# Question about installing packages



## yitianlang (Jun 23, 2013)

When I updated my FreeBSD-9.0-RELEASE to FreeBSD-9.1-release-p3, which PACKAGESITE below should I use to install packages?

ftp://ftp1.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-9-stable/Latest/
ftp://ftp1.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-9.1-release/Latest/
ftp://ftp1.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-9-current/Latest/
ftp://ftp1.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages/Latest/
ftp://ftp1.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-stable/Latest/
Which one? I want to use ftp://ftp1.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-9.0-release/Latest/, but it does not exist. 

When I used [packages-9-stable], there ware many errors. And software cannot run!


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## jozze (Jun 23, 2013)

It depends on which CPU architecture your system runs on -- i386 or amd64? It has to match your `# uname -a` report, so 9.1-STABLE on i386, goes with .../i386/packages-9-stable/Latest/, which is maybe why it didn't work in some cases (although I didn't have any problems with ports when I upgraded from 9.1-RELENG to 9.1-STABLE).

Guessing from your post, you want 9.1-RELENG on a i386 system, so try this link. If you're running amd64, try this one.

PS, totally unrelated: 9.1-RELENG is the name of the source tree for 9.1-RELEASE that has been further endowed with security patches, which in your case is 9.1-RELEASE p3. I usually compile those myself, and I cannot escape my skin, and just use -RELENG, instead of -RELASE p3. See this link if you're curious .


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## SirDice (Jun 23, 2013)

jozze said:
			
		

> Guessing from your post, you want 9.1-RELENG on a i386 system, so try this link. If you're running amd64, try this one.



Don't use the release packages. They are built when the release comes out and are never updated. Use the -STABLE package trees.


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## jozze (Jun 23, 2013)

Oh, yikes! It seems that my guess was wrong! Sorry! I guessed so, because he said that packages didn't run, when he changed to 9-STABLE. Why would that be?


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## kpa (Jun 23, 2013)

"Packages didn't run" is non-information. We need to know what the actual error was.


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## jozze (Jun 23, 2013)

True.


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## yitianlang (Jun 24, 2013)

How to use 9.1-RELENG? My FreeBSD is 9.1-RELEASE-p3 with i386. I use command `freebsd-update` to upgrade to 9.1-RELEASE. So it become_s_ 9.1-RELEASE-p3. How can you upgrade FreeBSD to 9.1-STABLE?

When I use 9.1-RELEASE packagesï¼Œ software cannot be installed for it's dependence. Because FreeBSD had installed many old-version packages.

So what can I do to upgrade FreeBSD? And then which PACKAGESITE should I use?


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## jozze (Jun 24, 2013)

I'm terribly sorry for confusing you. Do like @SirDice suggested and use the -STABLE package tree, not the -STABLE base system. Your initial guess was correct, '[packages-9-stable]' are the right choice. If you encountered errors, post them here so we can help.


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## SirDice (Jun 24, 2013)

yitianlang said:
			
		

> How to use 9.1-RELENG? My FreeBSD is 9.1-RELEASE-p3 with i386. I use command `freebsd-update` to upgrade to 9.1-RELEASE. So it become 9.1-RELEASE-p3. How can you upgrade FreeBSD to 9.1-STABLE?


The -stable packages have nothing to do with the -STABLE version of FreeBSD. The ports and the base OS are two separate entities.

As for upgrading to -STABLE, you can only do that by compiling from source.



> When I use 9.1-RELEASE packagesï¼Œ software cannot be installed for it's dependence. Because FreeBSD had installed many old-version packages.
> 
> So what can I do to upgrade FreeBSD? And then which PACKAGESITE should I use?


The easiest is just to `# pkg_delete -a` and start over. Use ftp://ftp1.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-9-stable/Latest/ for packages.


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## yitianlang (Jun 25, 2013)

So Unix is so hard to use? I found FreeBSD 9.0-RELEASE install 9.1-RELEASE's packages, and these packages would not work.

I just want to know when FreeBSD is installed as a server in http://www.12345.com[just for example]. How can we update/upgrade it? I think if I compile packages from source, that will be boring for waiting too long and there are many errors in the end. How do you upgrade/update it?


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## ShelLuser (Jun 25, 2013)

yitianlang said:
			
		

> So Unix is so hard to use ?


Any operating system (or any software package) is hard to use if you don't read the manual before you've become familiar with it. Not to mention that 'hard to use' is a matter of opinion.



			
				yitianlang said:
			
		

> I found FreeBSD 9.0-RELEASE install 9.1-RELEASE's packages , and these packages would not work.


Well, 9.0 is different from 9.1, that should give something away as to a possible cause why things might not work as expected.

Even so there is an even bigger issue here (which most likely also explains your current issues): FreeBSD 9.0 is no longer supported, at all, as such using packages from a later version is also bound to cause errors because those packages, as you tend to call them, sort of expect to be used on a supported environment.



			
				yitianlang said:
			
		

> I just want to know when FreeBSD is installed as a server in http://www.12345.com[just for example] .How can we update/upgrade it ?


By following the manual. An important aspect to keep in mind is that FreeBSD is a two-folded experience. First there's the base system which is updated by using freebsd-update and second there's the optional ports collection which can be updated using either the portsnap or svn command.

Keep in mind that the first thing to keeping a server safe is understanding how it works. And the first step to that, in my opinion that is, is by reading the manual. In this particular example the so called FreeBSD handbook. I write from personal experience saying that this contains everything you're asking about right now.



			
				yitianlang said:
			
		

> I think if I compile packages from source, that will be boring for waitting too long and there are many errors in the end.
> How do you do to upgrade/update it ?


Ask yourself this: if you compile from source and there are errors you'll know then and there that there were issues. Would you really be any safer if those issues simply stopped appearing even though you could have known the issues were still there?

It's a matter of choice. FreeBSD's "3rd party software" is build upon the ports collection. And the main approach there is compiling software yourself. Each to his own, but as to me I no longer would trust a package if I didn't know it cleanly compiled (by seeing this happening myself).

If your goal is not being delayed by compiling software then I can't help wonder; why pick an environment which main goal is aimed at providing just that?

No offense, but although FreeBSD also provides binary packages I can't help state my opinion that if you're aiming to install an operating system with extra's (such as a web server, SQL server, and so on..) you may have picked the wrong solution for the job.

Here's not saying that FreeBSD isn't up to the challenge but as you hinted at yourself earlier on in this message it could require a lot more in depth knowledge and not so much a "out of the box" working environment.

Just my 2 cents here mind you.


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