# 12.1 -> 12.2 Cannot identify running kernel



## tarkhil (Jan 12, 2021)

```
root@node:/usr/home/einvest # freebsd-update -r 12.2-RELEASE upgrade
Looking up update.FreeBSD.org mirrors... 3 mirrors found.
Fetching metadata signature for 12.1-RELEASE from update1.freebsd.org... done.
```
(not a single problem)

```
To install the downloaded upgrades, run "/usr/sbin/freebsd-update install".
root@node:/usr/home/einvest # /usr/sbin/freebsd-update install
Installing updates...
Kernel updates have been installed.  Please reboot and run
"/usr/sbin/freebsd-update install" again to finish installing updates.
root@node:/usr/home/einvest # shutdown -r "12.1->12.2"
```
still no problem.

After reboot

```
einvest@node:~ % sudo su
You have mail.
root@node:/usr/home/einvest # freebsd-update install
Cannot identify running kernel
root@node:/usr/home/einvest # uname -a
FreeBSD node.einvest.org 12.1-RELEASE-p1 FreeBSD 12.1-RELEASE-p1 GENERIC  amd64
root@node:/usr/home/einvest # /usr/sbin/freebsd-update install
Cannot identify running kernel
root@node:/usr/home/einvest #
```

Kernel in /boot/kernel/ is of 2020-01-12.


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## SirDice (Jan 12, 2021)

Are you booting FreeBSD via Grub perhaps? I can remember some issues that will present itself this way if a setting in Grub is forgotten.


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## Matlib (Jan 13, 2021)

If your boot FS is hosted on ZFS (/boot is a symlink to somewhere else), then you may try importing it first with `zpool import` as there have been some problems with importing all pools at boot with 12.x.

In any case the command `ls -l "`sysctl -n kern.bootfile`"` should show the running kernel image.


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