# failed upgrading FreeBSD 11.1



## joggx (Jun 12, 2020)

It seems 11.2 upgrade works fine but files missing for 11.1.

```
% sudo freebsd-update -v debug fetch
src component not installed, skipped
Looking up update.FreeBSD.org mirrors... 3 mirrors found.
Fetching public key from update2.freebsd.org... fetch: http://update2.freebsd.org/11.1-STABLE/amd64/pub.ssl: Not Found
failed.
Fetching public key from update1.freebsd.org... fetch: http://update1.freebsd.org/11.1-STABLE/amd64/pub.ssl: Not Found
failed.
Fetching public key from update4.freebsd.org... fetch: http://update4.freebsd.org/11.1-STABLE/amd64/pub.ssl: Not Found
failed.
No mirrors remaining, giving up.
```


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## SirDice (Jun 12, 2020)

You cannot use freebsd-update(8) to update a -STABLE version, it only works for -RELEASE versions.


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## joggx (Jun 12, 2020)

Just realized RELEASE is different from STABLE, which guarantees binary compiled for earlier versions run on later versions. Seems I need to upgrade by re-compiling the source? Introducing so-called stable in that sense is again anti-human just look at how many combinations of rel-stable there could be.


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## SirDice (Jun 12, 2020)

joggx said:


> Seems I need to upgrade by re-compiling the source?


Yes. I would suggest  using the source  to update to 11.2-RELEASE.  From that point onward you  can use freebsd-update(8) to update or upgrade.



joggx said:


> Introducing so-called stable in that sense is again anti-human just look at how many combinations of rel-stable there could be.


The 'stable' in 11-STABLE refers to the ABI  (Application Binary Interface), not its overall "fitness" to run 'stable'. New -RELEASE versions are split off from a -STABLE branch. Without the -STABLE branch a -RELEASE branch couldn't exist.

Crude  ASCII drawing:

```
--------------------------------------------------------------------> -CURRENT
\_ 11.0-RELEASE                  \_  12.0-RELEASE- p1  -p2
 \_ 11.1-RELEASE                  \_  12.1-RELEASE- p1 -p2
  \_ 11.2-RELEASE                  \
   \                                \
   11-STABLE                         12-STABLE
```

There is only 1 11-STABLE and 1 12-STABLE branch. Yours was checked out somewhere between 11.1-RELEASE and 11.2-RELEASE. That's why it says 11.1-STABLE.


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## joggx (Jun 13, 2020)

Thanks for the drawing explaining the difference. Maybe it is better to stick with releases as they easier to upgrade? Who cares about ABI?


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## SirDice (Jun 17, 2020)

joggx said:


> Maybe it is better to stick with releases as they easier to upgrade?


For new users, yes, definitely stick to a -RELEASE version. Even seasoned users like myself use -RELEASE versions on production systems. Much easier to maintain (especially if you have to update 20, 30, 40, or even more systems).  I only have one or two machines running -STABLE for testing purposes.


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