# can't upgrade to 11.1-STABLE using freebsd-update



## rdslw (Aug 28, 2017)

Hi,

after 20 years of using linux I decided this week to start using FreeBSD on some of my machines. Learning progresses, but I stumbled upon a problem I can't solve (handbook read, forum searched).

The problem is I can't upgrade to 11.1-STABLE using freebsd-update (I know I can do it using source, but wanted to try freebsd-update approach first).

Do I do something wrong?

Data for analysis below, machine is currently 11.1-RELEASE, still quite pristine.



> ```
> [root@lithium /usr/src]# uname -a
> FreeBSD lithium 11.1-RELEASE FreeBSD 11.1-RELEASE #0 r321309: Fri Jul 21 02:08:28 UTC 2017     root@releng2.nyi.freebsd.org:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC  amd64
> [root@lithium /usr/src]# freebsd-version
> ...


----------



## Minbari (Aug 28, 2017)

freebsd-update can be used only for RELEASE version of FreeBSD. If you want to "move" to STABLE you have to use sources (/usr/src/).


----------



## ekingston (Aug 28, 2017)

It would be 11-stable, not 11.1-stable. Plus, what @Minibari said.


----------



## rdslw (Aug 28, 2017)

Thank you guys. I was mistaken by some other forum posts that it's possible. Proceeding to source operation.
Should I now change thread title prefix to 'SOLVED' even as it was my mistake?

Also, would it be sensible for me to submit to CURRENT patch for freebsd-update to return more meaningful error message in case different branch then RELEASE is used in -r upgrade ?


----------



## ShelLuser (Aug 28, 2017)

rdslw said:


> Also, would it be sensible for me to submit to CURRENT patch for freebsd-update to return more meaningful error message in case different branch then RELEASE is used in -r upgrade ?


Keep in mind that despite what their names might suggest both STABLE and CURRENT are developer snapshots. This is also the reason why you can't use freebsd-update. Why would you even want to use those? Note that there isn't even any guarantee that those versions will run at all on your setup.

So if you want to use / try FreeBSD and you're new to this then definitely stick with the commonly supported releases for now. So at the time of writing either 10.3 or 11.1.


----------



## SirDice (Aug 29, 2017)

Nothing wrong with running -STABLE. I've been running -STABLE since the FreeBSD 3.x era. The nice thing about -STABLE is that you get all the bug fixes and new features without the inherent instability of -CURRENT. I won't recommend it for production machines as it's a little difficult to keep track. But for testing or your home server, sure, why not?


----------

