel and gnu base, which are all found upstream from the distributions standpoint.


I'm trying my hardest to learn the differences; This is something that I am having trouble with obviously 



			
				swa said:
			
		

> Just wondering, why is it that you're so surprised.


I'm a heavy Linux user -- servers, work desktop, home desktop, laptops etc... Trying to "branch out" and learn some BSD and as gilinko said, getting myself a bit confused in the process and differences between the 2 

I have 'portupgrade' installed now and compiling a whole heap of updates (that I was expecting freebsd-update to handle, but was wrong in that! )

Thanks for your input guys... I'm trying to bother Google with my stupid questions instead of the forums, but this one was just confusing me!


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## gilinko (Apr 11, 2010)

fukawi2 said:
			
		

> So if I want more updates, I should go with -STABLE. This is only my home DNS server, so nothing critical
> 
> 
> I'm trying my hardest to learn the differences; This is something that I am having trouble with obviously



The question is why do you want the updates? The -STABLE is a *development branch* and as such could become unstable without warning. Also you have to compile everything from source, and you will not be able to use freebsd-update as the freebsd-update is only* for the -RELEASE branch.

What you should keep in in mind is that Linux is NOT an OS, it's a kernel with GNU userland tools that makes it a basic distribution like Fedora etc. FreeBSD is an OS with both kernel and userland tools in one. Both then add software(like apache etc) to that base, and for FreeBSD that is the ports system and Fedora from RPM repos.

The difference has been discussed many times in this forum, so do a search here and you will get a lot of information. And read both the handbook and the articles found here, especially the FreeBSD Quickstart Guide for LinuxÂ® Users. One thing that you will notice quickly is that FreeBSD is both more and better documented than any Linux distribution.

* with some special exceptions


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## fukawi2 (Apr 12, 2010)

gilinko said:
			
		

> The question is why do you want the updates?


Help me with my learning of maintaining a FreeBSD system... Not having any updates to apply isn't teaching me much about freebsd-update 



			
				gilinko said:
			
		

> The -STABLE is a *development branch* and as such could become unstable without warning.


Acceptable risk IMHO on a system that it just my home internal DNS server.



			
				gilinko said:
			
		

> Also you have to compile everything from source, and you will not be able to use freebsd-update as the freebsd-update is only* for the -RELEASE branch.


I didn't know that. It makes point 1 null and void though, so I guess I'll just have to wait until something in -RELEASE is found to be broken


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## gilinko (Apr 12, 2010)

fukawi2 said:
			
		

> Help me with my learning of maintaining a FreeBSD system... Not having any updates to apply isn't teaching me much about freebsd-update  I didn't know that. It makes point 1 null and void though, so I guess I'll just have to wait until something in -RELEASE is found to be broken



Read the man page for freebsd-update there you will find a lot of useful information. For using the freebsd-update binary there are in essence only three commands that you have to know.

`# freebsd-update fetch` That fetches the updates
`# freebsd-update install` That installs the updates

and when you want to jump a release
`# freebsd-update upgrade -r 8.0-RELEASE` that will move you from the release you currently have to (in this case) the 8.0-RELEASE. In combination with three of the above given install command and two reboots.

Everything else is in principal automated. You have to answer [y] some times and there might be some merging of configuration files(which in general just is an update of the CVS $id$ line). But then you need to know about the specific configuration files and less about the upgrade process. The things you should be learning about is running a firewall(PF,ipw etc), user control(pw), the configuration files in /etc and how to keep your installed ports updated and secured. These are the tools that you actually use to maintain a secure server.


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## mbr661 (Apr 13, 2010)

Hello all,

I have a similar problem, when I run freebsd-update fetch/install my system does not upgrade to the latest release.

I'm running 7.1-RELEASE-p8 and the latest release is -p11, nevertheless, it says there are no updates needed to update???

I reread this thread and no explanation was give. Can someone help me understand what is causing this?


```
$ uname -a
FreeBSD linux.beltrandelrio.net 7.1-RELEASE-p8 FreeBSD 7.1-RELEASE-p8 #0: Fri Oct  2 07:10:41 UTC 2009     root@i386-builder.daemonology.net:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC  i386
```

When I run freebsd-fetch I get:

```
linux# freebsd-update fetch
Looking up update.FreeBSD.org mirrors... 3 mirrors found.
Fetching metadata signature for 7.1-RELEASE from update5.FreeBSD.org... done.
Fetching metadata index... done.
Inspecting system... done.
Preparing to download files... done.

No updates needed to update system to 7.1-RELEASE-p11.
```

Thanks in advance.


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## gilinko (Apr 13, 2010)

You have the latest updates if freebsd-update says so. The -pX in uname -a only reflects when the kernel was patched(in this case -p8), and not your current system patch level. Also the available patches could be for parts that you currently don't have in your base system, and then the patches are not needed as there is nothing to patch.


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## DutchDaemon (Apr 13, 2010)

See also http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=6633


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