# Binary update from 7.1-RELEASE-p2 to 7.2 and revert to GENERIC kernel



## artvolk (Nov 11, 2009)

Good day!

I'm running FreeBSD 7.1-RELEASE-p2 now (binary updated from 7.1-RELEASE) with locally builded
kernel. I'd like to perform binary upgrade to the latest 7.2 using freebsd-update and have two questions:

1. As far as I understand freebsd-update will up update my local kernel sources as well (in case I will decide to build custom kernel someday)?

2. I do not need locally build kernel anymore, I'd like to revert to the latest GENERIC 7.2 after upgrade, how to achive this?

Thanks for any advices/information!


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## DutchDaemon (Nov 11, 2009)

freebsd-update.conf(5) -> "Components"
Switch off what you don't want/need.

Doesn't freebsd-update install a GENERIC kernel by default?


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## artvolk (Nov 11, 2009)

Thanks for the reply, I've found this in handbook:



> The freebsd-update utility can automatically update the GENERIC kernel only. If a custom kernel is in use, it will have to be rebuilt and reinstalled after freebsd-update finishes installing the rest of the updates. However, freebsd-update will detect and update the GENERIC kernel in /boot/GENERIC (if it exists), even if it is not the current (running) kernel of the system.
> 
> Note: It is a good idea to always keep a copy of the GENERIC kernel in /boot/GENERIC. It will be helpful in diagnosing a variety of problems, and in performing version upgrades using freebsd-update as described in Section 24.2.3.



It seems I haven't followed such good advice on keeping generic kernel in /boot/GENERIC. Is there any way to obtain GENERIC kernel for 7.1-RELEASE-p2 to put it into this folder before running freebsd-upgrade?


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## artvolk (Nov 11, 2009)

Sorry, I found this in the handbook just in next section...
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/handbook/updating-upgrading-freebsdupdate.html


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## artvolk (Nov 11, 2009)

Another question, if I update from 7.1 to 7.2, will my 3rd party software built from ports work? Or I need to rebuild all software too?


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## DutchDaemon (Nov 11, 2009)

Ports will continue to work within the same major version (7.x). If you move to the next major version, you need to rebuild all of your ports, though you can get away with running ports from the previous version by including COMPAT_FREEBSD(version) in the kernel and installing the applicable misc/compat(version) port (which installs older versions of libraries). The GENERIC kernel has COMPAT_FREEBSD(version) by default. Rebuilding ports is the preferred method in the long run.


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## artvolk (Nov 11, 2009)

Thank you for such quick and informative answers!

I really appriciate you help.

Thanks to you!


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